Skin type
The Skin Type system is a method commonly used to assess one’s sunburn risk. There are 6 (1 – 6) skin types (see below). The lower numbers represent those people more likely to burn and the higher numers are reserved for those people with a greater degree of natural protection.
As we all know, fair skinned, light eyed people with freckles are the most sun sensitive while dark skinned dark eyed are the least sun sensitive. Everyone else is somewhere in-between. Again, it is important to remember that, while avoiding a burn is important, it does not mean that you have escaped more serious damage that can lead to damaged skin and even cancer.
- Type 1 – Always burns, never tans
- Type 2 – Usually burns, tans with difficulty
- Type 3 – Sometimes burns, sometimes tans
- Type 4 – Burn minimally, always tans
- Type 5 – Rarely burns, tans profusely
- Type 6 – Never burns, deeply tans
