When I slather sunscreen on the shoulders of my fair haired toddler, I trust that the claims on the bottle are accurate. I believe that by frequently covering is pale skin in cream, his epidermis will be safe, healthy and cancer free. It turns out this might not be the case.

A recent study by the Environmental Working Group (EWG), a Washington-based nonprofit, found that many of the most popular sunscreens do not provide any protection against harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays and break down too fast in the sun. Most consumers rely on the SPF number when buying a sunscreen, the higher the number the better the protection. But what continues to slip through the cracks is the sun block's ability to protect from UVA rays. The UVA rays damage skin without leaving a burn and are the main cause of skin cancer.

There is hope on the horizon. The FDA is addressing the UVA issues and is hoping to have some standards in place by the end of the summer. This is good news to those of us who heavily rely on sunblock as a protective effort to sun damage.

UVB radiation is thought to be the most dangerous light in the solar spectrum. Scientists think that UVB light causes most of the non-melanoma skin cancers.

When you're exposed to UVB radiation for a period of time, it inflames the skin and causes sunburn. Squamous cell carcinoma is diagnosed in about 250,000 people each year in the United States. The cancer can arise from the inflammation of the skin by possible DNA damage.

Even though the scientist's discovery was only so far seen in mice, the researchers at the Ohio State University Medical Center say that a topical compound made of black raspberries significantly slows the growth of Squamous cell skin cancer.

The scientists think that the cancer fighting effects are a result of powerful antioxidants called anthacyanins that give the fruit its rich, dark color. The researchers said "In our experiments, the black raspberry treatment significantly reduced inflammatory damage and reduced tumor growth and spread".

In the future the researchers hope to have a topical treatment for humans that will alleviate pain and also protect against sun damage.

If you wear sunscreen to protect yourself from the damaging rays of the sun that can lead to skin cancer, there are prescription drugs that can increase the skin's sensitivity to ultraviolet light leading to a sunburn even with the added protection of sunscreen lotion, according to a CBS News published article Some Skin Products Up Cancer Risk.

The drugs to be aware of are: diuretics, antibiotics, heart medications, diabetes medications, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory pain drugs. In addition, skin care products such as Retin-A, alpha hydroxy acid, microdermabrasion products and Balsam of Peru can put you at increased risk of sunburn.

"Depending on the type of drug and how long you've been taking it, it can remain in your system from one to five days," says Bill Bailey, RPh, director of specialized care centers for Medicine Shoppe in St. Louis. "To be on the safe side, always ask the pharmacist about the effects of your medications on sun exposure. They'll go online and get current, accurate information."

For all the sun damage prevention advice and tips provided in the article, go here.

I wish I could reverse the damage I've already done to my skin after too much time spent in the scorching sun, in search of a tan. It's seems unfair that a tan is so temporary -- yet its damage is everlasting. And it seems crazy that so many people are still searching for a tan -- when it has become so clear that is it so harmful.

As many as 60,000 people a year die from too much sun -- mostly from malignant skin cancer -- according to the World Health Organization (WHO). About 48,000 deaths are caused by malignant melanomas, and 12,000 deaths are caused by other kinds of skin cancer. And 90 percent of these cancers are caused by ultraviolet light from the sun. Cancer is not the only side effect of sun exposure, though -- serious sunburn, wrinkling, eye cataracts, growths on the flesh of the eye, cold sores, and other illness can result from the sun.

We all need some sun -- the vitamin D that is produced in the body by the sun helps to prevent disease and immune disorders. But too much is dangerous and sometimes deadly. Yet almost all ill effects from the sun can be prevented. And the WHO has released a report that advises people to seek shade, to use sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15, and to stay out of tanning salons. The report operates under the premise that sunscreens be used not to prolong sun exposure but to protect the skin when exposure is unavoidable.

Dimericine, a lotion created to be used the day after a sunburn to protect against some forms of skin cancer, might win FDA approval in the next two years. It's not a magic bullet that allows sun worshippers to return to the old ways of tanning without consequence. Spend too much time in the sun and wrinkles are inevitable. The pain of a sunburn will still hurt even using this new cream. And skin cancer is still a risk -- perhaps just less so.

Dimericine is more of an emergency morning after measure, if you spend more time in the sun than you should the day before and have a burn as a result, or you missed a spot when applying the sunscreen lotion and were not aware until it was too late to prevent the sunburn. The cream will repair some of the damage to the skin a sunburn causes. If the cream is approved, and becomes available, experts still recommend that all the sun safety rules be followed when spending time in the sun. Sunscreen, wide-brimmed hat, sunglasses, long sleeves, seeking shade and staying out of the sun during peak hours between 10 am and 4 pm.

To read more on how and why to practice sun safety, go to skin cancer prevention kits for kids, shading kids from the sun, and pediatricians need to educate parents about sun exposure risks.