Pools are open in this part of the country so before the kids and I hit the water, I started to dig around about the best sunscreens for our brood. The latest information from Environmental Working Group (EWG)  unearthed troubling facts that might tempt you to give up on sunscreens altogether. That’s not the right answer – despite the unknowns about their efficacy, public health agencies still recommend using sunscreens, just not as your first line of defense against the sun.  Use sunscreens, but look for shade, wear protective clothing and avoid the noontime sun before you smear on the cream. Here are EWG’s surprising sunscreen facts:

1. There’s no consensus on whether sunscreens prevent skin cancer.
2. There’s some evidence that sunscreens might increase the risk of the deadliest form of skin cancer for some people.
3. There are more high SPF products than ever before, but no proof that they’re better.
4. Too little sun might be harmful, reducing the body’s vitamin D levels.
5. The common sunscreen ingredient vitamin A may speed the development of cancer.
6. Free radicals and other skin-damaging byproducts of sunscreen.
7. Pick your sunscreen: nanomaterials or potential hormone disruptors.
8. Europe has better sunscreens.
9. The will be the 34th summer in a row without final U.S. sunscreen safety regulations.

You can access much more information regarding each fact by clicking the links above. Also, by clicking here you are taken to their page that allows you to search your current sunscreen and see  its current ranking. Lastly, you can download the EWG Sunscreen app that puts all this great information at your fingertips.