This review provides an overview of current knowledge on the impact of UV filters on marine ecosystems, concentrating on recent studies examining the effects of commonly used filters on organisms at low trophic levels and of how alternative approaches, such as metabolomics, can be used to further assess UV filter ecotoxicity.

Current gaps in our knowledge are also discussed, most notably the need to increase our understanding of the longer-term fate and behaviour of UV filters in the marine environment, develop more adapted standardized ecotoxicity tests for a wider range of marine species, and evaluate the impact of UV filters on the marine food web.

We then discuss future perspectives for the development of new, more environmentally friendly, filters that may enable the use of the most toxic compounds to be reduced without compromising the effectiveness of sunscreen formulations.

Finally, we consider how dermatologists play a key role in educating patients on the need for a balanced approach to sun exposure, sun protection, and conservation of the marine environment.