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By Caroline Rainsford, Director of Science, CTPA
As summer draws near, the promise of longer days and warmer weather brings excitement and anticipation. It's the season that beckons us outdoors, inviting us to appreciate nature and spend time with our friends and family during picnics in the park or lazy afternoons by the beach and in the garden. Summer offers endless opportunities to unwind, connect and make memories. It’s no surprise that a 2021 YouGov poll found that summer topped the poll of favourite seasons, with one third of British adults, and 40% in Scotland, preferring the promise of warmth and sunny days1.
We don’t just enjoy spending time in the sun when we are at home, the most recent Holiday Habits survey by the Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA) found that the most popular type of holiday for British adults over the past year is a beach holiday, with 48% of us opting for a sunshine-packed escape2.
Too much sun exposure
For many of us, sunshine makes us feel good and encourages us to spend time outdoors, but we are also well aware of the dangers of too much sun exposure. Scientific knowledge in this area has advanced hugely over recent decades and as scientists’ knowledge of the negative impacts of different types of UV rays has increased, sunscreen formulations have improved to ensure they protect against the broad spectrum of harmful rays and that they are easy to apply and comfortable to wear.
Cancer Research UK found that between 2017 and 2019, there were 17,537 new melanoma skin cancer cases in the UK each year on average, or 48 every day. For women, skin cancer is the fifth most common cancer and it is the fourth most common for men. The rates of skin cancer have doubled since the early 1990s and 86% of melanoma skin cancer cases are preventable3.
UV radiation from the sun poses a major risk for eye and skin damage. It contributes to DNA damage within our eyes, degeneration of the retina and oxidative stress for eye tissues and it is a key contributor to cataract formation4. The ageing effects on our skin are well known; UVA rays from the sun penetrate deep into the skin, kickstarting oxidative reactions which damage DNA, proteins and lipids and break down the skin’s structure. This leads to wrinkle formation and premature skin ageing. Therefore, UV exposure has serious negative consequences for our health and appearance.
Too little sun exposure
On the other hand, excessive avoidance of the sun can also be detrimental. As well as the importance to our wellbeing of enjoying spending time outdoors and feeling the warmth of the sun’s rays, recent studies suggest that sunlight exposure may bring benefits for reducing cardiovascular disease, respiratory illnesses and may contribute to some support for our immune systems5. Also, of course, we can’t forget Vitamin D production, which is the most well-understood and well-recognised health benefit of the sun.
A large-scale study of vitamin D status across the UK found that vitamin D deficiency is common, especially in winter when 23% of us do not reach the recommended levels of vitamin D. Participants with skin of colour were much more likely to be vitamin D deficient, and geographical differences between the north and south were also found, with those living in more northern parts of the country more likely to have insufficient vitamin D levels6. Vitamin D is produced in the skin when UV rays from the sun trigger a chemical reaction to transform a type of cholesterol in the skin into vitamin D. Vitamin D can also be sourced through the diet, especially from oily fish, eggs, fortified foods, dairy, mushrooms and supplements. It is essential for bone formation and has been linked to other wide-ranging health benefits including possible protection against certain types of cancer, cardiovascular and autoimmune disorders7.
Sunlight is the primary contributor to vitamin D production8. The NHS currently advises that from about late March/early April to the end of September, the majority of people should be able to make all the vitamin D they need from sunlight on their skin, but this is not necessarily the case for all population groups. It advises that during the autumn and winter, everyone should consider taking a daily vitamin D supplement during the autumn and winter9.
Getting the balance right
Therefore, sun exposure has both positive and negative aspects and it’s all about getting the balance right and making sure we can protect our skin and avoid the downsides of UV exposure, whilst still enjoying the sun and receiving its benefits. This is possible, and it is incredibly important to ensure we protect ourselves from the well-recognised harmful effects of the sun.
Exposure to sunlight improves mood and circadian rhythm, which may benefit sleep patterns. These positive effects can be gained when the UV index is low10, for example, earlier in the morning or later in the evening. This means we don’t need to be out in the strongest sun of the day to receive its benefits, and wearing sun protection won’t prevent them either.
Returning to vitamin D, health authorities around the world have been grappling with the challenge of advising the population to spend time in the sun to enable vitamin D production, whilst also ensuring their skin is protected from the harmful effects of UV rays, especially in relation to cancer. The NHS advises that we should be able to make sufficient vitamin D from exposure to sunlight in the summer months in the UK, but to always remember to cover up or protect your skin if you're out in the sun for long periods to reduce the risk of skin damage and skin cancer9.
It’s not always easy to know how much sun is too much. A study funded by Cancer Research UK found that skin damage occurs before any obvious changes, such as burning, are visible11. Based on findings from the study, the researchers estimated that between 8 and 25 minutes of sun exposure per day throughout the year should be sufficient to produce enough vitamin D. Those with lighter skin require less time and those with darker skin require more time12.
Does sunscreen still allow us to make vitamin D?
Considering that invisible sun damage can begin to occur very quickly within unprotected skin, an important question to consider is whether we can still produce vitamin D whilst wearing sunscreen. Fortunately, the science has found that sunscreens, including those which have broad-spectrum protection against UVA and UVB rays, still allow us to make vitamin D.
In one such study, a group of volunteers went on holiday to Tenerife and used broad-spectrum protection. They were instructed how much to use to ensure it provided the level of protection on the label. Another group of volunteers remained at home in Central Europe in March, and did not use sunscreen. The vitamin D levels of each volunteer group were measured at the beginning and end of the study. The lucky group which went on holiday and used sunscreen did not burn, and had much higher levels of vitamin D than before they went on holiday, and much higher levels of vitamin D than the group which stayed at home in the cold weather and did not use sunscreen. Therefore, sun protection is vital for protecting our skin in warm and sunny weather and it will not stop us producing plenty of vitamin D13.
A review article in 2019, published in the British Journal of Dermatology, also supports these findings. The authors investigated more than 70 scientific studies and concluded that sunscreen is unlikely to impact vitamin D concentration when used in real-life settings and the protective benefits of sunscreen outweigh any concerns around vitamin D14.
Enjoy the sun safely
In conclusion, making the most of the sunshine can be a wonderful way to boost our health and wellbeing, offering benefits such as exercise, improved mood and increased vitamin D levels. It is vital, however, to balance this with proper precautions to protect our skin and eyes from the harmful effects of UV rays. By seeking shade during peak hours, wearing loose clothing which covers the skin, a hat and sunglasses, and applying sunscreen regularly, we can safely enjoy the sunshine without putting our health at risk.
CTPA provides year-long extensive information on sun protection on its consumer website thefactsabout.co.uk; consumers can find answers to the most frequently asked questions and recommendations on how to stay safe in the sun in the dedicated section All about sunscreens.
[1] YouGov, 20 September 2021, 2135 GB adults surveyed, accessed 15 April 2025 https://yougov.co.uk/topics/politics/survey-results/daily/2021/09/20/c6ff0/3
[2] ABTA Holiday Habits survey 2024-2025. A nationally representative sample of 2,000 UK adults carried out from 24 July to 2 August 2024 www.abta.com/sites/default/files/media/document/uploads/Holiday%20Habits%202024_Final_081024.pdf
[3] Cancer Research UK, accessed 15 April 2025 https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/health-professional/cancer-statistics/statistics-by-cancer-type/melanoma-skin-cancer#heading-Zero
[4] Liu ZZ, Chen SF, Yu TY, Ma GS, Huang XY, Yu DY, Lin HT. Effects of sunlight on the eye. Int Eye Res 2021;2(1):57-62
[5] Alfredsson L, Armstrong BK, Butterfield DA, Chowdhury R, de Gruijl FR, Feelisch M, Garland CF, Hart PH, Hoel DG, Jacobsen R, et al. Insufficient Sun Exposure Has Become a Real Public Health Problem. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health. 2020; 17(14):5014. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17145014
[6] Lin LY, Smeeth L, Langan S, Warren-Gash C. Distribution of vitamin D status in the UK: a cross-sectional analysis of UK Biobank. BMJ open. 2021 Jan 1;11(1):e038503.
[7] Hossein-nezhad, Arash et al. Vitamin D for Health: A Global Perspective. Mayo Clin Proc. n July 2013;88(7):720-755
[8] Holick MF. Sunlight and vitamin D for bone health and prevention of autoimmune diseases, cancers, and cardiovascular disease. Am JClin Nutr 2004;80(suppl):1678S–88S.
[9] NHS, accessed 15 April 2025 https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vitamins-and-minerals/vitamin-d/
[10] Neale RE, Beedle V, Ebeling PR, Elliott T, Francis D, Girgis CM, et al. Balancing the risks and benefits of sun exposure: A revised position statement for Australian adults. Aust New Zealand J Public Health, 48 (2024), p. 100117
[11] Shih BB, et al. Fractional Sunburn Threshold UVR Doses Generate Equivalent Vitamin D and DNA Damage in Skin Types I–VI but with Epidermal DNA Damage Gradient Correlated to Skin Darkness. J. Investig. Dermato (2018) 138, 2244e2252
[12] Webb AR, Kazantzidis A, Kift RC, Farrar MD, Wilkinson J, Rhodes LE. Meeting Vitamin D Requirements in White Caucasians at UK Latitudes: Providing a Choice. Nutrients. 2018 Apr 17;10(4):497
[13] Young AR, Narbutt J, Harrison GI, Lawrence KP, Bell M, O'Connor C, Olsen P, Grys K, Baczynska KA, Rogowski‐Tylman M, Wulf HC, Lesiak A, Philipsen PA, Optimal sunscreen use, during a sun holiday with a very high ultraviolet index, allows vitamin D synthesis without sunburn, Br J Dermato, Volume 181, Issue 5, 1 November 2019, Pages 1052–1062
[14] Neale R, Khan S, Lucas R, Waterhouse M, Whiteman D, Olsen C. The effect of sunscreen on vitamin D: a review. Br J Dermato, 2019 181(5), pp. 907-915.
