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Skin Type

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Skin Type

Fitzpatrick Classification of Skin Types I Through VI

Image by TheStoryMD

How Do I Know What My Skin Type Is?

Face Showing Different Skin Tone

Image by TheVisualMD

How Do I Know What My Skin Type Is?

Accurate determination of skin type requires experience. However, you may estimate your skin type using the following table:

Skin Type	Skin Color	Reaction to Sun Exposure
I	Pale white	Always burns - never tans
II	White to light beige	Burns easily - tans minimally
III	Beige	Burns moderately – tans gradually to light brown
IV	Light brown	Burns minimally - tans well to moderately brown
V	Moderate brown	Rarely burns - tans profusely to dark brown
VI	Dark brown or black	Never burns – tans profusely

Source: Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

Fitzpatrick Classification of Skin Types I Through VI

Influence of pigmentation on skin cancer risk

Image by John D’Orazio, Stuart Jarrett, Alexandra Amaro-Ortiz and Timothy Scott

Fitzpatrick Classification of Skin Types I Through VI

The Fitzpatrick scale, developed in 1975 by dermatologist Thomas B. Fitzpatrick, is a numerical classification system used to categorize human skin color based on its response to ultraviolet (UV) light. Originally designed to determine the appropriate dose of UVA for PUVA therapy, it was later adjusted to account for individual reports of sun sensitivity and extended to a broader range of skin types. The Fitzpatrick scale, ranging from types 1 to 6, remains a widely accepted tool for skin phototyping, estimating sunburn risk, the likelihood of tanning, and predicting outcomes of aesthetic procedures. It is also valuable for assessing the risk of photodamage and skin cancer. Although newer, more objective methods have been developed to address the scale's subjectivity, the Fitzpatrick classification is still instrumental in dermatological research, especially in understanding UV exposure's link to skin cancer and aging.

Fitzpatrick Classification of Skin Type
I - Always burns, never tans (pale white skin)
II - Always burns easily, tans minimally (white skin)
III - Burns moderately, tans uniformly (light brown skin)
IV - Burns minimally, always tans well (moderate brown skin)
V - Rarely burns, tans profusely (dark brown skin)
VI - Never burns, (deeply pigmented dark brown to black skin)

Source: National Library of Medicine (NLM)

Additional Materials (6)

Face Showing Different Skin Tone

Photographic collage depicting four different skin tones superimposed with a visualization of the skull. The color of skin is determined by the amount of a photoprotective pigment called melanin. Melanin comes in two forms: pheomelanin and eumelanin. Individuals with light complexioned skin produce mainly pheomelanim and those with dark complexioned skin mainly produce eumelanin. The number and size of melanin particles differ among individuals producing a vast range of skin tones.

Image by TheVisualMD

An image showing the results of pigmentation genetics

Genes involved in skin pigmentation also have important roles in health and disease.

Image by Jonathan Bailey/NHGRI

Felix von Luschan Skin Color chart

This is a reproduction of the Von Luschan's chromatic scale made by anthropologist Felix von Luschan. The original was self-made from scratch with the paint program in the likeness of the chart originally printed in Völker, Rassen, Sprachen (1927). The skin colors used were copied from the original chart box per box using the paint program's dropper tool.

Image by en:User:Cburnett/Wikimedia

Felix von Luschan Skin Color chart2

Chromatic scale Luschan Von 's, as a model exhibited at the Peabody Museum at Harvard University No. 2005.1.168

Image by A7N8X/Wikimedia

Fitzpatrick Classification of Skin Types I through VI

Type I White skin. Always burns, never tans. Type II Fair skin. Always burns, tans with difficulty. Type III Average skin color. Sometimes mild burn, tan about average. Type IV Light-brown skin. Rarely burns. Tans easily. Type V Brown skin. Never burns. Tans very easily. Type VI Black skin. Heavily pigmented. Never burns, tans very easily.

Image by The Authors

Skin Pigmentation

The relative coloration of the skin depends of the amount of melanin produced by melanocytes in the stratum basale and taken up by keratinocytes.

Image by CNX Openstax

Face Showing Different Skin Tone

TheVisualMD

An image showing the results of pigmentation genetics

Jonathan Bailey/NHGRI

Felix von Luschan Skin Color chart

en:User:Cburnett/Wikimedia

Felix von Luschan Skin Color chart2

A7N8X/Wikimedia

Fitzpatrick Classification of Skin Types I through VI

The Authors

Skin Pigmentation

CNX Openstax

Skin Type 4

Fitzpatrick Classification of Skin Type 4

Image by Composite StoryMD _ Eva Rinaldi _Sam Rana Sam Rana

Fitzpatrick Classification of Skin Type 4

Fitzpatrick Classification of Skin Type

IV - Light-brown skin. Rarely burns. Tans easily.

Source: National Library of Medicine (NLM)

Additional Materials (4)

Fitzpatrick Classification of Skin Type 4

The Authors

Iranian Woman

Shimabdinzade/Pixabay

Kim Kardashian

Eva Rinaldi /Wikimedia

Beautiful Light Skinned Black Woman

Sam Rana/Pexels

Skin Type 5

Fitzpatrick Classification of Skin Type 5

Image by composit StoryMD

Fitzpatrick Classification of Skin Type 5

Fitzpatrick Classification of Skin Type

V - Brown skin. Never burns. Tans very easily.

Source: National Library of Medicine (NLM)

Additional Materials (4)

Beautiful Black skin

Angela Roma/Pexels

Beautiful Black Woman

Adrienne Andersen/Pexels

A Smiling Woman with Short Hair

Lucretius Mooka/Pexels

Fitzpatrick Classification of Skin Type 5

The Authors

Skin Type 6

Fitzpatrick Classification of Skin Type 6

Image by composite StoryMD

Fitzpatrick Classification of Skin Type 6

Fitzpatrick Classification of Skin Type

VI - Black skin. Heavily pigmented. Never burns, tans very easily.

Source: National Library of Medicine (NLM)

Additional Materials (6)

pondering black woman

Victor Ace Geoffrey/Pexels

CloseupmBlack skin

Angela Roma/Pexels

Woman

fashionaddictfromafric/Pixabay

Multiracial people

reidy68/Pixabay

Woman's with deep black skin

Emmanuel Slope/Pexels

Fitzpatrick Classification of Skin Type 6

The Authors

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