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Sun Exposure in History

Sun Exposure in History The sun has long been viewed as an object of amazement and reverence for various cultures throughout history. Dozens of ancient societies have worshipped the sun as a source of life and nourishment, and many designed their temples specifically to let in sunlight. The Chinese introduced the art of morning sun gazing, integrating it into exercises such as tai chi. Even yoga has strong ties to sun exposure; the sun salutation originates in India as part of an old Hindu practice. In addition to worshipping the sun god Ra, the ancient Egyptians were the first to report health benefits of sun exposure as early as 6000 years ago. Ancient Greek, Roman, and Arabic civilizations similarly recognized its therapeutic value.1 This global appreciation of the sun as a source of health has since permeated into western medicine. The western world began recognizing potential health benefits of sun exposure relatively recently. During the 18th century, physicians began reporting sunlight as a cure for a wide range of diseases and ailments, and “heliotherapy” quickly became a popular recommendation. In 1903 Niels Finsen was awarded the Nobel Prize in Medicine and Physiology for using light therapy to treat lupus vulgaris.2 Around this time, scientists had linked UV rays to sunburns, and the first commercial sunscreen became available. Despite this fact, the 1920s saw a dramatic increase in sun tanning in the United States. Although benefits of heliotherapy were well established in the medical literature, some claim that the rise in tanning was influenced by fashion icons such as Coco Chanel, who famously became sunburnt on vacation and subsequently developed a tan. The evolution of movies from black and white to color in the 1930s also helped transform sun tanning into a widespread phenomenon. The suntan instantly became a status symbol, and the demand for bronze skin led to the emergence of UV reflectors and various types of tanning oils. Sun tanning hit an all-time high in the 1970s when tanning beds first entered the market.3 Nowadays, tanning is a regular part of society, although the desire for bronze skin is largely devoid of any spiritual or healing influences. The sun has allured people ceaselessly for thousands of years. Whether the sun serves as a channel for spirituality, a remedy for disease, or simply a skin bronzer, the ritual of basking in the sun transcends culture and time as a universal practice. Back to top Article Information Corresponding Author: Adam S. Aldahan, BS, Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Surgery, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, 1475 NW 12th Ave, Miami, FL 33136 (aaldahan@med.miami.edu). References 1. Mercola J. Dark Deception: Discover the Truth About the Benefits of Sunlight Exposure. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc; 2008. 2. Hamblin MR, Huang Y-Y. Handbook of Photomedicine. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press; 2014. 3. Tips for tanning. Tanning through the years: a history of bronze. 2014. http://www.tipsfortanning.com/tanning-through-the-years-a-history-of-bronze. Accessed October 2015. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png JAMA Dermatology American Medical Association

Sun Exposure in History

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Sun Exposure in History

Abstract

The sun has long been viewed as an object of amazement and reverence for various cultures throughout history. Dozens of ancient societies have worshipped the sun as a source of life and nourishment, and many designed their temples specifically to let in sunlight. The Chinese introduced the art of morning sun gazing, integrating it into exercises such as tai chi. Even yoga has strong ties to sun exposure; the sun salutation originates in India as part of an old Hindu practice. In addition to...
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References (13)

Publisher
American Medical Association
Copyright
Copyright © 2016 American Medical Association. All Rights Reserved.
ISSN
2168-6068
eISSN
2168-6084
DOI
10.1001/jamadermatol.2015.5660
pmid
27532352
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

The sun has long been viewed as an object of amazement and reverence for various cultures throughout history. Dozens of ancient societies have worshipped the sun as a source of life and nourishment, and many designed their temples specifically to let in sunlight. The Chinese introduced the art of morning sun gazing, integrating it into exercises such as tai chi. Even yoga has strong ties to sun exposure; the sun salutation originates in India as part of an old Hindu practice. In addition to worshipping the sun god Ra, the ancient Egyptians were the first to report health benefits of sun exposure as early as 6000 years ago. Ancient Greek, Roman, and Arabic civilizations similarly recognized its therapeutic value.1 This global appreciation of the sun as a source of health has since permeated into western medicine. The western world began recognizing potential health benefits of sun exposure relatively recently. During the 18th century, physicians began reporting sunlight as a cure for a wide range of diseases and ailments, and “heliotherapy” quickly became a popular recommendation. In 1903 Niels Finsen was awarded the Nobel Prize in Medicine and Physiology for using light therapy to treat lupus vulgaris.2 Around this time, scientists had linked UV rays to sunburns, and the first commercial sunscreen became available. Despite this fact, the 1920s saw a dramatic increase in sun tanning in the United States. Although benefits of heliotherapy were well established in the medical literature, some claim that the rise in tanning was influenced by fashion icons such as Coco Chanel, who famously became sunburnt on vacation and subsequently developed a tan. The evolution of movies from black and white to color in the 1930s also helped transform sun tanning into a widespread phenomenon. The suntan instantly became a status symbol, and the demand for bronze skin led to the emergence of UV reflectors and various types of tanning oils. Sun tanning hit an all-time high in the 1970s when tanning beds first entered the market.3 Nowadays, tanning is a regular part of society, although the desire for bronze skin is largely devoid of any spiritual or healing influences. The sun has allured people ceaselessly for thousands of years. Whether the sun serves as a channel for spirituality, a remedy for disease, or simply a skin bronzer, the ritual of basking in the sun transcends culture and time as a universal practice. Back to top Article Information Corresponding Author: Adam S. Aldahan, BS, Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Surgery, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, 1475 NW 12th Ave, Miami, FL 33136 (aaldahan@med.miami.edu). References 1. Mercola J. Dark Deception: Discover the Truth About the Benefits of Sunlight Exposure. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc; 2008. 2. Hamblin MR, Huang Y-Y. Handbook of Photomedicine. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press; 2014. 3. Tips for tanning. Tanning through the years: a history of bronze. 2014. http://www.tipsfortanning.com/tanning-through-the-years-a-history-of-bronze. Accessed October 2015.

Journal

JAMA Dermatology – American Medical Association

Published: Aug 1, 2016

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