Man completes painful challenge to determine whether suncream's SPF does actually matter

One man has voluntarily taken on a brave challenge to see just how important SPF in suncream is.

The height of summer will soon be upon us, with the temperature creeping back up day by day and the sun fighting to escape from behind the clouds.

With a 'Godzilla' El Niño predicted this year, it could be one of the hottest summers on record in the United Kingdom.

In fact, the hottest day in May since records began happened during the Spring heatwave, with a scorching 34.8 °C recorded in Kew Gardens, London, on the 25th.

So it looks set to be a summer sizzler in 2026, with hot weather to watch England's World Cup campaign in a beer garden in or to enjoy a staycation across the country.

Protecting yourself in the sunshine is important, though, with sunburn not only painful but potentially damaging to your long-term health.

But what's the best suncream to use? Well, YouTuber Tyler Blanchard took it upon himself to find out in a painful way.

YouTuber experiments to discover the best SPF

SPF stands for Sun Protection Factor, and it works by reducing the amount of ultraviolet (UV) light beating down from the sun that can get through to your skin, with the UV index on a given day just as important to be aware of as the temperature.

To see just how effective each level of SPF is, content creator Tyler Blanchard made a video in which he lied down in the sun for an hour with a UV index of eight.

He divided his chest into 10 segments by tape and applied two millimetres of suncream from factor 10-100, using a fresh brush for each one.

"It's so hot out," Tyler said just 10 minutes into the test. "I'm dying."

After half an hour in the glare of the sun, Tyler noticed a pool of sweat collecting in his belly button.

When the hour was up, Tyler removed the tape with a gasp.

"These are all pretty much the same," he observed. "80 was the worst, though."

So for Tyler, at least, it didn't appear that the SPF made much difference.

However, it does remain crucial in protecting you from the sun.

How to stay safe in the summer heat

Though getting vitamin D from sunlight is important, it's crucial to strike a balance.

The NHS says there's 'no safe or healthy way to get a tan', while sunburn increases your risk of cancer.

Keeping in the shade and wearing suitable, protective clothing is just as important as suncream, but are only actually rated on a scale of two to 50+ in the UK.

50+ is the strongest form of protection from UV, rather than up to 100, as per the NHS.

Elsewhere, the UK's health service recommends spending time in the shade between 11am and 3pm, covering up with suitable clothing and sunglasses, use at least factor 30 sunscreen and ensure you re-apply often and never burn.