By Haywood Hunter


Not long ago, what is now considered a healthy skin tone was considered a mark of a low social status. What was called a farmer tan, was the result of long days working in the fields on a regular basis, and farming did not fit well with high society. Fashion has a way of making dramatic swings, and now a well developed sunblock tan is essential to looking beautiful.



The sun is, of source of vital importance to life on planet earth, even beyond getting a sunblock tan. It provides critical energy and nutrition to all of the creatures alive today. Vegetation is nurtured by the energy in solar rays, creating nutrients through photosynthesis. While most enjoy the sun in the effort to perfect their sunblock tan, there are other reasons to seek solace in the sun.

The sun has long been important to mankind, not just for a sunblock tan, as expressed in culture. The popular cartoon character superman draws strength from the yellow sun, although he never attains a sunblock tan, but people do gain health benefits from exposure to sunlight. There are theories defining how exposure to the sun, or lack thereof, has a powerful influence on circadian rhythms and may also affect disease.



Deep within the brain there is an endocrine gland known as the pineal gland, whose purpose is not entirely clear. What science knows is that the gland produces a derivative of serotonin known as melatonin, which helps regulate human sleep and wake cycles. Melatonin also plays a role in the ability to attain a sunblock tan, by controlling the aggregation of melanocytes in the skin.

Another common knowledge impact of sunlight is that it makes most people feel better, in addition to the attractive sunblock tan they can achieve. Biologically the reason is melatonin, produced by the pineal, which regulates drowsiness. The release is inhibited directly by the influence of sunlight on the retina of the eye; the presence of the sunlight inhibits the release.

The affect of the sun goes even deeper, beyond the desire for a sunblock tan, to implications that there its actions can directly promote good health, and a lack of exposure can initiate disease. Specifically, science has discovered a strong correlation between higher latitudes and the incidence of mortality due to multiple sclerosis. The higher the latitude, the less intense the suns rays.

Exposure to solar radiation appears to stave off MS, and it also helps the body produce vitamin D from cholesterol. As with so many other things, however, too much can be detrimental even for the purpose of getting a sunblock tan. Staying in the sun too long results in a sunburn, which can be a serious and painful affliction; with chronic exposure, skin cancer can develop.

For humans, too much of almost anything is a bad thing, a concern when perfecting a sunblock tan. The skin hue is not the concern, but the exposure to UV radiation is problematic. The products allowing us to safely develop a sunblock tan have improved greatly, but caution is critical.




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