GETTING TANNED.

Waikato Times, Volume 108, Issue 18164, 31 October 1930, Page 5

GETTING TANNED.

SOME SUMMER HINTS. ' Those who do not wish to suffer from painful sunburn while on holidays are advised to get sunburnt gradually, states the Western Mail. The mistake is madej by people who hove spent practically the whole of each day throughout the year in an office or shop, of basking for hours in the fierce sunshine at the seaside —and that on the very first day they arrive.

The reddening of the skin under the influence of the sun is caused by the ultra-violet rays, which produce 1 this erythema, accompanied by a sensation of burning. This is the first stage of sunburn. Afterwards the skin “peels” and then becomes bronzed, due to the formation of a pigment in the deeper layers of the epidermis. This pigmentation acts as a natural screen and protects the body from an overdone of ultra-violet rays. This is why women who have fair complexions should spend about an hour in the direct rays of the sun during the first day, and each day afterwards they should increase this time as the bronzing proceeds. This advice will not be followed by the majority of sunshine lovers, who wall be inclined to spend as much time in the sunshine as they possibly can,. In this case, they must expect to be badly sunburnt during the first day or so. Expecting that this may be the case with them, they are advised to provide themselves with a calaminelotion, which should be sponged on to the face and arms before going out in the morning. Such lotions contain zinc oxide, calamine, glycerine and rosewater. A little simple tincture of benzoin added to this lotion is very helpful. It is not expected that any woman will make such a lotion for herself, since it requires careful manipulation of the ingredients if a good product is required. It can be bought quite cheaply at any chemist’s shop. Fatty creams cannot be recommended for use on the skin immediately before going out into the fierce sun, since rather bad blisters have often been caused thereby. It is better to use these fatty creams at night, cleansing the skin with them in cases where sunburn is severe.