Quick answer
Your skin type is about how your skin naturally reacts to UV, not how tanned you are now. Dermatologists use the Fitzpatrick scale, from type 1 (always burns, never tans) to type 6 (deeply pigmented skin that rarely burns). If you burn easily, as types 1 and many type 2s do, UK health guidance says you shouldn't use a sunbed at all.
The six skin types
The Fitzpatrick scale is the system dermatologists use to describe how skin responds to UV. Think about how your skin reacts to strong sun without a tan:
- Type 1: very pale, often freckled; always burns and never tans.
- Type 2: fair; usually burns and tans only slightly, if at all.
- Type 3: light to medium; sometimes burns and tans gradually.
- Type 4: olive or light brown; rarely burns and tans easily.
- Type 5: brown; very rarely burns and tans very easily.
- Type 6: dark brown or black; almost never burns.
Why it matters for sunbeds
The UK Health Security Agency says people with very fair skin and people who burn easily should not use sunbeds. In practice that means type 1, and anyone with type 2 skin who burns rather than tans. For them, UV mainly causes damage rather than colour. See who shouldn't use a sunbed.
The NHS also lists other signs that your skin is more at risk from UV: freckles, red or fair hair, light-coloured eyes, lots of moles, and a family history of skin cancer.
Darker skin still needs care
Types 4 to 6 burn less easily, but they can still burn and UV still damages the skin. Read can dark skin burn on a sunbed?
Your skin type doesn't change
A tan doesn't change your skin type. Someone with type 2 skin who has built some colour still has skin that burns easily, so their limits stay the same.
Choosing a lotion for your skin
If sunbeds are suitable for you and you're new to them, a gentle non-tingle lotion is a sensible place to start. Read accelerator vs bronzer vs tingle to understand the options.
