When Ahwatukee Foothills resident Sarah Reiter got tired of driving to Scottsdale for a chemical-free and sun-free tan she decided it was time to bring another option to Ahwatukee.

When Pat Parnell was told the scar that was slowly growing across her face was basal cell carcinoma, or skin cancer, she was a little nervous about going in for surgery.

We hear it all the time from our friends, colleagues and even parents, “Are you taking your vitamins? A vitamin would really help that.” We get it, vitamins have a good reputation and each one has a laundry list of symptoms and illnesses it can help treat. But do vitamins really help?

Let’s face it — Phoenix is hot. And according to recent studies, Phoenix tops the list of America’s hottest cities with temps averaging between 89 and 99 degrees year-round, which is why it’s so important to keep pets safe from the scorching Arizona sun.

I had my stitches removed this morning. It has been two weeks since I had major surgery for malignant cutaneous desmoplastic melanoma on my upper back/lower neck. Sounds ominous right? It is. The surgery took five hours. The surgeon removed an area about 3 inches in diameter and about an inch deep. The incision is about 8 inches wide. This has been the biggest health challenge of my life.

I had my stitches removed this morning. It has been two weeks since I had major surgery for malignant cutaneous desmoplastic melanoma on my upper back/lower neck. Sounds ominous right? It is. The surgery took five hours. The surgeon removed an area about 3 inches in diameter and about an inch deep. The incision is about 8 inches wide. This has been the biggest health challenge of my life.

I am very blonde, very fair skinned, blue eyes — my skin burns easily in the sun. During my entire childhood, my mother always applied sunscreen or I would wear long-sleeved shirts, hats, pants, etc., but still, sometimes burns would happen. I grew up in a small farming community where “everyone knows your name,” so I never felt any different than any of my friends. That all changed during my college years.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has announced changes to the labels of over-the-counter sunscreen, changes that could help reduce confusing and misleading information for consumers by summer 2012.

With the summer starting to heat up, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) are offering tips to keep people safe from the potential dangers of overexposure.

With the summer starting to heat up, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) are offering tips to keep people safe from the potential dangers of overexposure.

There is a little bit of heaven on earth every Tuesday night, according to one Ahwatukee Foothills couple.