If you've flipped through an issue of Entertainment Weekly or InStyle lately, you've probably noticed that plenty of celebs seem to be soaking up that LA sun. Having a dark tan is hot, and plenty of teens across the country seem to agree - recent studies report that almost half of teens are trying to tan.

But before you grab your towel and head to the pool, spend a few minutes finding out more about your skin and sun exposure. These facts can help you achieve the look you want without stressing your skin.

The Tanning Culture

To lots of people, summer means hanging out at the pool or the beach, soaking up rays. For years, teens have spent hours baking in the sun in pursuit of the perfect golden tan. Most Americans, including up to 80% of people under age 25, think they look better when they have a tan. But our infatuation with tanning only came about in the 20th century.

In the 19th century and earlier, being as pale as possible was desirable in certain countries, particularly the United States and some European nations. If you were tan, it meant you spent time outside doing manual labor, like farming. Only the wealthy could afford to have other people do that work for them. So the paler you were, the richer you seemed. Members of the 18th-century French royal court took the look one step further, powdering their faces stark white to look as light as possible.

All that changed in the 1920s, when the designer Coco Chanel returned from a vacation to the French Riviera with a deep tan and started a new fashion craze. Suddenly, tans were the badges of the rich.

Reviewed by: Patrice Hyde, MD
Date reviewed: August 2003

Note: All information is for educational purposes only. For specific medical advice, diagnoses, and treatment, consult your doctor.

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