Why does my Fitzpatrick play such an important roll in my Skin Consultation?
A person’s Fitzpatrick skin type is based on skin colour, burning, and tanning ability and does not change throughout the person’s life.
“Thomas B. Fitzpatrick” Founded the “Fitzpatrick Skin Typing Scale”. Today we use this as a tool when determining skin colour and characteristic’s to determine IPL filters & settings. Many manufacturers have made it mandatory, to have pre-settings, which are built into the technology making it safe for you to receive treatment.
Fact…
Developed in 1975 by Thomas B. Fitzpatrick, a Harvard dermatologist, as a way to classify the typical response of different types of skin to ultraviolet light, the Fitzpatrick scale remains a recognized tool for dermatological research into human skin pigmentation. This tool was later used to determine skin colour for laser/intense pulsed light treatments.
He investigated the role of sunlight and especially sunburn in the development of melanoma. In 1975, he devised the Fitzpatrick scale of skin phototypes, which described the common tanning behaviour of various skin types.[4] He worked with other researchers and with industry to develop and test some of the first modern sunscreens.[5] He was a developer of PUVA therapy for the treatment of psoriasis and other skin disorders.[1] Basic science discoveries included the discovery of the melanosome and of human tyrosinase.[2]
He created and edited the first major clinical reference book in the field, Fitzpatrick’s Dermatology in General Medicine, currently in its 8th edition.[6]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_B._Fitzpatrick
How does Heritage (Ethnic background or Nationality) affect my Fitzpatrick?
You might have a Scottish Mother and a Maori Father as your heritage, visually you look Scottish but your skin has the character of a Maori with Open pores, Oily Skin and the risk of Post Pigmentation as the fair skin has the ability to tan because of the islander characteristics.
“So don’t judge a book buy its cover”.
What Fitzpatrick are You?
| Fitzpatrick Skin Type | Skin Appearance | Physical Characteristics | Example |
| I | Always burn Never Tans Extremely Sun Sensitive |
Red haired, Freckles (Irish/Scottish) or very fair hair, fair skin | Nicole Kidman Julianne Moore |
| II | Always burns, sometimes tans, Very sun Sensitive | Fair Haired, Fair skinned blue-eyed, Caucasian (with Variations) | Julia Roberts Angelina Joie Meryl Streep |
| III | Sometimes burns, gradually tans, sun sensitive | Medium Skin and hair colour, eye colour varies, lighter Mediterranean | Pamela Anderson Jennifer Aniston Paris Hilton |
| IV | Burns minimally, tans well, sun sensitive skin | Dark Skin and hair colour-mediterranean , Caucasian, lighter Indian, some Asian | Jessica Alba J Lo Eva Longoria |
| V | Rarely burns, tans well, insensitive skin | Indian, Middle Eastern, some Hispanic, some African American | Beyonce Halle Berry Nicole Richie |
| VI | Never burns, deeply pigmented, sun insensitive skin | African American | Tyra Banks Oprah Winfrey Woopie Goldberg |
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