Tanning has been in fashion since the time of Coco Chanel, who returned with one after a trip on the Duke of Westminster’s yacht. The tan had been an accident, but she was such a role model that thousands of fans emulated her, spending more time out in the sun as a result. It is to this event in the 1920s that we can trace the popularity of the suntan, and the resulting craze for sun worship, sunbeds and fake tanning solutions. (In previous times, pale skin tended to be more prized, since tanned skin was a result of staying outside in the hot sun and was more associated with manual workers rather than those of wealth.)

However, in the 1960s scientists first started to question the safety of tanning in the sun, and by the 1980s there was wide-spread concern about the state of the Ozone layer, which provides a degree of natural protection from harmful UV rays. The degradation of the Ozone layer, due to pollutants like CFCs used in aerosols, meant that rates of melanoma were rising. Consequently, the desire for a fashionable tan had to be balanced against the risk to your health. This is a tension that still exists today, and is not eliminated by the use of sunbeds, since these also use UV light.

In tandem with these developments, sunbeds had been growing in popularity since their invention at the beginning of the century. The UV lamps they use have the same effect on the skin but, of course, those who use them do not require good weather. The sunbed became more popular as tans stayed fashionable but working hours grew longer and jobs more sedentary, meaning that there was less time to spend outside.

Critics have warned that sunbeds pose as great a risk to health as sunbathing. If misused, they can lead to exactly the same skin damage; However they require less care, because the ‘does’ of UV light can be monitored by the individual even though the UV light can be more intense at times. Spending time in the sun – outside of the hottest periods – tends to be easier on the skin since it takes place over a longer period and is more constant. Moreover, it’s important to remember that tanning on a sunbed will not give you an appreciable degree of protection from the sun itself. The protection gained from a sunbed tan is in the region of SPF 2 to 4, whereas you should be using SPF 30 upwards in hot sun.

The last alternative to natural tanning or sunbeds is ‘fake’ tanning. This comes in many forms and is, as the name suggests, totally artificial. No UV light is involved, so there is no risk of melanoma. (Having said this, you also need to remember that fake tans will not protect against the sun either, so high-SPF sun cream is also required.) Fake tanning can take the form of creams which simply ‘paint’ the skin, or chemicals like DHA which actually react with the amino acids in the top layer of dead skin cells, browning your skin. This tends to be longer-lasting, although you will need to re-tan every week or so to maintain an even look, since it fades faster than a regular tan. There may also be some health risks to these fake methods, although this is not yet certain.

The two main options for tanning are UV light – either under the sun or using sunbeds – and ‘fake’ tanning of some form or other. Bear in mind that UV light of whatever kind brings with it the risk of burning and melanoma if you over-expose. The alternative is fake tanning, which is simply a cosmetic treatment that paints or otherwise colours the skin to look darker.