Rick Soll is vacation bound. A cruise to the Caribbean could mean a bad burn to a fair skinned guy, so he's been hitting the tanning booth to get ready.

"I'm very fair complected , so I have to work really hard at getting color," said Soll.

This is not a first for Rick. He started tanning in the dead of winter fifteen years ago as a little pick me up. And even though he knows the risks, he can't give it up.

"It makes me feel better. I'm happy with having color," said Soll.

Despite the warnings, the risk of skin cancer and the damage to your skin, Dr. Daniel Pearson knows people are still tanning. He believes there's something to be said for preventing a bad burn by building a tolerance.

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"Although there is some risk with tanning, I think the gradual, small dose of that type of radiation to let your skin build up that extra pigment to protect it from that sunburn, is probably safer than going totally unprotected and getting a bad sunburn," said Dr. Pearson.

Dr. Pearson says with skin cancer on the rise, your best bet is to limit your exposure to the sun and always wear sunscreen. And if you feel you need a little color, self tanners are available year round.