No trip to the beach feels complete without water, sunglasses, a good book – and plenty of sunscreen. Yet, on some of the world's most beautiful beaches, pulling out a bottle of SPF might earn you a disapproving look – or worse, get it confiscated completely. A growing number of bucket list destinations are cracking down on the use of certain lotions, gels and sprays as they contain chemicals which can seriously damage both coral reefs and fragile coastal land ecosystems.
Where Are Sunscreens Banned?
Sunscreen bans are now in effect at many beaches and natural parks across popular holiday spots like the Caribbean, Costa Rica, Mexico, and Hawaii to prevent environmental damage. Many SPF products found on supermarket shelves include ingredients such as oxybenzone, butylparaben, and octinoxate – UVA-combatting compounds that can also lead to coral bleaching, ocean pollution and the disturbance of fragile natural environments.
While skin cancer awareness is on the increase – according to publication The Industry Beauty, one in six Brits now wears SPF daily – so is the number of beaches with signs banning its use. A group of British tourists in Costa Rica over Easter reported getting badly sunburned after visiting beaches within the highly-protected Manuel Antonio National Park, where bottles of sunscreen are removed during bag checks on entry. Costa Rica's Manuel Antonio National Park has four spectacular beaches that have banned the use of sunscreen in order to protect wildlife and marine life – but it can leave tourists at risk of serious sunburn.
The Central American country hasn't implemented a full ban on sunscreen on public beaches, but it actively promotes the use of reef-safe alternatives to protect both marine and rainforest ecosystems.
The move began in Western Pacific island country Palau, which became the first country to ban reef-toxic sunscreens in 2020, specifically targeting products containing twelve ingredients, including oxybenzone and octinoxate. And in March 2020, the US Virgin Islands followed, prohibiting the use of sunscreens with oxybenzone, octinoxate and octocrylene. The Caribbean island of Aruba did the same later that year.
Hawaii introduced a similar ban in 2021, which now applies to all commercial shops that sell sunscreen across the country. Bonaire, a tiny island in the Caribbean, pushed further that year, implementing a $40 (£29) 'nature tag' charge for divers exploring the nation's underwater reefs. It now only allows reef-safe sunscreen to be sold in stores.
In some areas of Mexico, such as in water parks like Xcaret and Xel-Ha, visitors are banned from using certain sunscreens, as reported by People 4 Ocean. Meanwhile, the likes of Chankanaab Beach Adventure Park on the island of Cozumel requires visitors to use reef-safe sunscreens in order to keep the ecological area safe.
What Are the Alternatives?
So, with a growing number of holiday hotspots opposing a product that is necessary to protect travellers from harmful UV rays, what is the practical solution? Intriguingly, manufacturers have come up with a workaround – one that skips creams and gels altogether. Instead of applying SPF to the skin, these alternatives come in tablet form, offering mess-free protection that doesn't wash off in the ocean.
At the centre of this is polypodium leucotomos, a tropical fern extract available as both a topical product and an oral supplement, according to DermNet. It's known for helping to protect against sunburn and skin damage relating to UV, while also supporting conditions like psoriasis thanks to its anti-inflammatory properties.
In the US, it's sold in superstores such as Walmart and Target under the brand Heliocare, with claims that a single pill can provide a low basic level – less than factor ten – of daily protection. Compared to traditional sunscreens, the key difference is how they work. While creams and gels act as a physical barrier on the skin, tablets work from within, with the aim of reducing the skin's sensitivity to UV exposure in as little as 30 minutes.
While the product can't replace SPF in the traditional sense – offering much less protection, it is, say dermatologists, much better than nothing. Unlike topical sunscreen, these tablets offer an advantage by covering often-missed spots like the scalp, hairline, and eyelids.
Dr Anatalia Moore, NHS GP and cosmetic dermatologist, said: 'There's definitely been a surge in interest around SPF tablets this year, particularly on social media, but I'd be very cautious about how they're being positioned. Supplements containing Polypodium leucotomos are often marketed as a form of sun protection, when in reality they don't replace sunscreen in any meaningful way. They may offer some antioxidant support to the skin, but they don't block UV rays, they don't prevent burning, and they won't protect you from the long-term risks we worry about, including premature ageing and skin cancer.'
Umar Razzaq, a pharmacist at PharmacyOnline, added: 'It's basically an antioxidant. When UV light hits your skin, it kicks off a chain reaction of damaging particles called free radicals. Polypodium leucotomos helps soak some of those up before they can do harm. There's a fair bit of research behind it now, going back over 20 years in Europe, and dermatologists do recommend it for people with sun-sensitive conditions like prickly heat, melasma, or those undergoing certain skin treatments. It's not magic, but it's not snake oil either.'
But Alice Henshaw, founder of British skincare brand SkinCycles, warned: 'They are adjuncts, not substitutes. When consumers believe a pill can replace sunscreen, they often stay in the sun longer, reapply less frequently, and skip protection altogether.'
For those travelling to destinations that have banned sunscreen, experts recommended opting for mineral-based SPF or investing in protective clothing designed to block harmful UVA and UVB rays. NHS and aesthetic doctor Dr Noura Filali also weighed in, saying: 'Polypodium leucotomos has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, and some evidence suggests it may help reduce UV-induced oxidative stress and redness, but it does not create a physical or chemical UV-filtering barrier on the skin.'
There is a catch to products such as Heliocare, though, with supplements typically being more expensive than a standard bottle of sunscreen, especially if taken regularly during a holiday. While 50ml bottles of branded sunscreen generally sit at around £15, a jar of Advanced Antioxidant Skin Supplements containing 120 capsules costs $40.39 (£29), with a suggested serving size of two capsules providing 60 days of protection.
Because these tablets remain a niche product and experts advise against relying on them for full sun protection, they are unlikely to replace traditional creams and sprays anytime soon. This means sunscreen bans at holiday destinations leave visitors with few options, with the primary consequence being that they must go unprotected against the sun.
Another option is to wear protective clothing specially designed to block harmful UVA and UVB rays, with brands such as Solbari, Ker Sun and Coolibar providing UPF-rated rash vests or swim shirts and wide-brimmed hats that cover exposed areas. NHS and aesthetic doctor Dr Noura Filali suggested: 'Where possible, I would suggest opting for a mineral-based sunscreen, usually containing zinc oxide and/or titanium dioxide, as these sit on the surface of the skin and help reflect and scatter UV rays. An example is the La Roche-Posay Anthelios mineral sunscreens (often SPF 50 or 30). Lotions, creams, balms and SPF sticks are often preferable to sprays, as they allow for more controlled and even application and reduce the amount of product lost into the air, sand and sea.'
Alice added: 'To make things easier for consumers, you can often identify reef-safe products directly on-pack – many SPFs will display a Coral Reef Safe certification logo on the box or bottle. Of course, we always recommend reapplying SPF every two hours, even on cloudy days, and immediately after swimming or heavy sweating.'
