There are a lot of misconceptions floating around about sunscreen -- what type you need, how much you need to apply and when you should wear it. But believing everything you hear can spell bad news for your skin. When it comes to protecting the skin from damaging sun rays that can lead to sun poisoning, blisters and cancer, sunscreen is your best line of defense.

It's important you get it right this summer. Let's separate fact from fiction and debunk some common sunscreen myths so you can protect your skin. Read more: Best Sunscreen to Protect Your Skin The top 10 myths about sunscreen Yes, the goal of all sunscreen is to protect your skin from sun damage.

But each product works differently, depending on its ingredients and level of sun protection. There are generally two broad categories of sunscreen -- chemical and physical . Chemical sunscreens contain avobenzone and oxybenzone, which absorbs the sun's rays and converts them to heat.

Physical sunscreens, also known as mineral sunscreens , have ingredients like zinc oxide and titanium oxide, which reflect the rays. The ingredients in sunscreen determine how they protect your skin from the sun. You would think the higher the number, the more protection you get.

But that's not always the case. SPF 50 blocks roughly 98% of UV rays. SPF 100 only blocks 99%, a marginal difference .

I'm not saying you shouldn't get SPF 100, just remember that no sunscreen can give you complete protection against the sun. The higher SPFs tend to g.