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Coffee: The New Sunscreen?

by Valerie Kramer Davis

Here's something to raise your cup to: Researcher Allan Conney of Rutgers University found in recent studies on mice that caffeine kills skin cells damaged by the sun before they become cancerous. This doesn't mean you can swap your Coppertone for a cappuccino. Just that you may get more than a mere buzz from your morning beverage. Good news for decaf drinkers, too: Creams containing caffeine seem to do the same thing. Look for formulas with 4 percent caffeine at your local drugstore.

first appeared: 3/3/2009