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SKIN TONE

Human skin tone ranges from almost colorless to almost black. Knowing the skin tone helps in understanding skin’s reaction toward sun and choosing the best sun protection program. In addition, it is important to know the skin tone when seeking for cosmetic procedures. To address this issue, a classification scale was developed by Fitzpatrick in 1975, which categorizes human skin to 6 different types according to its tolerance of sunlight. The table below shows this classification:

SKIN TONE CATEGORIES

A classification scale was developed by Fitzpatrick in 1975, which categorizes human skin to 6 different types according to its tolerance of sunlight. The table below shows this classification.

Skin Type Skin Characteristics Tolerance of Sunlight
I White skin, blue eyes, blonde or red hair (also called Nordic or Celtic) Always burns, rarely tans
II White skin (also called European) Usually burns, poorly tans
III Darker white skin (also called dark-skinned European) Sometimes burns, gets an average tan
IV Brown skin (also called Mediterranean) Occasionally burns, easily tans
V Dark brown skin Rarely burns, easily tans
VI Black skin Does not burn, easily tans
     
 

SUN PROTECTION TIPS:

  
 
  • 1
    Long sun exposure (exposure to UV radiation) causes premature skin aging and increases the risk of skin malignancies. So skin must be protected against sun light and UV radiation.
  • 2
    To protect the skin against sun and UV radiation, broad spectrum sunscreens should be used. Broad spectrum sunscreens protect against both UVB (which is defined by SPF factor) and UVA.
  • 3
    Lighter skins need more protection; thus, the minimum SPF required for protection of lighter skins is 30, while this number is 15 for darker skins.
  • 4
    Those two want to undergo peeling should also use sunscreen with SPF 30 or more. Factors like age, history of skin malignancies and living environment are important in determining how much sun protection is needed.
  • 5
    Sunscreen should be applied 30 minutes before sun exposure, to ensure getting the best results; it is also important to reuse it every 2 hours.
  • 6
    Extra attention should be paid when seating, swimming or doing winter sports (where there is snow) to reapply sunscreens more frequently.
  • 7
    Using sunscreen does not resolve the need for other sun protecting equipment such as hats and sunglasses.
  
     
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