Did you know that there are more than a million cases of skin cancer are diagnosed in the U.S. every year? Did you know that the FDA still hasn't finalized sunscreen standards from 30 years ago? Did you know that companies are free to claim but do not have to provide broad spectrum protection?

The Environmental Working Group (EWG) tested 896 name-brand sunscreens and found that 4 out of 5 sunscreen products offer poor protection from the sun, or contain ingredients that might be harmful to our health.

I was very surprised to read that leading brands such as Coppertone's 33 none of the sunscreen products met EWG's criteria for safety and effectiveness, and only 1 of 85 products from Banana Boat and Neutrogena are recommended by EWG. One out of every eight products that were tested does not protect from UVA radiation, and many of those products raise safety concerns and questionable effectiveness. 

Today more than ever more people are using sunscreen to protect from sunburn and guard against skin cancer. Products with high SPF ratings, are waterproof or offer "broad spectrum" protection are the most popular. 

The Environmental Working Group has identified 111 products that offer good sun protection and contain ingredients that present minimal health risks to users. Be sure to check out the list at http://cosmeticsdatabase.com/special/sunscreens2008/findyoursunscreen.php.

The EWG is currently putting together the 2009 report with the new sunscreen rankings and it is almost completed. When you provide your email and zip code, you can sign up to receive the new 2009 sunscreen guide.