Fitzpatrick type 4 is described as which?

• A. Olive to brown skin, rarely burns, tans easily
• B. Fair to light olive skin, burns mildly, tans slowly
• C. Very dark skin, rarely burns
• D. Light skin, burns easily

Answer: (A)

Understanding the Fitzpatrick skin type and how it responds to UV exposure is what this item is about. Fitzpatrick type IV describes olive to light brown skin that rarely burns and tans easily. This reflects higher baseline melanin, which provides more protection against sunburn and makes tanning more likely. In laser hair removal, recognizing type IV helps you choose parameters that balance effective energy delivery with minimizing pigment changes, since melanin content is sufficient to absorb laser energy but still requires cautious settings.