DR. WALLACE: I'm already planning my summer trip to go to Lake Michigan! I plan to do my usual running in the sand, lying on the golden beach there and eating some good local food too. These are all some of my favorite things to do every summer.

My classmates and I were told by our gym teacher that getting a suntan is bad for your skin even if you use a good, solid sunscreen. But my aunt who is a nurse said recently told me that the sun is a good source of vitamin D, and that if you don't get overexposed to the point of suffering a sunburn, the sun's rays are actually quite healthy. As a bonus, they are also a good way to get rid of complexion problems.

I get a nice tan every year, and I have a clear complexion and no visible skin damage. So, have I been lucky or am I doing something right? — Regular Summer Sunbather, via email

REGULAR SUMMER SUNBATHER: The sun is indeed a good source of vitamin D when taken in small doses, but there is no such thing as a healthy suntan. The sun can cause lasting damage to exposed skin, which can sometimes lead to premature wrinkling and even the onset of skin cancers.

Your clear complexion has nothing to do with being in the sun. According to the dermatologists I regularly consult with, any time the sun changes the color of your skin, some element of damage has occurred.

My advice is to enjoy your time outdoors but be sure to use enough strong sunscreen to avoid skin damage.

THIS NEW FATHER'S OFF TO A GOOD START

DR. WALLACE: In three months, I will be getting married for the first time. I'm 35, and my fiance is 31. We have been dating for over a year and a half now.

Sadly, her husband was killed in an automobile accident two years ago and this left her to raise her two daughters as a single parent. Her girls are 13 and 15 years old. They are both good students and are also quite well-behaved teens.

I want to be sure that they continue to be the best they can be as they continue to grow older, and I'd like my influence on my new family to be extremely positive without going overboard, if you know what I mean.

I plan to do anything and everything possible to be a great parent. Any advice you will give me to be a good new father to two teen girls will be appreciated. I'm a bit apprehensive on two fronts: First, I've never been a parent before, and second, my gender is the opposite of these children so I want to be respectful and understanding even though I admittedly know little about teenage girls these days. — Soon-To-Be Parent of Two, via email

SOON-TO-BE PARENT OF TWO: The girls' mother has had quite a bit to do with her daughters being good students and well-behaved teens.

I suggest you have a very open discussion and ask your fiance to give you help and guide you in becoming an excellent father of these girls. I am positive that this will happen! Your attitude is excellent, and I applaud your diligence and concern in being prepared to take on your new role to the best of your ability.

One bit of advice I will offer is this: Keep up regular communications. Talk through issues that may arise with each child and with your spouse as well. Don't assume they know where you are coming from or what you are thinking on any particular topic of interest to your family. Encourage regular, open dialogue on any subject that may arise, no matter how sensitive. And in doing so, be sure to remain in harmony with your spouse when it comes to rules and discipline — whenever necessary. In my opinion, you're halfway there to becoming a trusted, reliable father. Just continue with the attitude you've demonstrated to me here in your letter and strive to always remain a team player.

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.

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