Beyond the Pale: a Brief history of the tan By Dr. Katie Rodan and Dr. Kathy Fields

From hiding under parasols to worshipping the sun with foil and oil, tanned skin has come in and out of fashion since Romans covered their faces in chalk. Prior to the 1900s, pale skin symbolized purity and refinement. Upper-class women donned long-sleeved dresses, hats and parasols and even applied lead-based cosmetics to whiten their complexion. At the time, darkened skin signaled working class status.

That all changed in the 1900s, when sunlight began to be recognized for its therapeutic benefits. This positive outlook was extended in the 1920s, when designer Coco Chanel inadvertently made a tan a must-have fashion accessory after vacationing in the French Riviera. A suntan was now a sign of a life of leisure, and as light therapies grew in popularity, a sign of health as well—hence the birth of the concept of the “healthy tan.” Pop

culture picked up on this cue and sunbathing was incorporated into everything from Barbie Dolls to reality TV (paging Snooki).

In recent years, the pendulum has swung again. Skin cancer rates have soared and we’ve become increasingly aware of the dangers of sun exposure. Sun exposure is now widely known to be a key cause of accelerated aging. Is it any wonder the vampire look is in?

Today’s ideas about sun exposure are far more balanced. We might still want to return to the Bronze Age, but we now have safe alternatives for getting our glow on. Thanks to advances in sunless tanner and sunscreen formulations, and more stringent sunscreen regulations, our sun-kissed look is now more “fake” than “bake.” Here’s to going for the gold—without getting burned (literally and figuratively) by the damage of UV radiation.

1503-1519 Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa epitomizes the value placed on pallor during the Renaissance.

1837-1901 Queen Victoria sets the bar for porcelain skin, which symbolizes purity.

1903 Niels Finsen is awarded the Nobel Prize in medicine for his “Finsen Light Therapy,” and sunlight is recognized for its therapeutic benefits in curing rickets.

1920 Coco Chanel inadvertently makes the tan fashionable via an unintentional sunburn that was snapped by the paparazzi.

1942 Bikinis hit the beach.

1971 Barbie goes bronze.

1978 Tanning beds appear.

1989 Baywatch premieres, forever changing slow-motion running for lifeguards everywhere.

November 21, 2008 The first Twilight film popularizes vampires and grosses more than $392 million.

December 3, 2009 MTV’s Jersey Shore premieres, garnering record ratings and becoming the most viewed series telecast with phrases like “Gym, tan, laundry.”

January 1, 2012 Tanning beds are ruled illegal for California minors.

May 2012 New Jersey woman makes a splash as the “Tanorexic” lady.

December 2012 FDA rolls out new SPF regulations designed to better protect and inform consumers.

December 20, 2012 After four years on air, MTV’s Jersey Shore is canceled.

BASKING IN THE BRONZE

PERKSPC HOUSE CALLSUMMER 2013

THE “INS AND OUTS” OF GREAT SKIN

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following the VamPire diariesEven if you’re not a fan of vampire teenagers, you must admit, these night owls know a thing or two about looking good for the long haul ... Take a page out of their book of shady behavior and keep your skin away from the sun’s deadly, aging rays.

Planning ahead Apply your sunscreen 30 minutes before exposing yourself to the sun. Let it dry for at least 15 minutes and then reapply another coat when you arrive at the pool, beach, soccer game or other outdoor activity. This ensures you’re adequately protected. Just make sure to reapply!

Channeling your inner JaCkie o Look gorgeous now ... and later. Take a note from the ever-glamorous Jackie O and safeguard your skin with a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses—the bigger, the better—to shade your face, ears, neck and possibly chest.

suPPlementing your Vitamin d While it’s true that sunlight stimulates the production of vitamin D, the Skin Cancer Foundation recommends that you receive your daily dose from non-sun sources such as orange juice, milk and salmon, or a multivitamin containing at least 1,000 IU of vitamin D3 daily.

watChing Jersey shoreThese folks were all “don’ts” and no “dos.” All the tanning, late nights and partying got real old, real fast (not dissimilar to the impact these habits will have on your skin), and the show got canceled.

resPonding to the heat of the momentWaiting until after you arrive at an outdoor event to apply your sunscreen is not enough and is often too little, too late. Just driving in the car, walking across a parking lot, chatting and getting settled all add up to some serious exposure. Spur of the moment is a big “no-no” when it comes to protecting skin.

CaPPing off your style There’s nothing wrong with supporting your favorite team, but when you wear a baseball cap as sun protection, your ears, neck and chest take one for the team, so to speak. Overlooking these areas will increase your risk of developing skin cancer and make you look older than you need to.

getting your “d” from the sunIf you’re getting your vitamin D from the sun, you’re probably getting more than you bargained for—like accelerated aging, brown spots and even breakouts. If you do get your vitamin D from the sun, remember it only takes 15 minutes to get the recommended dose, so don’t overdo it!

IN OUT

When it comes to the “ins and outs” of healthy-looking skin, it all boils down to healthy habits. Read on to hear from Dr. Katie Rodan and Dr. Kathy Fields on what routines to keep and what to leave behind this summer.

KEEP ‘EM GUESSING

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DID YOU KNOW ... SPF ISN’T ADDITIVE Unlike clothing, where the more you layer the warmer you’ll be, SPF isn’t additive. If you put on a moisturizer with SPF 30, followed by a foundation with SPF 8, that doesn’t mean your coverage turns to SPF 38. The true SPF is actually unknown, but it certainly doesn’t exceed the original SPF value.

What layering does provide is a more thorough application. Most people don’t apply adequate levels of sunscreen to deliver the SPF number advertised on the bottle. For the most effective sun protection, take a heavy-handed approach, applying liberally every morning and throughout the day.

Read more on Derm RF, our skincare blog hosted by Dr. Katie Rodan and Dr. Kathy Fields and their team of experts from Rodan + Fields. Check it out and subscribe today at dermrf.com.

INTRODUCING THE RF CONNECTION MICRO-SITE For support on your journey to great skin, check out the new RF Connection micro-site for answers to the most frequently asked questions about products, usage and more … no wait necessary. To access the site, visit www.rodanandfields.com/rfconnection.

Our DNA is only part of the picture when it comes to aging beautifully. A healthy lifestyle and good skin habits actually play a much larger role, accounting for approximately 80 percent of how we age.

Today, advances in skincare science are making it possible to truly redefine our skin’s future. Wondering about the ages of the women and men as pictured below? Take a guess!

sCan the Code to learn more aBout how the women and men aBoVe are redefining their Birth year.

Answers: A) 55, B) 43, C) 48, D) 50, E) 32, F) 22, G) 39, H) 74, I) 62, J) 57, K) 54

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