Tanning Behavior of Different Skin Colors
A person's natural skin color has an impact on their reaction to exposure to the sun. An individual's natural skin color can vary from a dark brown to a nearly colorless pigmentation, which may appear reddish due to the blood in the skin. Though subject to variations, ethnic Europeans generally have lighter skin, while ethnic Africans generally have darker skin. In 1975, Harvard dermatologist Thomas B. Fitzpatrick devised the Fitzpatrick scale which described the common tanning behavior of various skin types, as follows:
| Type | Also called | Sunburning | Tanning behavior | von Luschan scale |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I | Very light or pale, "Celtic" type | Often | Occasionally | 1–5 |
| II | Light or light-skinned European | Usually | Sometimes | 6–10 |
| III | Light intermediate or dark-skinned European | Rarely | Usually | 11–15 |
| IV | Dark intermediate, also "Mediterranean" or "olive skin" | Rarely | Often | 16–21 |
| V | Dark or "brown" type | No | Sometimes darkens | 22–28 |
| VI | Very dark or "black" type | No | Naturally black-brown skin | 29–36 |
Read more about this topic: Sun Tanning
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