If you live in a northern state where sun tends to be limited in the winter months, you’ve probably heard it’s a good idea to use a tanning bed to keep your vitamin D levels where they need to be.

But that’s simply not so.There’s no reason to damage the skin, putting oneself at risk for skin cancer as well as accelerated aging, to get vitamin D. Achieving adequate vitamin D levels can be accomplished through proper diet and supplementation without harming the skin.