About Skin Types
Skin typing is based on the reaction of the skin to sun exposure.
It is uniform in the whole body; skin type is not dependent on the body part. However, some parts which have more sun exposure (e.g. face) will have an apparent darker color than hidden areas. The color as well as the skin type, has to be taken into consideration when being treated by your physician.
This diagram shows the 6 skin types according to the Fitzpatrick Skin Tones.
(See descriptions below these images)
| Type 1 (I) | Red & blonde hair, blue eyes, burns easily, never tans, freckles, very fair skin, MC1R gene risk. | High risk for skin cancer, may scar if slow to heal. Higher potential for vascular (veins) damage. |
|---|---|---|
| Type 2 (II) | Fair sandy/red hair, green or blue eyes, burns easily, tans with difficulty, some freckles. MC1R gene risk. | High risk for skin cancer, may pigment with trauma and may scar if slow to heal. Higher potential for vascular damage. |
| Type 3 (III) | Brown, fair, sandy hair; green, hazel, blue eyes. Slow to burn, will tan. May have MC1R gene risk. | High risk for all pigmented skin conditions; moderate risk for skin cancer; higher potential for scarring & moderate risk for visible vascular damage. |
| Type 4 (IV) | Dark brown hair; green, hazel, brown eyes. Slow to burn--tans easily. | High risk for trauma, heat & chemically caused pigmentation, and moderate risk for all other pigmented skin conditions. High risk for scarring & moderate risk for visible vascular damage. |
| Type 5 (V) | Dark and black hair; brown and dark brown eyes. May never burn. | Very high risk for trauma, heat & chemically caused pigmentation, and lower risk for solar pigmented skin conditions. High risk for scarring (keloid); moderate risk for visible vascular damage. |
| Type 6 (VI) | Black hair, dark brown eyes. May never burn. | Very high risk for trauma, heat & chemically caused pigmentation, and lower risk for solar pigmented skin conditions. Very high risk for scarring (keloid); moderate risk for visible vascular damage. |
