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Skin Type II (Fair)
Fair skin that may have freckles; light hair and eyes are common. Burns easily, tans minimally and poorly.
General sun-safety information, not medical advice. Burn times vary enormously with skin, the UV index, altitude, reflection off snow or water, and some medicines — when in doubt, cover up. Any new, changing or unusual mole or spot should be checked by a doctor.
How this skin reacts to the sun
Fair skin that may have freckles; light hair and eyes are common. Burns easily, tans minimally and poorly. Remember that burn time is not fixed — it rises and falls with the UV index, altitude and reflection off snow, water or sand, so the same skin can be fine one day and burnt the next.
Protecting your skin
You burn easily, so treat strong sun with respect: daily SPF on exposed skin in summer, reapplied every couple of hours, plus a hat and shade at midday. Reflected UV off water, sand and snow adds up fast.
What it means for vitamin D
You synthesise vitamin D fairly quickly. Short, regular exposures that stop well short of pinkness are safer than long ones. At high latitudes the winter sun is too weak for anyone to make vitamin D from it, so diet and supplements bridge the gap regardless of skin type.
Other skin types
Type I — Very fair
Always burns, never tans.
Type III — Light to medium
Sometimes burns mildly, tans gradually to a light brown.
Type IV — Olive / moderate brown
Rarely burns, tans easily and well.
Type V — Brown
Very rarely burns.
Type VI — Deeply pigmented
Never burns.
Source: WHO Global Solar UV Index and general dermatology guidance on the Fitzpatrick scale. This is general information, not medical advice. · checked 2026-09-04
Frequently asked questions
Does skin type II burn?
Burns easily, tans minimally and poorly. Fair skin that may have freckles; light hair and eyes are common.
How much sun protection do I need?
You burn easily, so treat strong sun with respect: daily SPF on exposed skin in summer, reapplied every couple of hours, plus a hat and shade at midday. Reflected UV off water, sand and snow adds up fast.
What about vitamin D?
You synthesise vitamin D fairly quickly. Short, regular exposures that stop well short of pinkness are safer than long ones.
Keep vitamin D up year round
TempoLife's food database shows the vitamin D in what you eat, so winter does not catch you short.