I’m blonde and have pale skin: why do I have such a hard time tanning?

Answer

Every skin reacts differently to the sun. In Africa, for example, the sun is brighter than in Europe. Over time, the skin of people from this continent has also adapted and they can better withstand the sun.
Whether you get tan or not is hereditary. On the basis of the sensitivity of the skin, six skin types can be distinguished globally:

Skin type 1
People with skin type 1 burn very quickly and do not tan. They have very light skin, often lots of freckles and red or light blond hair and blue or green eyes.

Skin type 2
People with skin type 2 burn less quickly than with skin type 1. If you have this skin type, you will slowly tan. Appearance characteristics are: light skin, blond hair and gray, green or light brown eyes.

Skin type 3
Do you have light skin, dark blond to brown hair and fairly brown eyes? Then you belong to the group with skin type 3. You do not burn quickly and you tan quickly.

Skin type 4
Mediterranean types, recognizable by their usually tan skin, dark hair and dark eyes, almost never burn. They also brown quickly and easily.

Skin type 5
Asian types, with dark skin, dark to black hair and dark eyes, never burn and tan quickly and easily.

Skin type 6
Black types have very dark skin, black hair and dark eyes. They never burn and tan very well.

in between
You may also be in between two skin types. Experience with burning body parts, such as your shoulders and your back, say the most about your skin type. So if you quickly suffer from bright red shoulders, even if you do not have light hair, there is a good chance that you have skin type 1. External characteristics are the least decisive. Everyone should therefore take their skin type into account when sunbathing.

Pigment
Not everyone can tan. The ability of pigment cells to make pigment is genetically determined. Pigment is a brown dye that protects your skin from UV radiation. If your skin is tan, slightly less UV rays penetrate your skin. But this protection is far from complete. Your skin must also be able to get used to UV radiation. Skin thickening occurs under the influence of UV-B radiation. You don’t feel that and you don’t see it like pigment, but it does provide more protection than brown skin itself. The more ‘accustomed’ your skin is to UV radiation, the less likely you will be to burn. The sensitive skin of people with skin type 1 will hardly ‘get used to’. Skin thickening disappears again when your skin is no longer regularly exposed to UV radiation.