DR. WALLACE: Why is everybody so afraid of spending time in the sun? I read in a health book that the sun's rays are a principal source of vitamin D and vitamin D is needed for strong and healthy teeth and bones. What gives? — Kurt, San Diego, Calif.

KURT: It doesn't take much time in the sun for most people to get all the vitamin D they need. Five minutes a day is sufficient and that means five minutes with the skin being protected with a sunscreen. Any unprotected skin can burn in as little as 15 minutes under the sun's ultraviolet rays. Over time, sun exposure can lead to wrinkling, premature aging and a higher risk of skin cancer.

According to an article in John Deere Health Talk, some people ignore years of warning and believe a person can have a healthy tan. Not so! Just having a tan actually means the skin has already been injured. By tanning the skin, one is forcing it to take on a darker color pigment to block the sun's dangerous rays. Even when a tan fades, some skin damage remains. The following suggestions are important to protect your skin from the sun. It would be wise to follow them explicitly:

—Avoid the sun when its rays are strongest. The most dangerous hours of the day are between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. in the Northern Hemisphere. Summer, when the sun's rays are strongest, is the most dangerous season, but remember you can get a sunburn even on cloudy days.

—Apply a sunscreen when spending more than a few minutes outdoors.

—Stay in the shade as much as possible.

—Wear clothing that shields you from the sun. Wear a hat with a wide brim that shades the face.

—Wear sunglasses with UV-protective lenses.

—When planning an all-day outdoor event, use an umbrella and bring a long-sleeved shirt and long pants or a beach robe over a bathing suit.

—A word to the wise is sufficient!

YOUNG LADIES SEND THANKS

DR. WALLACE: I want to share with you and your teen readers the wonderful experience of sleepovers with friends. My best friend and I have been getting together for the past 45 years.

In grade school, we got together to play with dolls and giggle about boys. In high school, we spent the night at each other's house working on 4-H projects and dreaming about the future. We were in each other's wedding, and when the kids arrived we took them and our husbands to each other's house for "overnights" even though we lived five hours from each other.

Today we live at opposite ends of the state of New York, but we still meet halfway, sharing motel expenses. We shop, talk about our families and eat too much!

I wonder if our friendship would be the same after all these years if our mothers had stopped us from sleeping at a friend's house. This friendship has enriched my life. — Mom, Rye, N.Y.

MOM: Thanks for your inspiring message. And many young ladies also send thanks!

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. E-mail 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.