There is a dark side to British summertime; it is not caused by the gathering rain clouds that threaten to ruin our days out but by the pressure that many of us feel to acquire the perfect tan. At the first sign of sun people up and down the country don their skimpiest outfits and go outside to ‘work’ on their tans. According to the BBC, in 2005 UK citizens spent £40m on tanning, with three million of these people using sun beds. Following in the footsteps of Cheryl Cole and Carly Zucker many now consider it essential to have an all-year-round glow; fake bake and sun beds can be used to maintain a caramel hew so there really is no excuse to look pasty. But why is tanning considered to be so desirable? Arguably a tan covers up all manner of sins, hiding blemishes and any uneven texture, making the skin appear to be healthier. Having a tan is often seen as a status symbol; proof that you have been on an expensive overseas holiday or that you can afford the time to simply lie around in the sun soaking up the rays; bronzed skin is the ultimate summertime accessory. Unfortunately, like almost everything fun, tanning is not very good for your health.
The risks of tanning are well documented: whether sunbathing outside or inside on a sun bed you are exposing your body to UV rays which can damage skin cells and cause skin cancer. Whilst fake tanning won’t kill you it should also come with a warning attached, something along the lines of: ‘Will make you smell like a digestive biscuit and if misused can make you look like an over ripe clementine.’ Most of the general public tend to ignore the physical and social dangers caused by tanning and do it anyway, leaving orange stains on bed sheets across the nation or worse, leaving their skin permanently damaged. Some self confessed ‘tanorexics’ even go so far as to take the interest to obsession and simply cannot function in everyday life without a tan. Sometimes I would like to hark back to a time when it was preferable to be pale, when tanned skin was seen as a sign that one belonged to a labouring class who spent their days in the fields. I would have suited this general fashion for pale skin much better (no toxic lead based powders or bulky parasols for me!) because, you see, try as I might I cannot tan. Several years ago, just before a trip to Spain with a friend, I warned her of my inability to catch the sun’s rays. She smiled and assured me that after the fortnight long holiday I would be guaranteed a healthy glow, just like her own. Fast forward two weeks and there I was back in the airport looking like I’d never left the cloud cover of the UK, no-one could believe that my friend and I had been on holiday to the same place because our skin tones told very different stories! At the time I was fairly disappointed but now I really couldn’t care less…
For those of you lucky enough to have skin that tans easily, embrace it, but for those who don’t, there is nothing wrong with being pale and interesting! Some people look great with a tan whilst others suit a more ethereal complexion; Nicole Kidman, Dita Von Teese and Lily Cole to name but a few. In some cultures it is preferable to be pale, in others it is desirable to be dark; at some points in history pale skin has been admired whereas at others times tanned skin has been more popular. It is all a question of fashion. But whether we are attempting to lighten or darker our skin, appearance should never become a more important factor than health. So over the next few months protect your outer layer and don’t feel pressurised to change what nature gave you. There has never been a better time to love your skin.
