Good Question: Which Sunscreen Is Best For You?

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- After a long winter and wet spring, we deserve some sunny days.

That means breaking out the sun block.

There's traditional sunscreen, and even drinks and pills that promise protection or skin damage repair.

But which sunscreen is the best for you?

"What you want to look for in your sunscreen is SPF 30 or higher," said Dr. Elizabeth Farhat, a dermatologist with Allina Health Clinics.

She says it doesn't matter if the sun protection comes in lotion or spray form, just as long as it's SPF 30 or higher.

"Make sure it's broad spectrum," she added. "That means it has both UVA and UVB protection."

It should also be water-resistant, Farhat said.

She believes sun protection pills, like Heliocare, do help repair DNA damage from the sun, but they offer little protection against ultra violet rays.

"It's something you would have to use in addition to traditional sunscreen," she said.

There is a product that offers sun protection if you drink it. But Farhat says it's mostly just water that's been treated with ionized radiation.

"Unfortunately that does not protect you from the sun," she said. "And they have no studies to support that it would protect you from the sun."

Farhat recommends using SPF 30 or higher even in the winter.

And she says you need it if you're driving, because you can get sun damage through car windows.