A study published in the December 6 issue of the Journal of Oncology has found that those putting on sunscreens daily on to their head, neck, arms and hands were 50% less prone to getting affected by melanoma.

As many as 1,600 white Australian adults, aged between 25 to 75 years, participated in the study. All of them were divided into two groups. While one group was advised to put on sunscreens daily to their head, neck, hands and arms for five years from 1992 to 1996, the other group was told to do so as per wish or whenever they desired to apply the sunscreens.

Subsequently, the researchers stayed in touch with the participants for the next 10 years, they being put in for questionnaires only once or twice a year.

After the observation period, it was found that 22 people who used sunscreens as per wish were diagnosed with melanoma while the count was half (11) in the category that was regular with the practice, according to the study.

Dr. Howard Kaufman, the Director of the Rush University Cancer Center in Chicago and a melanoma expert who was not involved in the research, said, "We have known for a long time that sunscreen prevents squamous and basal cell carcinomas but the data on melanoma has been a little bit confusing".