Cheap sunscreen can save you a fortune in cancer treatments

Daily Deal for Thursday, May 1, 2008

: Save thousands of dollars on melanoma treatments by using inexpensive sunscreen liberally. No-Ad Maximum Sun Block Lotion SPF-45, 16 oz., $8.95 plus shipping, drugsdepot.com.

The American Cancer Society has some sensible precautions you can adopt to reduce the chance of developing skin cancer: avoid exposure during the sunniest part of the day, wear a hat and sleeves, and, of course, use sunscreen. Unfortunately, many of the brand-name sunscreen products are very pricey.

But not all. Consumer Reports recently named No-Ad Maximum Sun Block Lotion SPF-45 as a best buy, as it stands up to comparison with the top brands in performance yet sells at a price that won't tempt you to skimp on its use. The 16 oz. bottle is a good value, although if you can find it in your local pharmacy you might do better than this mail-order price, since shipping will eat up much of the savings. If you can bundle this purchase as part of a $100 order from drugdepot.com, however, shipping is free.

Don't be penny wise and pound foolish with your sunscreen, unless you like the notion of having a big ugly cancer on the tip of your nose. That's not a good look.