Pill Popping to Prevent Sunburns?

Yes, it’s true. A wonderful little pill exists that makes skin more robust against the harmful effects of the sun, such as sunburns, wrinkles and possibly even cancer.

What is this marvelous little pill, you ask? It’s called Heliocare and it’s made from polypodium leucotomus, which is a fern extract. Pop a couple of these bad boys an hour before a day’s romp at the beach and you’ve got an added weapon against a skin cancer health diagnosis.

Unfortunately, these magical pills are a bit pricey — they’re $60 for 60 pills, but would you rather pay $60 a month during the summer or thousands of dollars in chemotherapy and other cancer treatments? If you’re interested in Heliocare, it’s at most pharmacies, but it’s not in the supplement aisle. It’s generally kept behind the pharmacist’s counter.

It should go without saying that this is not a cure-all or a substitute for sunscreen. Sunscreen is still the most effective way to prevent sunburns, wrinkles or worse. In addition, before taking any supplement or pill, always consult with your doctor.

Will you be giving Heliocare a try or are you happy sticking with the tried and true sunscreen selections? Which UV-ray fighting products are your must-haves for a beach day? [Leslie Baumann, M.D., for Yahoo! Health]