As the weather gets warmer and the days get longer in the Northern Hemisphere, there's no reason not to get outdoors and begin optimizing your safe exposure to the sun, your best and most natural source for vitamin D.

Nevertheless, some time-challenged adults and teenagers may be tempted to use a tanning salon to jump-start that process. Although that sounds tempting, please don't do it, as a tanning booth can increase your risk of cancer.

But that doesn't stop tanning salons from pandering to the impatience of your teenagers with ads for health-harming services in their high school newspapers, according to a study of 23 schools in the Denver metro area. In fact, many adds include deals for unlimited tanning time and prom specials.

About half of the schools surveyed ran at least one tanning salon ad, half of which were targeted specifically for teenagers.

Another suggestion about getting the healthy amount of sun you need every day: Please don't stay out in the sun too long to burn your skin, especially at the beginning of the season.

Archives of Dermatology, Vol. 142, No. 4, April 2006: 460-462

Yahoo News April 25, 2006