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You probably already know that using sunscreen regularly can slash your risk of skin cancer, reduce wrinkles and slow the effects of aging. But recent concerns about sunscreen ingredients

have made it more difficult than it used to be to choose a safe sunscreen. The Environmental Working Group (EWG), a nonprofit advocacy organization, says about 75 percent of sunscreens on

the market provide inferior sun protection or have worrisome ingredients.  Studies also show that some sunscreens may cause damage to oceans and coral reefs. A growing number of

destinations, including Hawaii and the U.S. Virgin Islands, have banned sunscreens with certain chemicals. While more research is needed to prove whether sunscreen ingredients are harmful,

the concerns have left many Americans with questions about sunscreen safety and uncertain about which products to purchase. What’s important, experts say, is not to let those concerns stop

you from using sunscreen altogether, because there’s no doubt that leaving your skin unprotected puts you at greater risk of skin cancer. Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the

United States, and about 1 in 5 Americans will develop skin cancer in their lifetime. Both melanoma and nonmelanoma skin cancers have been rising in recent decades. While melanoma

accounts for only 1 percent of all skin cancers diagnosed in the U.S., it is the deadliest. “Any sunscreen is better than none,” says Mona Gohara, an associate clinical professor of

dermatology at the Yale School of Medicine and a fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD). “We know that the sun can you give you cancer. There is thus far no proven data that

says sunscreens can give you cancer.”   CAN SUNSCREEN INGREDIENTS HARM YOUR HEALTH? The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) a few years ago decided to reevaluate the safety data on sunscreen

ingredients. After an extended clinical study, the agency found that some commonly used sunscreen chemicals — avobenzone, oxybenzone, octocrylene, homosalate, octisalate and octinoxate — can

seep through your skin and into your bloodstream. The study found that even after a single application, the chemicals remain in your body for an extended period. But the fact that those

chemicals get into your blood doesn’t necessarily mean those ingredients are harmful, says David Fivenson, an immunologist and dermatologist in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Some laboratory-based

studies indicate that chemical ingredients could interfere with the normal function of the body’s hormonal system, affect infant development or cause other health issues.  But Fivenson

notes, “there has never been good, practical evidence of harm in a realistic study of people.” If there’s one ingredient to avoid, it’s probably oxybenzone, says Tasneem Mohammad, senior

staff physician in the department of dermatology at the Henry Ford Health System in Detroit. “In a lot of areas of the world, like Europe, it’s not really used anymore,” Mohammad says.