Is sun-tanning good for you, after all?

New research suggests that the threat of skin cancer might be offset by health benefits

Go ahead, soak it up.
(Image credit: Matt Cardy/Getty Images)

Finally, some good news for sun worshipers who have withstood years of warnings about the dangers of skin cancer. Researchers in Scotland have just released a study suggesting that the benefits of exposure to sunlight might outweigh the dangers. The news comes as the Food and Drug Administration proposes tighter regulations for tanning beds, with public health officials saying UV-based sun lamps can boost your risk of melanoma by 75 percent. How can a force with such potential for harm actually be good for you? Here's what you need to know:

How was the experiment conducted?

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Harold Maass, The Week US

Harold Maass is a contributing editor at The Week. He has been writing for The Week since the 2001 debut of the U.S. print edition and served as editor of TheWeek.com when it launched in 2008. Harold started his career as a newspaper reporter in South Florida and Haiti. He has previously worked for a variety of news outlets, including The Miami Herald, ABC News and Fox News, and for several years wrote a daily roundup of financial news for The Week and Yahoo Finance.