The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) suggests that sunscreen should be used daily to prevent skin cancer. On its website, the AAD touts the importance of “apply[ing] a broad-spectrum, water-resistant sunscreen with an SPF (sun protection factor) of 30 or higher to all skin not covered by clothing.”

To make a statement like that, there should be clear evidence that sunscreen is safe and effective for preventing skin cancer and other problems secondary to sun exposure. Unfortunately, that is not the case.

I grew up in the 1970s, before cable TV and computers. I remember that during the summer months, when school was out, I was outside all the time. My friends and I spent entire summers outdoors. And of course, we never wore sunscreen. We didn’t worry that the “dangerous” sun was going to give us cancer.

I don’t recall epidemics of melanoma or other skin cancers because sunscreen was not widely used. It is true that certain skin cancers — such as squamous cell and basal cell carcinomas — are related to sun exposure. However, those cancers kill relatively few Americans.

Though there are 5.4 million U.S. cases of basal and squamous cell cancers each year, only about 2,000 die annually. Contrast that with heart disease, which kills more than 655,000 Americans per year. For comparison, about 4,000 people die from drowning each year.

No, I’m not minimizing deaths from skin cancer. I have seen patients die from basal cell or squamous cell skin cancer. Such deaths are often the result of delaying care. Early treatment of basal cell or squamous cell cancer usually leads to a cure.