Medical organizations such as the American Cancer Society recommend the use of sunscreen because it prevents the squamous cell carcinoma and the basal cell carcinoma. However, several epidemiological studies indicate an increased risk of malignant melanoma for the sunscreen user. Despite these studies, no medical association has published recommendations to not use sunblock. Different meta-analysis publications have concluded that the evidence is not yet sufficient to claim a positive correlation between sunscreen use and malignant melanoma.

1. Using sunscreen every day can help reduce your chances of developing skin cancers, including Melanoma. By reducing the amount of harmful radiation from the sun that your skin absorbs, your chances of developing potentially disfiguring skin cancers is greatly reduced. According to Pharmacy Times Magazine (April 1987) "Using a sunscreen daily will reduce a persons chances of skin cancer by 78%!" And the earlier you start using it the better.

The solar radiation that you absorb is cumulative throughout your entire life! That means that the radiation that you absorbed in childhood is still affecting you in adulthood.

Most of the radiation that you will absorb from the sun during your life will not come from long days at the beach. Instead the biggest part of this radiation (up to 75%) comes from "short bursts" or incidental exposure. This type of exposure happens when you are walking from the store to your car or just stepping outside to get the mail. Most people do not realize this and thus take no measures to protect themselves and their families from the sun on a day-to-day basis. Those in higher altitudes should be especially concerned as the intensity of UV radiation doubles every 5,000 feet of altitude.

2. By reducing the amount of solar radiation that you absorb you can also reduce many of the visible signs of aging. Contrary to popular belief skin wrinkling and brown age spots or "liver spots" are not the result of age alone. Both of these highly visible signs of aging can be largely attributed to the effects of the sun's radiation that a person has absorbed throughout their life. These are both long-term effects and are not as quickly noticeable as a sunburn, but their causes are the same. An older person will have more wrinkles than a younger person largely due to the fact that they have had more time to absorb so much more radiation. It is not just coincidence that the majority of wrinkles and age spots appear on the face and hands. After all, these are the areas of the body that are exposed to the sun's radiation nearly every day of your life. Using sunscreen every day will not only help to prevent any further visible signs of aging, but it may also help to reduce the amount and severity of the wrinkles and age spots or freckles that you already have.

By using sunscreen every day you can greatly reduce the amount of solar radiation that your skin absorbs, both from incidental exposure and from longer exposures, such as when you go outside to enjoy activities in the sunshine. Since the effects of the sun's radiation are cumulative throughout a person's life, parents should be especially concerned about their children's outdoor activities and ensuring that they are protected from the sun every day. By reducing the amount of absorbed radiation now you reduce the risk of developing skin cancer later, or the risk of reocurrence if you've already had a skin cancer.