Dr Rozina Ali is a multi-award-winning consultant plastic, reconstructive and aesthetic surgeon with more than three decades of experience in facial rejuvenation, regenerative aesthetics and skin health. Known for her evidence-based, pro-ageing philosophy, she believes the most effective aesthetic strategy is not correction after damage has occurred, but intelligent prevention before it does. In this article, she reflects on the growing national conversation around UV safety and why sun protection remains the single most important step in any skincare regime.
A national conversation about UV safety
As we move into the height of summer in the UK, conversations around sunscreen and UV protection inevitably return. Yet this year, the discussion feels more urgent and more important than ever.
In May 2026, the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Beauty, Hair & Wellbeing launched a landmark report describing ultraviolet radiation exposure as a “preventable public health crisis”, calling for a national UV safety strategy in response to rising skin cancer rates across the UK. The report highlights a sobering reality: melanoma incidence rates are projected to rise by 9% by 2038, resulting in around 26,500 new cases annually, while more than seven people currently die from melanoma every single day in the UK.
As someone who has spent almost 30 years working with skin, both surgically and non-surgically, none of this surprises me. What concerns me more is that despite growing awareness around skincare and aesthetics, many people still fundamentally misunderstand sun damage. The biggest misconception is that UV damage is simply about sunburn or holidays abroad. It is not. UV damage is cumulative, silent and deeply structural. It happens slowly over years, often long before we see the visible consequences appear in the mirror.
Understanding photoageing: The damage you cannot immediately see
When patients ask me what the single best anti-ageing product is, my answer is always the same, sunscreen. Not because it is fashionable. Not because it is cosmetic. But because it is preventative medicine for the skin.
Up to 80–85% of visible skin ageing is driven not by time alone, but by ultraviolet radiation exposure. UVA rays penetrate deeply into the dermis, damaging collagen, elastin and cellular DNA. UVB rays cause burns and direct epidermal injury. Together, they accelerate what we call photoageing: premature ageing caused by chronic UV exposure.
Over time, this leads to fine lines, pigmentation, uneven skin tone, broken capillaries, loss of elasticity, rough texture and structural collagen breakdown. More seriously, UV exposure is strongly linked to skin cancer development. The APPG report notes that 86% of melanoma skin cancers and 90% of non-melanoma skin cancers are considered preventable. And yet, despite this, sunscreen is still often treated as optional, seasonal or cosmetic.
Why sunscreen is not just for summer
One of the most important messages within the APPG report is that UV safety must stop being treated as a seasonal issue. I could not agree more.
Many people assume that because the UK is cloudy or cold for much of the year, sunscreen is unnecessary outside summer holidays. In reality, UVA radiation penetrates cloud cover and glass all year round. Even on grey winter days, the skin is still accumulating damage.
Winter conditions can make matters worse. Cold air, pollution and central heating weaken the skin barrier and increase dehydration, amplifying the visible effects of environmental stress and UV exposure. This is why I always describe sunscreen as the final essential step in every skincare regime, regardless of the season. If I could choose only one skincare product for life, it would undoubtedly be a broad-spectrum SPF 30+ or above.
The shift from beauty to public health
What is particularly encouraging about the APPG inquiry is the recognition that sun protection should no longer be viewed purely through a cosmetic lens. The report calls for reduced VAT on sunscreen products, arguing that SPF should be considered preventative healthcare rather than a luxury cosmetic item. This distinction matters enormously.
Because while aesthetics may focus on improving how skin looks, medicine understands the far greater importance of protecting how skin functions. Healthy skin is not simply about appearance. Skin is the body’s largest organ. It protects us from dehydration, environmental toxins, inflammation and disease. Once UV-induced DNA damage occurs, it cannot truly be reversed. We can improve the appearance of damage, but prevention will always be more powerful than correction. That is why intelligent skincare must always begin with protection.
The Dangerous Rise of Misinformation
Another critical issue highlighted within the APPG report is the rise of misinformation surrounding tanning and sunscreen on social media, particularly amongst younger audiences. As clinicians, we are increasingly seeing dangerous myths promoted online, from “base tans” and tanning oils without SPF to homemade alternatives to sunscreen and claims that sun protection is somehow unnecessary.
These messages are not harmless trends. They carry real long-term consequences. The APPG report highlights evidence showing that even one blistering sunburn during childhood or adolescence can more than double melanoma risk later in life.
Equally concerning is the continued normalisation of sunbeds, despite the World Health Organisation classifying UV radiation and sunbeds as Group 1 carcinogens. Using a sunbed before the age of 35 increases melanoma risk by 59%.
Protect, then repair
Of course, many patients come to me after years of unavoidable or accumulated sun exposure. The good news is that while we cannot erase UV damage entirely, we can meaningfully support the skin through intelligent regenerative treatments.
and a long-term commitment to skin health.
The APPG report rightly highlights, the UK urgently needs a more joined-up national conversation around UV safety. My philosophy has always been one of pro-ageing, not anti-ageing. The goal is not to fear the sun, nor to fear growing older. It is to understand the biology of ageing and make informed, intelligent choices that support long-term skin health.
