Sunscreens are a controversial product now. One thing everyone agrees on though is that they do work. The controversy is mainly about how they are advertised and the wording that is used in the ads.

So rest assured, sunscreens do indeed protect your skin from sunburn, wrinkles, age spots, and skin cancer.

But you need to understand that products like baby oil and "tanning oils"  do not provide ANY protection against sunburn. You must buy a product that specifically indicates an SPF rating.

If you are going to be in the sun for longer than it takes to walk from the parking lot to the mall, use a sunscreen with an SPF rating of at least 30. I use a 50 or 60.

Important: You must apply sunscreen at least one half-hour before going into the sun. This is because the sunscreen must be absorbed by your skin to be effective. This is something I've always been slack about. I always waited until I got to the beach before applying sunscreen. Now I do it before I leave the house and I get much better results.