Sunscreen usage is thought to be a relatively modern concept. However, it has its origin in ancient Egypt. Ancient Egyptians had a perception that fairer skin was more beautiful than darker skin. They used a kind of potion to ward off tanning and to heal the damaged skin. Modern sunscreen is the result of the work of researchers.
In 1878, Otto Veiel of Linz published the first report of a substance being used to protect skin damage caused by ultraviolet rays. His discovery that tannin can be used as a sunscreen was path-breaking. The staining properties of tannin proved to be a major disadvantage. Karl Eilham Hausser and Wilhelm Vahle reported in 1922 that sunburn is caused by the part of the ultraviolet spectrum between 280 and 315 nanometers. The first commercially available sunscreen was produced in 1928 in the US. It was a mixture that was made of PABA benzyl salicylate and benzyl cinnamate.
