About the Fitzpatrick Scale
You may or may not be familiar with this scale, but it is a scientific skin type classification that was developed in 1975. The Fitzpatrick scale classifies skin type based on the amount of pigment found in your skin, your hereditary background, and your skin’s reaction to sun exposure. It helps predict overall risk of sun damage and skin cancer.
It also helps to determine a person’s tolerance level and what treatments will work best on their skin type.
Type I
• skin color (before sun exposure): ivory
• eye color: light blue, light gray, or light green • natural hair color: red or light blonde
• sun reaction: skin always freckles, always burns and peels, and never tans
Type II
• skin color (before sun exposure): fair or pale • eye color: blue, gray, or green
• natural hair color: blonde • sun reaction: skin usually freckles, burns and peels often, and rarely tans
Type III
• skin color (before sun exposure): fair to beige, with golden undertones
• eye color: hazel or light brown • natural hair color: dark blonde or light brown
• sun reaction: skin might freckle, burns on occasion, and sometimes tans
Type IV
• skin color (before sun exposure): olive or light brown • eye color: dark brown
• natural hair color: dark brown • sun reaction: doesn’t really freckle, burns rarely, and tans often
Type V
• skin color (before sun exposure): dark brown
• eye color: dark brown to black • natural hair color: dark brown to black
• sun reaction: rarely freckles, almost never burns, and always tans
Type VI
• skin color (before sun exposure): deeply pigmented dark brown to darkest brown • eye color: brownish black
• natural hair color: black • sun reaction: never freckles, never burns, and always tans darkly
