In Victorian times pale skin was considered to be the height of perfection, but not so in the 21st century. Now a tan is considered to be almost an essential in the eyes of many. So the temptation to tan, just a little bit, whether outside in the natural sun or under the lights of a tanning bed is great. However, according to the Skin Cancer Foundation every time you tan it is bad news for your skin and increases your skin cancer risk.

Tanning is a natural reaction to exposure to ultra violet rays. When exposed to them cells in the body called melanocytes produce an increased an increased amount of melanin, a pigment which then “stains” the upper layers of the epidermis and produces that “sunkissed “ look.

What the exposure is actually doing however is damaging the skins delicate cellular balance, right down to the DNA. When a tan fades it is because other cells and enzymes in the body have tried to repair the harm done, but often that is not enough. A person may not be able to see what tanning is doing to their skin in a mirror but many a dermatologist has scared a patient by showing them exactly what their skin looks like by using special photography techniques that reveal the true condition of their skin.

Many people have long held the belief that indoor tanning on a sunbed is a safer alternative to baking on the beach. Salon owners point to the fact that their beds exude UVA rays and not the UVB rays that emanate from the sun and science has long believed to be far more harmful. This is now acknowledged to be far from the case, as study after study has demonstrated that sunbed tanning does indeed increase the incidence of skin cancer.

In 2009 the World Health Organization took the drastic step of adding tanning beds to their list of the most dangerous forms of cancer causing radioactive devices.

So what is the fashionista supposed to do? It seems that the idea of pale is beautiful is not going to make a comeback anytime soon, as Hollywood is still filled with bronzed beauties and golden skinned guys. However many of these celebrities have got the message and switched to sunless tanning methods. Unlike the sunless tanners of the 1980s new formulations do not turn your skin a shade of Oompa Lumpa orange, instead adding a nice glow to even the palest skin.