Sunscreens faulted on cancer protection

Sunscreens faulted on cancer protection - Yahoo! News (AP)

It's easy to get a false sense of security or to not use sunscreens in the most effective manner.

Shade, wide-brim hats, sunglasses, covering-up (say, wearing a T-shirt when you swim - so what if it gets wet?), staying out of the sun in the middle of the day remain the most effective protection against skin cancer (as well as painful sunburn).

Apparently sunscreens and sunblocks should still be used - and follow the instructions! - but not relied on 100% for protection from the sun.

My family is a fair bunch - half of it being Swedish and the rest various other Northern Europeans. We've had rampant skin cancer in our family - including melonoma. My Swedish father seems to have paid a high price for his shirtless days in the South Pacific during WWII with melonoma and repeated skin cancers on his back. To my knowledge, I don't have it, but probably will at some point. Point being - watch out. Especially if you're fair. Southern California (where I am) is not exactly the best location for for us pale ones. All the more reason for caution. (I dislike the sun, anyway, frankly...)