Tanning of the skin occurs as a result of the skins exposure to the Ultraviolet Rays of the sun, called UV rays. The UV rays of the sun accelerate the process of Melanogenes is, the process by which Melanin is produced. Melanin is the pigment which is responsible for our skin color. Higher the melanin, the darker will be the skin.
How tanning is done?
Tanning of the skin is obtained through natural as well as artificial processes. Sun bathing is a natural process where the UV rays of the sun is used to activate melanocytes which secrete melanin while on the other hand; lotions and creams whose application on the skin also triggers the formation of melanin are the artificial methods. Another very famous artificial method is the use of tanning beds where tube lights emitting UV rays aid in the artificial tanning of the skin.
Era of fame:
However, this tanning fad has only gained momentum in the latter half of the last century. Initially, people used harmful elements like arsenic and white powder to make their skin look less pale especially in the oriental world where it was associated with the status and the power of the people. This status symbol of ‘white skin’ was also very much prevalent in the other parts of the world, especially in USA and UK where dark skin was associated with hard work, manual labor and slavery under the sun ,which naturally caused their skin shade to become darker. However, in the early 1900s, this notion took a major turnaround when the benefits of vitamin D began to be realized. In 1903, Niels Finsen, won the Nobel Prize for his “Finsen Light Therapy” which postulated the benefits of sunlight and especially Vitamin D to cure diseases like rickets.
By 1913, sunbathing was considered as a leisure activity. This belief strengthened in 1920 when a fashion designer called Coco Chanel got sunburnt accidently while on a holiday in French Riviera but on her arrival to her city her fans really liked her tanned look and began to follow it and since then tanning has been associated with high status as those are the people who can actually afford a vacation to a tropical destination.
Issues of sun tanning:
However this fad soon developed its own issues. Tanning or sunbathing began to be realized as the cause of many diseases. Excessive tanning led to sunburns. Several other side effects include deficient immune system, mutated DNA, accelerated aging process and also skin cancer. In one study it was also found out that excessive use of tanning beds could lead to Melanoma, the most severe form of skin cancer. The international agency for research on cancer has placed tanning beds along with bacon and sunshine among the top 3 carcinogens.
Remedies remove tanning from face
The most affected part of the body is the face which is the most severely affected owing to the thin skin which covers the face. While the body as a whole can be covered but face, which is the selling point for the models and actors needs to be protected and taken care of from sun burning. There are various natural therapies by which you can actually remove tan from your face. Some of them are:
- Lemon juice – Cut a lemon and rubs it on the affected area of the face, let it dry for some time then wash it off.
- Yoghurt and tomato extract- Mix one teaspoon of each and form a mixture. Apply it on the affected part of the face. Let it dry for half an hour and then rinse it off.
- Honey and ripe papaya – Mix one tablespoon of honey with one cup of mashed papaya .Apply it on your face. Let it dry for 30 minutes before rinsing it off.
- Orange juice and yoghurt- Mix one tablespoon of both and apply the mixture on your face. Let it dry for 30 minutes before rinsing it off.
- Turmeric and milk- Mix a small amount of turmeric powder in milk. Apply the mixture and let it dry for 30 minutes before rinsing it off.