Lifestyle Choices

When and why did tanning become popular? In the last century, a tan was definitely not considered to be “chic”: only laborers, farmers, and fishermen who worked long hours outdoors had tans. Women of the “upper classes” took particular pride in their porcelain-white, unspotted skins, protecting themselves from the sun with parasols, gloves, and large hats. Female beauty was measured by the translucence and smoothness of the skin.

The attitude towards tanning began to change as late as the 1920s, when Coco Chanel first caused a sensation in Paris and around the world by showing her haute couture clothing on tanned models.

A golden tan soon became a fashionable symbol of travel and of a luxurious life of leisurely vacations in the sun. As the notion of the ideal evolved and the active outdoor lifestyle became preferred, tanned skin has more recently been viewed as an emblem of healthy athletic fitness and prowess.

Medical science has now proved beyond doubt that the sun not only noticeably accelerates the visible aging of skin, but that it also causes distinct, irreversible skin damage and also disease. Despite broad media coverage making the public aware of these dangers, tanning lotions still sell well and, unfortunately, tanning salons still make a good living.

A recent survey by an American women’s magazine showed that although over 85 percent of Americans are aware that the radiation from the sun’s rays is unhealthy, only about half of them actually take precautions to protect themselves from its effects. Another survey by the newspaper USA Today found that 80 percent of people on vacation chose their destination primarily to get maximum sun exposure!

Gradually styles are changing, albeit at a slow pace. Fashion models today are shown without tans, unlike those who were pictured ten years or so ago. Inspired by our newly acquired knowledge, our concept of “beauty” is slowly returning to a much healthier balance.

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