Skin tanning, with Ian Stephen. Feb 2011

Skin colour special! What’s behind the current fashion for skin tanning, and why do some people go to greater lengths to obtain a bronzed body? I speak to Dr. Ian Stephen of Nottingham University about whether a tan really does look healthy and attractive.

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Example images from Stephen's paper that got the Guardian's commenters all flustered. The face in the middle shows the natural skin colour. The faces on the left show the effect of sun tanning, while the faces on the right shows the effect of eating more carotenoids. Participants thought the carotenoid colour looked healthier.

Hill, S. E., & Durante, K. M. (2011). Courtship, competition, and the pursuit of attractiveness: Mating goals facilitate health-related risk taking and strategic risk suppression in women. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 37(3), 383-394. Read summary

Stephen, I. D., Coetzee, V., & Perrett, D. I. (in press). Carotenoid and melanin pigment coloration affect perceived human health. Evolution and Human Behavior. Read summary