In 1975, Fitzpatrick1 introduced skin typing as a way of classifying individuals according to their burning and tanning responses to sun exposure. This system has proven useful in a variety of ways, such as for estimating starting doses in phototherapy and for discussion of skin acclimatization.1,2 Its reliability, however, has been questioned; several investigators have failed to demonstrate a strong correlation between a patient's self-described skin type and actual sensitivity to UV radiation as defined by the minimum erythema dose (MED).3-5