A new research from Australia has showed that taking daily dose of vitamin B3 could help keep the most common types of skin cancer at bay. The benefits of nicotinamide, a form of vitamin B3, are especially meant for people who are at high risk of the disease.

The study was conducted by the University of Sydney, showing 23% reduction in the incidence of new, non-melanoma skin cancers after taking vitamin B3. The people who showed this reduction in their risk had at least two of the cancers in the previous five years.

The study results have implications for reducing the health burden and cost of skin cancer. The Society of Clinical Oncology says that skin cancer is the most common form of the disease in fair-skinned people.

Dr. Peter Paul Yu, ASCO president and director of cancer research at Palo Alto Medical Foundation, said people at high risk of skin cancer need to pay heed to the study recommendation. The vitamin is available at very pocket friendly prices and one should prefer to start taking it early.

Exposure to ultraviolet radiation from the sun is a major cause of non-melanoma skin cancer. UV rays cause damages to cellular DNA and reduces the ability of the skin’s immune system to fight away abnormal cells.

“Babies' skin is less mature compared to adults, and infants have a higher surface-area to body-weight ratio compared to older children and adults”, said Dr. Hari Cheryl Sachs, a pediatrician at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The best remedy to prevent your children from skin cancer is to keep your baby in the shade. Sunscreen should also be used as a medicine for children’s safety.