While it's important for everyone to protect themselves when they head outdoors, some people are naturally more vulnerable. You can tell how sensitive your skin is to UV rays by knowing your skin type. The chart below will you help you figure out yours.

	characteristics	sunburn?	tan?
	pale white skin light eyes blonde or red hair	always	never
	fair skin light eyes blonde or light brown hair	usually	sometimes
	olive or dark white skin medium or dark eyes dark hair	seldom	usually
	light brown skin dark eyes dark hair	minimally	easily
	brown skin dark eyes dark or black hair	rarely	easily and darkly
	dark brown skin dark eyes black hair	never	always and darkly

What This Means

The higher your skin type number is, the less susceptible to sunburn and skin cancer you are. This is because darker skin contains more melanin, which provides protection from the sun.

People with skin types I and II need to be especially careful about limiting sun exposure and using sunblock with a higher SPF. However, even people with skin types IV, V, or VI still need to wear sunblock, because no one is 100% immune from sunburn or skin cancer.