DR. WALLACE: I am a loyal reader of your column for several years. I have noticed several times that you quoted dermatologists who say that suntans are not healthy and can actually cause skin problems. I enjoy having the "tan look" during the summer, but I don't want to take the chance of getting skin damage from the sun's rays. My best friend told me that she uses a spray-on product that she buys at the local pharmacy. Are spray-on products that give the "tan look" safe? I sure hope so. I don't want to spend the entire summer looking like Casper the Ghost's girlfriend. —Nameless, Galesburg, Ill.

NAMELESS: Casper should have been so lucky to have a lovely young lady from Galesburg for his girlfriend!

There's good news for you and not-so-good news for Casper. The Mayo Clinic Health Letter reports that over-the-counter "get tan fast" products are generally safe to use. But before you buy one of these products, ask the pharmacist whether there are any harmful ingredients in the brand you plan to purchase.

I PLAN TO MARRY A GUY I LIKE, BUT DO NOT LOVE

DR. WALLACE: I'm 19 and engaged to a wonderful guy. We plan to get married this coming June. My fiance loves me very much. He treats me like every girl wants to be treated. I couldn't ask for a more compassionate, sweet and honorable guy.

My only concern is that I'm not positive I love him, but I do like him very, very much. Still, I'm going to marry this guy. Do you think that women in my position ever wind up loving the guy they marry? I have dated guys I thought I loved, but was treated like dirt by them, and I'm tired of being dragged through the mud on rainy days! —Nameless, Sacramento, Calif.

NAMELESS: It sounds to me like you're making the right decision. Yes, I do believe you can learn to love someone who has a good heart and loves you very much, just as you can fall out of love with someone who once swept you off your feet. The key is working on your relationship and being honest, open and caring.

"Love" can be a fickle, flickering and sometimes foolish emotion. That seems to be the kind of love you have felt in the past — for guys who treated you like dirt. I applaud you for choosing to break that pattern in your life and vow to love a decent, caring man who loves you very much.

There is another kind of love, which is stable, deep and long lasting. This love grows over time. I wish this kind of love for you and your fiance and am confident you will attain it.

Dr. Robert Wallace welcomes questions from readers. Although he is unable to reply to all of them individually, he will answer as many as possible in this column. Email him at [email protected]. To find out more about Dr. Robert Wallace and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.