If you have a redirection loop, I really suspect you are using an older version. What is the version of SSU that you are using?

You should not have to cleared SSU cache that often, you only have to clear it when you make changes to your product/category/ezpage/manufacture/...names
In other words, if you make changes in the database and want those new names to be reflected in the links, you clear cache. If you don't old links will still work fine.