Electrical tape-bikinis?

Welcome to the latest fashion fad in beauty-obsessed Rio de Janeiro, where some women are sun-baking in bikinis made of black tape in search of tan lines so perfect that they practically jump off the skin.

It works like this. First, a piece of gauze is placed over a woman’s private parts. Next go the strips of electrical tape to mimic a bikini. Then small pieces of wet paper towels are placed over parts of the tape. Using sticky tape instead of a cloth bikini ensures crisp lines that stay just so.

Holding black electrical tape and scissors, beauty salon owner Erika Martins instructed a woman to stay still while she carefully placed tape between her buttocks where the bikini would have gone. After a few more strips, the young woman was ready to bake, Rio style.

Sunscreen is applied to the exposed skin, followed by a special tanning lotion sold at the salon. Tanners who don’t want sunblock or want to stay out longer than recommended must sign a disclaimer absolving the salon of liability. Depending on the sun’s intensity and the customer’s skin color, Martins has them lie belly up for around an hour, and then belly down for the same amount of time.

Dermatologists are more horrified than impressed with the technique, which they say can increase the chance of getting skin cancers, including melanoma. They say that applying sunblock before tanning lotion is useless.

Despite being sprinkled with water, some tanners feel dizzy or even faint after a rooftop session. Still, when it’s over, women peel off their tape bikinis and marvel.