Which description matches Fitzpatrick type 4?

• 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)

On the Fitzpatrick scale, type 4 describes olive to light brown skin that rarely burns and tans easily. This best matches the description olive to brown skin, rarely burns, tans easily. It reflects a moderate amount of melanin—enough to resist sunburn more than lighter skin types, while still allowing a pleasant tan. In laser hair removal terms, this means you have decent pigment for absorption but also a lower risk of burn compared with very fair skin, so appropriate wavelengths and conservative settings are chosen to balance effective hair removal with protecting the skin. The other descriptions describe skin that burns easily, or extremely dark skin with different tanning behavior, which don’t fit type 4.