According to a recent study, tanning isn't only a great way to develop skin cancer; under some circumstances, it can actually become addictive. The study, which used an online survey of over 400 regular tanners, found that over a quarter were "tanning dependent," which means that they have difficulty controlling their desire to tan, even given their awareness that tanning can have severe side effects. Furthermore, the study discovered that those who tan regularly are also more likely to smoke or have extremely low body fat, suggesting a link between the addictive behaviors.

Clearly, more research needs to be done to determine if tanning can actually become an addictive behavior, with the endorphin rush that characterizes other addictions. However, as a former sun worshiper and one-time tanning bed patron, I can definitely attest to the intense feeling of relaxation that characterizes a day spent in the sun or a half hour spent on the bed. I wonder how long it will be before somebody develops a "tanning patch" to help "tanorexics" break the addiction. In the meantime, it seems like regular application of an spf 60 sunscreen would be a cheap and easy alternative to melanoma!

Bruce Watson is a freelance writer, blogger, and all-around cheapskate. He still sometimes dreams of the soft breezes and unnatural glow of the tanning bed.

Daily Deal for Thursday, May 1, 2008: Save thousands of dollars on melanoma treatments by using inexpensive sunscreen liberally. No-Ad Maximum Sun Block Lotion SPF-45, 16 oz., $8.95 plus shipping, drugsdepot.com.

The American Cancer Society has some sensible precautions you can adopt to reduce the chance of developing skin cancer: avoid exposure during the sunniest part of the day, wear a hat and sleeves, and, of course, use sunscreen. Unfortunately, many of the brand-name sunscreen products are very pricey.

But not all. Consumer Reports recently named No-Ad Maximum Sun Block Lotion SPF-45 as a best buy, as it stands up to comparison with the top brands in performance yet sells at a price that won't tempt you to skimp on its use. The 16 oz. bottle is a good value, although if you can find it in your local pharmacy you might do better than this mail-order price, since shipping will eat up much of the savings. If you can bundle this purchase as part of a $100 order from drugdepot.com, however, shipping is free.

Don't be penny wise and pound foolish with your sunscreen, unless you like the notion of having a big ugly cancer on the tip of your nose. That's not a good look.