Fitzpatrick Skin Phototyping Skin phototyping has usually been determined subjectively by trained investigators or clinicians using sun burning and/or sun tanning responses. In addition, subject self-report of ease of sunburning and tanning is used in surveys to determine the risk of developing skin cancer. (Table 1) Responses to the Fitzpatrick Skin Phototype (SPT) questions may be unreliable due to recall bias, subjective bias by clinicians and subjects, lack of cultural sensitivity of the questions, and the subjects' use of sun protection behaviors from early childhood such that the subject may not have experienced sunburn.