DR. WALLACE: We had a foreign exchange student from Japan staying with our family last semester. She is really nice and we enjoyed having her with us. She was attending my high school with me and the students and teachers really liked her.

Sashi told us that Japanese students have many more school days per school year than American students. Is this true? How many more days of school do Japanese students have and why is there a difference? — Pat, Ames, Iowa.

PAT: Sashi is correct, Japanese students have the longest school year of any country in the world. Japanese students are required to attend school 243 days per year, compared to 182 days for American students.

Japanese society places a high priority on education — so much that most Japanese high school students do not have part-time jobs. They spend their after-school hours studying.

Certainly Japan's great emphasis on education is to be admired, but comparing the Japanese and U.S. systems is difficult. For instance, since 99 percent of the students attending Japanese schools are Japanese citizens, cultural and language differences in the schools are nonexistent. Students in the United States, on the other hand, come from numerous cultures, and many speak a language other than English.

The U.S. system may be criticized by other countries, but the fact remains that it produces more than its share of leaders in all fields, including science, health and engineering.

The bottom line is that U.S. and Japanese students have a great deal both to learn from and to teach one another.

SPRAY-ON TANNING IS SAFE

DR. WALLACE: I enjoy getting a good bronze suntan, but I've been white as a ghost the past two years because I am very health conscious and have avoided the rays of the sun. I also refuse to go to a tanning booth because I'm aware they also are harmful to the skin.

A friend told me about spray-on tanning. She says it gives the appearance of a great tan, but yet it causes no harm to the skin. Is this true? How does it work? - Sherry, Holland, Michigan.

SHERRY: The tanning spray contains ingredients that work with the protein in the skin to darken its appearance. The Food and Drug Administration considers tanning spray containing Dihydroxyacetone safe when applied externally. It is recommended that you shut your eyes and hold your breath while the tanner is applied.

BOYFRIEND FULL OF HOT AIR

DR. WALLACE: My boyfriend has a big cold sore and I didn't want him to kiss me because I didn't want to get one, but he said that cold sores were caused by cold air and they were not contagious. Needless to say, I let him kiss me. Is there any chance that I might get one? I hope not because they look so ugly. — Nameless, Willmar, Minnesota.

NAMELESS: Cold sores are highly contagious and are also known as fever blisters. The virus is spread by eating and drinking utensils, razors and towels — and yes, kissing. According to the Mayo Clinic Health Letter, you can look for the blister to appear from 10 to 20 days after the kiss, and it will last for 7 to 10 days.

Your boyfriend was full of "hot air" when he told you that cold sores were not contagious and were caused by cold air.

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.