How Easily Do You Burn?
When It Comes to Sun, What's Your Skin Type?
Spring means spending more time outdoors, and how easily you burn depends on your skin type. Check out the chart below from Mayo Clinic to see where your skin falls.
The sun's UVA and UVB rays can penetrate and damage all skin types, increasing a person's risk for skin cancer. Even people with types 5 or 6 are at risk, and often develop skin cancer on the palms, fingers, or other lightly pigmented areas of their bodies. So tell me . . .
| Skin Type | Skin color | Reaction to sun exposure |
| Type 1 | Pale white skin | Always burns, never tans |
| Type 2 | White skin | Burns easily, tans minimally |
| Type 3 | White skin | Burns minimally, tans slowly |
| Type 4 | Light brown or olive skin | Burns minimally, tans easily |
| Type 5 | Brown skin | Rarely burns, tans easily and darkly |
| Type 6 | Dark brown or black skin | Rarely burns, always tans |
