A tan

Even in antiquity, it was noticed that a dark skin tone visually coarsens the appearance. Because tanning was considered a symbol of masculinity. In the art of Ancient Egypt, in Pompeii frescoes and paintings by European artists, men were usually depicted as tanned, and women as fair-skinned.

In ancient Greece, an athlete and a warrior were supposed to be tanned, while a woman, the keeper of the hearth, had to carefully hide from the sun. And the tan has become an integral part of a perfect male body, symbolizing the result of hard work in the fresh air.

Until the 20th century, the aristocracy tried to avoid tanning, since tanning was the lot of peasants constantly working in the field ^[2] . It is for this reason that representatives of the lower classes were often called “mob” (that is, black from tanning).

In the United States and Western Europe until the 1920s, tanned skin was associated with the lower classes because they worked outdoors and were exposed to the sun. Women tried to preserve pale skin as a sign of their "sophistication" ^[3] .

Women's outdoor clothing styles have been specifically designed to protect against the effects of the sun, with full-sized sleeves and large hats, headscarves and umbrellas that protect the head. Women even went so far as to use lead cosmetics to artificially whiten their skin tone ^[4] . However, when the products were not subject to strict controls, they often caused lead poisoning. Light skin was also achieved in other ways, including using arsenic to whiten skin and brighten powders. The fashion for fair skin lasted until the end of the Victorian era .

In 1903, Niels Finsen was awarded the Nobel Prize in medicine for his Finsen Light Therapy ^[5] . Therapy was a cure for diseases such as lupus and rickets. Vitamin D deficiency has been found to cause rickets, and exposure to the sun will allow people to receive vitamin D. Therefore, exposure to the sun has been a cure for several diseases, especially rickets.

Shortly afterwards, in the 1920s, fashion designer Coco Chanel accidentally sunbathed while visiting the French Riviera . When she arrived home, she came with a tan, and her fans apparently liked her appearance, and they decided to start sunbathing. Tanned skin has become a trend in part due to Coco's status. In addition, Parisians fell in love with Josephine Baker , a singer whose skin had a caramel color, and deified her dark skin. These two women were the leading figures in the transformation that tanned skin underwent, where it began to be perceived as fashionable and healthy ^{[6] [7]} .

Shortly before the 1930s, sun therapy became a popular cure for almost any disease: from simple fatigue to tuberculosis . In the 1940s, women's magazines started showing advertisements that contributed to tanning. At the same time, the amount of material used in swimwear began to decrease, and the bikini radically changed the style of the swimsuit in 1946 ^[8] .

In 1978, an SPF 15 sunscreen appeared ^[9] .

In China, darker skin is still considered an attribute of the lower class. Only in 2012, in some parts of China, ski masks became popular items to wear on the beach to protect your face from exposure to the sun ^[10] .

The degree and speed of tanning are indicators of health, and are associated with a person’s genetic characteristics. Long-term residence of the ancestors of the northern peoples in the middle and high latitudes, in lower light conditions than in Africa, led to an increase in the need for vitamin D. This vitamin is necessary for the normal formation of bones.

Sensitivity to ultraviolet radiation in different people, especially in children, is different. Brunettes with dark skin tan faster than blondes and redheads with thinner and more delicate skin, which often suffer from sunburn when exposed to ultraviolet rays. People with white skin are not recommended to sunbathe ^[11] .

Illusions regarding a positive assessment of dark tanning are associated with the beginning of the 20th century, when it was found that in the skin, under the influence of sunlight, an anti- rickety factor is formed - vitamin D. But by the 1980s, it became clear that excessive tanning provokes accelerated skin aging , and when interacting with other factors (heredity, skin type, diet, lifestyle, environmental conditions), it acts as a risk factor for a disease such as melanoma ^{[12] [13] [14] [15]} .

Today it is known that excessive insolation reduces fertility in women, and in men it can cause short-term infertility (for several days). In addition, a passion for tanning leads to a disease such as tanorexia .

The sun, in general, negatively affects the condition of the skin, provoking the rapid evaporation of moisture from cells of not only its upper but also deep layers, disrupting the lipid balance of the epidermis . As a result, skin elasticity decreases, which provokes the appearance of wrinkles ^[16] .

Lubricating the skin with fatty vegetable oils (peanut, peach, etc.) for quick tanning protects it from drying out and, to some extent, from burns .

At the same time, some components of essential oils ( bergamot , orange, and other citrus fruits ), hogweed juice, parsley, and other plants provoke skin burns with phototoxicity .

The first phase of tanning is mild physiological erythema . Then the skin gradually darkens, "acquiring a tan."

With an excessive dose, a sunburn is formed instead of a tan. With a sunburn, there is a false sense of cold.

Under the influence of UV rays, the formation of vitamin D is activated, which is necessary for the body to absorb calcium and phosphorus , which are “responsible” for strengthening muscles and bones and for healing wounds. To maintain the necessary level of vitamin D in the body, it is enough to expose the hands and face to the sun 2-3 times a week for 5-15 minutes during the summer months ^[17] .

UV rays activate most of the processes occurring in the body - respiration , metabolism , blood circulation ^[17] and the activity of the endocrine system .

Older people also benefit from sunbathing, but it is better to consult a doctor. Sunbathing helps with muscle pain and rheumatism. Also, UV rays help strengthen the skeletal system of the body ^[18] .

In winter and spring, when the protective functions of the body are weakened, UV rays help fight colds . However, excessive UV radiation can weaken the immune system and increase the risk of infectious diseases ^[19] .

UV rays are successfully used in the treatment of various skin diseases, such as eczema , psoriasis , acne . Use for medicinal purposes does not eliminate the negative side effects of UV radiation, however, it occurs under medical supervision, which minimizes the harm compared to the beneficial effect ^[17] .

UV rays affect mood ^[17] , balance of mind and fight stress.

It is widely believed that a previously acquired tan (by natural or artificial means) protects the skin well from sunburn during a vacation spent in the sun. In fact, a tan acquired with equipment provides only limited skin protection against sunburn by UV rays. It was estimated that such a tan has only the same protective effect as a sunscreen with a solar protection factor (SPF) of 2-3 ^[20] .

UVB range

• provides the beginning of the formation of melanin in the skin - tanning
• promotes skin aging (but to a lesser extent than UVA)
• almost completely blocked by most protective substances in creams

UVC Range - Far UV

• more dangerous in relation to the stimulation of skin cancer than UVB, and contributes to the formation of melanoma - the most dangerous type of skin cancer.
• not blocked by many protective substances - “sunscreens”, the main protection is clothing

Ultraviolet damaging effect on the skin, as well as on the retina .

For protection, primarily used canopies, visors, hats, as well as spacious light clothing that does not allow UV rays.

Sunscreen

The use of such creams is based on the action of two types of filters introduced into their composition: inorganic (titanium dioxide, zinc dioxide, etc.) and various organic substances. The overall effectiveness of such creams is estimated by the number of SPF (Sun Protection Factor). SPF shows how many times you can increase the duration of exposure to the sun thanks to a protective cream. The most popular types of sunscreens, such as creams, fluids, emulsions and cosmetic pencils ^[21] .

Sun creams

Sunblock creams come in various degrees of protection: from 2-4 SPF to 100 SPF. However, funds with SPFs above 50 are no longer up to date. ^{[22] The} cream should be applied approximately every 3 hours in the sun. They not only protect the skin from ultraviolet rays and stimulate the production of melanin , but also soften it.

Choosing a sunscreen should not be with the maximum, but with the optimal SPF, because sunscreens in large quantities themselves can have harmful effects on the skin. For example, chemical filters can cause allergic reactions , and physical filters ^[23] can trigger an exacerbation of acne . ^[22]

There are alternative ways to get a tan: dihydroxyacetone- based coloring agents and bronzers.

Many tanning products are available in the form of darkening creams, gels, lotions and sprays, which are applied to the skin on its own. There is also an instant tan or “tanning bed” offered by resorts, salons and country houses ^[23] .

• Instant tan
• Tanning
• Sun healing
• Melanoma
• Desert tan
• Solarium

• Margolina A. What is the danger of sunscreens? // Science and life: Journal. - 2010. - No. 6 .
• Grant, William B. (2002). An estimate of premature cancer mortality in the US due to inadequate doses of solar ultraviolet-B radiation. (unavailable link) Cancer 94 (6), 1867-1875.
• Matsumura Y, Ananthaswamy HN (2004). Toxic effects of UV radiation on the skin. Toxicol. Appl. Pharmacol 195 (3), 298-308.
• Hu S, et al. (2004). UV radiation and melanoma in US Hispanics & blacks. Arch Dermatol. 140 (7), 819-824.
• Bhatia, Suruchi, MD. , (2002). Increase of rickets in young tracked in Bay Area
• Bouillon, Roger, Ph.D. (2006).
• Over One Billion People May Suffer From Vitamin D Deficiency

• BBC: "Caution: tan! Confession of the victim "