How long to tan in UV 6
In UV 6, Fair skin starts to burn after about 27 minutes and Medium skin after about 37. Your first session is 5:20 for Fair skin and 7:20 for Medium.
Updated:
| Skin type | Starts to burn after | First session (20% of MED) |
|---|---|---|
| Very Fair (I) | ~22 min | 4:27 |
| Fair (II) | ~27 min | 5:20 |
| Medium (III–IV) | ~37 min | 7:20 |
| Olive/Dark (V–VI) | ~48 min | 9:33 |
How long to tan in UV 6
UV 6 is where the WHO scale turns from moderate to high. In mid-latitudes it is a very normal summer midday. Many people meet it without checking, which is exactly why it causes so many surprise burns.
The table above gives the numbers. The lightest skin type, Very Fair, has a first session of 4:27 and burns after ~22 minutes. Olive/Dark gets 9:33 and burns after ~48 minutes. Nobody gets more than ten minutes on day one.
Why UV 6 is the reference level
The Suntan Workout app uses UV 6 as its reference point when it explains sessions. Everything else scales from it. At UV 3 the same session takes about twice as long. At UV 11 it takes about half as long.
So if you know your UV 6 times, you can picture any other day.
Building up at UV 6
Tanning works through repeated small doses. In the app’s 12-session programme:
- Sessions 1–8 (build-up): 20% of your MED at first, then about 18% more each time, up to 64%.
- Sessions 9–12 (deepening): 72, 80, 90 and 100% of your MED, only if earlier sessions left your skin fine.
Your MED is the dose that just turns your skin pink. At UV 6 that is the burn time in the table above. Sessions 1–4 are free.
Between sessions you rest: about 23 hours after session 1, up to about 48 hours after session 8. Redness can take 12 to 24 hours to show, so the rest gives your skin time to report back.
What a UV 6 day looks like
- Check the UV before you lie down. UV is lower in the morning and highest around solar noon.
- Split your time: front and back about a third each, each side 15–20%.
- End with a short rest in the shade.
- Cover up or go inside afterwards. Sitting on the beach still adds UV.
The common mistake at UV 6
“Just one more chapter.” At UV 6, Very Fair skin goes from a 4:27 session to the burn line in about 22 minutes. Reading, napping or chatting on one side is how people overshoot. A voice timer that tells you to turn over solves this.
Who should be careful
Very Fair and Fair skin cross the burn line in under half an hour here. Use sunscreen on your face, lips, ears and tattoos. If you have a photodermatosis, take photosensitising medication, have had skin cancer or have many moles, speak to a doctor first. Tanning is never risk-free.
Other UV levels
- Weaker: how long to tan in UV 5
- Stronger: how long to tan in UV 7
- How many minutes per day in general: how long to tan
- The full method: how to tan without burning
- Your own numbers: UV index tanning calculator
Get your exact minutes
The app reads the live UV index where you are, splits the time across positions and tells you when to turn over.