Skin tanning types - a safety guide from dermatologists

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Learning about your skin type is a must when considering using a tanning bed as this information will help you decide when you have had a safe amount of ultraviolet exposure and help you to know when it is time to step off that bed. The other benefit is that by having an understanding of what category you fall you will be better equipped to establish the number of sessions it will take for you to create a base tan and how long you can be on the bed.

Essentially this categorising gives one an idea of what natural protection we already have from UV exposure. People with darker tones have more built in protection enabling them to undergo longer tanning sessions while burning less easily. Fair tones on the other hand tend to burn with minimal exposure with little tan being produced.

Dermatologists have grouped the population into six skin types:

TYPE	SKIN REACTION EXAMPLES
1. Tans little to not at all; burns easily and badly; peels. Is unable to produce significant quantities of melanin to protect from overexposure.	People most often with fair skin, blue eyes, freckles, white unexposed skin.
2. Burns easily and painfully; tans minimally; peels.	People with fair skin, blue or hazel eyes, blonde or red hair, white unexposed skin.
3. Burns moderately; gains average tan.	Average Caucasian, white unexposed skin.
4. Little burning; tans easily and above average with each exposure; exhibits Immediate Pigment Darkening reaction.	A person with light or brown skin, dark brown hair, dark eyes, unexposed skin is white or light brown
5. Rarely burns; tans easily and significantly; always exhibits Immediate Pigment Darkening reaction.	Brown-skinned persons, unexposed skin is brown
6. Tans profusely, never burning ; exhibits Immediate Pigment Darkening reaction.	Persons with black skin.

Most ethnic backgrounds can be tied to specific categories and tones. Classic examples of type I and 2 would be those of Irish or Welsh descent who are described as fair, have red / blonde hair and light coloured eyes. People who are of African descent are examples of those who would fall under categories 5 and 6. Those of Indian and Hispanic ancestry tend to fall in the Type 3, 4 and 5 categories.

There is also a condition called vitiligo which can affect your skin's ability to protect itself from UV exposure. This is because vitiligo causes the progressive loss of pigment which causing a blotchy path-work effect. Usually this condition develops in those who have a dark pigmentation and fall in the Type 5 and 6 category.

For indoor tanners to fully reach their tanning potential the maximum exposure times of tanning units must be correlated with this categorisation technique. Salons have trained staff who can sit down with you and determine a safe yet effective exposure time.

As a rough guide; a base tan can take about 4 weeks to develop, thereafter 2 sessions a week on conventional tanning beds should set the tan. Once set some people only visit the salon once every 2 weeks.

The UV index should also be consulted if you are going outdoors and a sunscreen applied to uncovered body areas.

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