Tanning

As myths go, those about beauty seem more impervious to facts than most. Among the most stubborn at this time of year is that a tawny glow is a sign of good health and that tanning salons offer a safe way to bronze up. Brittany Lietz, 21, of Edgewater, the newly crowned Miss Maryland, has made it her business to shatter such misconceptions. Two and a half years of steady time on a tanning bed gave Ms. Lietz skin cancer by the time she was 20, she told the Annapolis Capital. A mole on her back grew and bled, and required 5 1/2 hours of surgery to remove.

The consent forms teenagers must get signed by their parents before using a tanning bed could soon change. The State Department of Health and Mental Hygiene is recommending that the form include a clearer and more focused warning about the dangers of tanning beds, including the risk of cancer. Parents will also have to show a government-issued ID when signing the consent form for their children. The form will expire six months after being signed.   The health department was trying to better inform parents as they make the decision whether to allow their children to tan, said Dr. Clifford Mitchell, director of the state's Environmental Health Bureau.

Still trying to stop teens from tanning, Baltimore County Councilman Vincent J. Gardina has drafted two more bills to ensure that patrons, particularly parents, are aware of the dangers of ultraviolet rays. Gardina's bills, which the council will consider Tuesday, would require the owners of tanning businesses to demand written parental permission for those under age 18 and to post signs warning of the health risks of using tanning equipment. The consent form, which a parent or guardian would have to sign in the presence of the business owner, would include a notice detailing the cancer-causing effects of ultraviolet light.

State health officials are reviewing Maryland's tanning bed regulations. The Department of Health and Mental Hygiene said Friday it wants public input on the regulations, which require anyone under 18 to have permission from a parent or guardian before using a tanning bed. A consent form must be signed in the presence of a tanning bed owner or operator. The regulations were created in response to a 2008 law. DHMH didn't say whether it was seeking to strengthen or weaken the law, only whether it should be "updated.

Tanning in artificial devices would be prohibited for minors in Maryland without parental consent under legislation that's headed toward final passage in the General Assembly. Over objections about government intrusion and teenagers being prevented from getting a golden bronze for prom, the state Senate narrowly approved the bill on a 24-22 vote yesterday. The House of Delegates previously passed the bill, and the final vote by the Senate is expected today. Gov. Martin O'Malley has not reviewed the proposal, spokesman Rick Abbruzzese said.

The ozone layer is thinning, melanoma rates are soaring and dermatologists warn sun fetishists of the risk of turning into sun-dried prunoids around age 40.No tan is considered safe these days by skin specialists. But that doesn't stop the fashion-conscious from baking to a fashionable, often year-round, golden brown.The tanning habit, associated with good health, good looks and a vigorous life, is hard to kick -- especially, it seems, among the young.Check out the bronze goddesses at Color Me Tan on Harford Road, where the future means the weekend and the young employees would rather skip the prom than be a public pasty-face.

NEW YORK - Sun worshipers often joke that they're junkies when it comes to catching rays, but a new study suggests there might really be something addictive about tanning. The study's Texas-based researchers asked 145 randomly selected beach-goers at Galveston Island to answer questions adapted from two surveys typically used to screen for alcohol and substance dependence. The surveys included such questions as, "Do you try to cut down on the time you spend in the sun, but find yourself still sun tanning?"

Since Friday at 4:19 p.m. marks the start of the summer solstice -- yes, that technically has been spring we have endured the last few weeks -- I thought I'd offer up my salute to summer with a few questions to think about over the next few weeks.* For example, why does a person's nose always get sunburned before the rest of the body? If the sun's rays are traveling 93 million miles to reach someone, what possible difference can an extra one-inch protrusion from your face make?* And why are knees so hard to tan?

We've had a lot of unusual candidates for president this year, but perhaps none is stranger than Jersey Shore's Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi, who proposed an authoritarian, pro-tanning platform for president on tonight's season finale of the biggest hit show in MTV history. Among Snooks' proposals are mandatory tanning laws for all Americans and a presidential edict banning all forms of music from radio other than "house. " Her vice presidential nominee? Veteran political analyst Deena Nicole Cortese, of course.

Q. Is taking Tylenol PM every night bad for you? It helps me go back to sleep when I wake up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom. A. Some people report that diphenhydramine, the sedating antihistamine in Tylenol PM, leaves them groggy in the morning. But if you wake feeling refreshed and not hung over, there's little to worry about. Side effects include dizziness, confusion and urinary retention. This medicine is not for men with prostate enlargement. Q. Last summer I had a bout with skin cancer.

Two new government studies show young people are still putting themselves at risk for skin cancer by getting sunburned and going to indoor tanning beds. One study by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that half of those aged 18 to 29 had at least one sunburn it the past year, though they were increasingly using sunscreen, seeking shade and wearing protective clothing. The other study by the National Cancer Institute found 32 percent of those 18 to 21 were going to indoor tanning salons and 30 percent of those 22 to 25 were.

It appears Sen. Jamie Raskin, the Montgomery County senator who is sponsoring legislation that would ban minors from using commercial tanning beds, does not have much faith in American teenagers, their parents or the proprietors of tanning salons. Tanning booths are all timed for 10, 15, or 20 minutes depending on the chosen tanning booth and are set by the proprietor. There are even instructions for setting the bed for 2 to 3 minutes to enable one to work their way up to the longer times.

I came away from Wednesday's "State of the Ravens" news conference at The Castle with one thought: Don't you wish, Steve Bisciotti would open up a little? OK, I'm kidding. Who's better at these things than the Ravens' owner? He sits up there with Dick Cass and Ozzie Newsome and John Harbaugh for an hour and patiently answers every question. And here's the thing: Bisciotti doesn't just tell you what he thinks. He practically opens a vein and tells you what he's feeling, too. No wonder everyone in the NFL wants to play for him. Heck, if I didn't like what I did, I'd be firing off a resume to the big lug myself, begging him for a job. Or at least a ride on his yacht.

George Hamilton just wants a cup of coffee, that's all. But a small obstacle confounds the handsome, supernaturally tanned actor in his Tulsa, Okla., hotel room — the coffee maker. "This is a whole new experience for me," he says by phone. "I'm 72 years old. It's about time I learned how to do this. Hold on a minute. " Vague clanking sounds can be heard, for more than a minute. "It doesn't look like coffee," Hamilton says when he gets back on the line. "It's just sugar and milk and warm water.

AKA: Why Anderson should have just stuck with CNN. I'm beginning to question why exactly Anderson Cooper decided to do a daytime talk show (other than money). He's a respected journalist. Has been for awhile. But spray-tanning with Snooki for "Anderson"? Who's idea was this? It's perfectly fine to do something fun and irreverent, but this is a pretty lame attempt at filing space in a talk show. We all know Cooper's a pop culture junkie (NeNe Leakes: on speed dial!

It's the Year of the Tiger — not according to the Chinese lunar calendar, but in the world of publishing. "Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother" by Amy Chua has made waves with an account of super-striving Chinese parenting. "The Tiger's Wife," a first novel by Tea Obreht, appeared on the cover of The New York Times Book Review this month. And now there's "A Tiger in the Kitchen," Cheryl Lu-Lien Tan's account of returning to her native Singapore to learn cooking, family history and a bit about herself.

Q: In a recent column you discussed the new trend toward wider ties and you wrote something about "a tie can be made wider." Is this really possible? And if so, who can do it?A: The newest neckties are about a half-inch wider than last year's. Altering your tie is the least expensive way to update your look. Still, not every tie has enough extra fabric to be widened to today's width. If a man wants his old 3-inch-wide tie made into a 3 3/4 - or 4-inch tie, he may find it won't work. A half-inch wider is usually doable.

We've had a lot of unusual candidates for president this year, but perhaps none is stranger than Jersey Shore's Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi, who proposed an authoritarian, pro-tanning platform for president on tonight's season finale of the biggest hit show in MTV history. Among Snooks' proposals are mandatory tanning laws for all Americans and a presidential edict banning all forms of music from radio other than "house. " Her vice presidential nominee? Veteran political analyst Deena Nicole Cortese, of course.

If your idea of a Jersey Shore getaway doesn't involve Snookie, The Situation or JWoww, then check out the family-oriented offerings of Wildwoods, N.J. What you will find is one of the only beach lacrosse tournaments in the world, amusement park rides and a maritime festival. THE PLAN: Leave the hair gel and blowdryer at home, but bring some friends for the lacrosse. You'll need five players to field a team. Each game will have two 18-minute halves with a four-minute break.