Cancer in a box. Sounds like fun, doesn’t it? That’s basically what you’re paying for when you hit those tanning beds, especially when done as often as necessary to get that stunning orange glow. What’s the point? To get some extra color before prom? To look good in that summer bikini? Laying outside for a few hours on a sunny day has the same effect and is far healthier than those blaring tanning bed bulbs. Sure, UV rays play into each, but look at it realistically: why fake bake when you can have the real thing? Look at the outward effects. Take a look at someone who has laid outside in the sun for two hours six times versus someone who has laid in a tanning bed for fifteen minutes six different times. The former will have a nice, dark brown, gleaming quality; the latter, however, will more than likely possess a sickly orange tint to their highly damaged skin. The more attractive choice is quite plain: the sun trumps a box any day. If that’s still not enough, think about the expenses. Why pay nearly $30-$40 a month when you can lay outside for free? Ten percent of Americans spend, on average, $300 a year on indoor tanning. Please tell us where the sense is in that. The sun is free; sure, it’s a little difficult during the winter, but who’s seeing your body during those months anyway? Rainy days are another complication, but that just means that you need to take advantage of the sunny ones. You can make a million and one excuses, but when it comes down to it, outdoor tanning is simply the better choice. If you’re still unconvinced, there is an alternative. Tanning products are an appropriate and efficient substitute for tanning beds. It might still be fake, but at least you’re not risking cancer. Unless you have some kind of freakish allergy issue, they come highly recommended. Spray-on tans are definitely a thumbs-down unless you’re looking for a particularly carrot-like appearance, but tanning lotions are an absolute thumbs-up. They gradually darken the skin without casting an orange glow, allowing you to determine when your color has reached its desired shade. So next time you’re feeling a little pale, skip the tanning salon and hit up a Wal-Mart; when you’re 60 years old and cancer-free, you’ll know you made the right decision.