How long can skin type II tan without burning?
Fitzpatrick type II (burns easily, tans minimally) reaches the first redness after about 21 min at UV 8 and 33 min at UV 5, with no sunscreen. Its safe ceiling is UV 4.2 — above that, there is no unprotected midday window.
Fair skin, light hair, light eyes.
Today in Columbus
UV 0 right now (low) · peak UV 8.6 at 14:00 · skin type II window 11:07–11:35 and 16:36–17:49
- 14:00 Peak UV hour
- 19 min Time to redness at peak, type II
- 11:07–11:35 First of 2 windows
- 11:20–17:13 Protection recommended (UV 3+, WHO)
Type II at every UV level
| UV index | No SPF | SPF 15 | SPF 30 | SPF 50 | Band |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UV 1 | 2 h 47 | over 24 h | over 24 h | over 24 h | Low |
| UV 2 | 83 min | 20 h 50 | over 24 h | over 24 h | Low |
| UV 3 | 56 min | 13 h 53 | over 24 h | over 24 h | Moderate |
| UV 4 | 42 min | 10 h 25 | 20 h 50 | over 24 h | Moderate |
| UV 5 | 33 min | 8 h 20 | 16 h 40 | over 24 h | Moderate |
| UV 6 | 28 min | 6 h 57 | 13 h 53 | 23 h 09 | High |
| UV 7 | 24 min | 5 h 57 | 11 h 54 | 19 h 51 | High |
| UV 8 | 21 min | 5 h 13 | 10 h 25 | 17 h 22 | Very high |
| UV 9 | 19 min | 4 h 38 | 9 h 16 | 15 h 26 | Very high |
| UV 10 | 17 min | 4 h 10 | 8 h 20 | 13 h 53 | Very high |
| UV 11 | 15 min | 3 h 47 | 7 h 35 | 12 h 38 | Extreme |
Rows up to UV 4.2 are the levels where type II keeps at least 40 minutes before the first redness. How this is calculated.
What type II actually means
At 250 J/m², type II sits 25% above type I and 17% below type III. It is the default skin type used across UV Hour whenever we do not know yours, because it is the most common one in the markets this site is written for. The limit sits at UV 4.2 — which a clear British summer day comfortably exceeds.
How to recognise it: Type II burns first and browns slightly afterwards, usually only after several separate exposures. Most people in the UK, Ireland and Scandinavia are type I or II.
What to do: The morning and late-afternoon slots are where type II gets a usable window on a strong day. Midday is not a shorter version of the same thing; it is a different risk.
Where type II sits among the six
- Type I — limit UV 3.3 17 min at UV 8 · MED 200 J/m²
- Type II — limit UV 4.2 21 min at UV 8 · MED 250 J/m²
- Type III — limit UV 5 25 min at UV 8 · MED 300 J/m²
- Type IV — limit UV 6.7 33 min at UV 8 · MED 400 J/m²
- Type V — limit UV 8.3 42 min at UV 8 · MED 500 J/m²
- Type VI — limit UV 10 50 min at UV 8 · MED 600 J/m²
Where the sun is strongest right now
- Brighton — UV 6.5High · United Kingdom · peak at 13:00 · type II window 10:00–10:22
- Bristol — UV 6.3High · United Kingdom · peak at 13:00 · type II window 11:17–12:12
- Cardiff — UV 5.8High · United Kingdom · peak at 13:00 · type II window 11:17–12:18
Skin type II — the questions people actually ask
How long can skin type II stay in the sun?
It depends entirely on the UV index, not on the temperature or the season. Type II has a minimal erythemal dose of 250 J/m², which gives about 56 min at UV 3, 33 min at UV 5, 21 min at UV 8 and 15 min at UV 11, with no sunscreen and a clear sky.
What UV index is safe for skin type II?
Up to UV 4.2. That is the level at which type II still has 40 minutes before the first redness — the threshold UV Hour uses everywhere. UV 4.2 sits in the moderate band, so on days above that, type II gets a morning window and an afternoon window instead of one continuous one.
Am I skin type II?
Fair skin, light hair, light eyes. Burns easily, tans minimally. Type II burns first and browns slightly afterwards, usually only after several separate exposures. Most people in the UK, Ireland and Scandinavia are type I or II.
How much does SPF 30 change things for type II?
At UV 8 it takes type II from about 21 min to about 10 h 25 in laboratory conditions. In practice the two-hour reapplication rule arrives first, so treat SPF 30 as removing the burn deadline rather than extending it to a specific new time.