Once upon a time, a tan was the last thing anyone wanted. So how did the suntan become one of the most conspicuous cultural and social accessories and the object of my obsession?

I shrieked at the shadow in the mirror - the dreaded new brown spot. Flashbacks started to unfold in my mind. Days where I had nothing better to do all day than bask on floating lawn chairs with little on my mind but getting a tan to rival Elle Macpherson. Snapshots of life in Australia, nearly comatose from the beating sun, rolled out with a reflector board next to the pool, slathered in tanning oil. Little did I know the damage had already been done; years of teenage sun worship has begun to show its true discoloured self. So this is why I'm kissing sun worship goodbye.

When I was young l was all white blonde hair, blue eyes and gangly pale limbs. Childhood summers revolved around long days on the beach scouring the rock pools or out in the garden with my dad. My mum must have told me not to forget the sun block, but looking back I don't remember if I used it much. Then, as a teenager, I'd ride my bike with friends to the beach or the park to hang out. In Australia we live in a country slavishly devoted to all things outdoors, and given our climate it would be rude not to. However, given that a childhood history of sun damage can be a major cause of skin cancer, it is no surprise I'm now nervous recounting the background of my moles and freckles to a screening nurse.

As she examines inch-by-inch of my back, she asks if I'm a fan of sunbeds. I guiltily admit my use of solariums to top up my tan, a habit that began when I was 18 and working in a surf shop where tans were mandatory for midriff-bearing tops. I misguidedly thought sunbeds were a safe alternative to tanning, believing they were in some way administered in controlled doses. Truth be told, the intensity of UV rays from sunbeds can be up to 15 times higher than that of the midday sun. Using sunbeds from a young age can increase the risk of developing the most aggressive skin cancer by as much as 75 per cent.

My fair hair, light eyes and pale skin tone puts me squarely in the highest risk factor, as does a family history of skin cancer and relatives with a high number of moles. Australia has the world's highest incidence rate for melanoma, with over 10,000 cases diagnosed annually. More than 1,700 Australians will die of skin cancer this year. Despite its aggression, skin cancer responds well to treatment if it is found early.

Despite this, I still yearn to be a coppertoned delight. However, tans did not always win fans. Where the Egyptians believed that a suntan was a sign of being under-privileged, a worker of the fields along the Nile, today it is the polar opposite in the Western world. Only those who have the time and resources stay bronzed. But what price are we willing to pay for being burnished?

You may look fab now, my fellow tanorexics, but years of solar abuse accelerates the ageing process that is distinctly undesirable later in life - and it's most difficult to eradicate. For centuries we've strived to combat the effects of sun damage - the Egyptians applied sour milk for the lactic acid, the Turks would singe their skin lightly with fire to remove the outer layers, the French would bathe in oxidative-rich tartaric acidic red wine. Fast-forward to today and we are still trying to improve the ravages of the sun and age on our skin, but now the gold standard is the fractionated CO2 laser. This carbon dioxide device penetrates energy into the outer and middle layers of skin much like a greens keeper on a golf course. Burrowing hundreds of minute holes per square centimetre into the skin's surface, it triggers the body's defence mechanism to clean up and rebuild the areas of damage. The end result is that a vast amount of sun damage and photoageing is removed with a single treatment.

But even if we are wiser to the dangers of sun exposure, the tan-fad is far from over. The fact is, most people would argue that they do look and feel better with a tan. Although alabaster celebs like Karen Elson, Lily Cole and Anne Hathaway have taken a step to confirm that pale remains interesting, they are still marketed as an ethereal exception to the beauty rule. Meanwhile Megan Gale and Gisele Bundchen sashay past with their exotically flattering and widely well-received tans.

Take solace though, the tropically bronzed models that became the poster-girls treacle tan look of the 70s and 80s now look like leather handbags on close inspection. Your skin naturally thickens to protect itself from the sun, so over time it becomes a piece of dry leather. It suffers loss of elasticity and lumpiness, which in turn creates saggy skin. Tthe best way to keep your youthful, healthy glow for the long term is by wearing sunscreen every day.

There are two types of skin cancer: malignant melanoma and non-malignant skin cancer. Both can be spotted by monitoring your skin, which means checking moles and patches on your skin for any changes. Malignant melanomas occur when cancer develops in skin cells, showing up as changes to moles. These cancers are most common on areas of skin frequently exposed to the sun - such as the head, neck, hands and forearms. If left untreated, it can spread into the blood supply and then around the body, proving fatal.

The first type is basal cell cancer and is the most prevalent. This type grows slowly and usually starts as a small round or flattened lump, which may be red, pale or pearly in colour or a scaly, eczema-like patch on the skin. The second type is a squamous cell cancer that can spread if left untreated. Squamous cell cancers appear as persistent red scaly spots, lumps, sores or ulcers, which may bleed easily.

Thankfully my skin check comes back with no signs of skin cancer. I'm warned of the sun damage on my shoulders, likely from the sunbeds, and told to keep a close eye my moles. I am still a beach baby and will never give up that part of my life, but these days when I hit the sand in a bikini I'm carrying an arsenal of SPF30 plus and doling it out to those around me. Oh, and that flawless tan I've got going? It comes from a bottle.

Bella Beauty Magazine #18