Barbara Young, age 10, of Lancaster, Pa., for her question:

IS IT GOOD TO GET A TAN?

A little bit of sunbathing can be fun and healthful. Some relaxing in the sun can stimulate the body's vitamin D production, although enough is obtained through normal dieting, including the use of such fortified foods as milk.

But most doctors are strong in their recommendations that both prolonged exposure to the sun and efforts to obtain deep, dark tanning of the skin be avoided.

Damaging and destructive effects of sunlight, especially from the invisible ultraviolet rays, are numerous and serious. Premature wrinkling, leathery texture, so called liver spots and the loss of skin elasticity are among the problems of sun exposed areas.

In addition 90 percent of all skin cancers seem to appear on areas that receive too much sun.