BALTIMORE -- New research shows that coffee may be useful in protecting against skin cancer, whether you drink it or rub it on your skin, WBAL-TV reported.

University of Washington researchers found that caffeine seemed to target only sun-damaged cells that can become cancerous, and researchers have also experimented with putting caffeine directly on the skin to where it suppressed skin cancer development by as much as 72 percent in mice.

Mercy Medical Center dermatologist Dr. Oanh Lauring said the animal research she's seen on the subject is pretty exciting.

"It actually can prevent skin cancer -- not melanomas, but the non-melanoma type of skin cancer -- mainly squamous cell carcinomas. And also, even more exciting, it seems to reverse the changes or the damages it's caused by the sun," Lauring said.

But the research is not a reason to increase the amount of caffeine you're drinking, Mercy dietitian Kelly O'Connor said.

"It doesn't really specify the amount. In some studies, the amount you're getting is far more than we would recommend using," she said.

"Ultimately, I think you're going to see sunscreens that have the true sunscreen ingredients, but also antioxidants like green tea for that effect, and also caffeine to repair. It's almost like protect and then fix what gets damaged," Lauring said.

There are creams that contain caffeine that are currently on the market. They're not marketed as a product to protect you from skin cancer but as an anti-cellulite cream, doctors said.