Fitzpatrick Scale | Clinical Studies | ALS

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The Fitzpatrick Scale

Clinical testing panelist testing skincare lotion on cheek

Skin tone photo examples

Very fair I always burns,
cannot tan

Fair II usually burns,
sometimes tans

Medium III sometimes burns,
usually tans

Olive IV rarely burns,
always tans

Brown V rarely burns,
tans easily

Dark brown VI never burns,
always tans

Very fair (I)

Select

Typical physical features

White, very pale, porcelain, ivory skin tone
Red or blonde hair
Light colored eyes (light blue, light green, grey)
Freckles are common
Fair-skinned Caucasian or Albino, Celtic

Reaction to sun exposure

Always burns, blisters, and peels
Never tans

Fair (II)

Select

Typical physical features

White, fair skin
Light colored hair
Blue, hazel, or green eyes
May have freckles
Fair-skinned Caucasian, Scandinavian

Reaction to Sun Exposure

Usually burns, blisters, and peels
Tans minimally or with difficulty

Medium (III)

Select

Typical physical features

Cream white, peachy to beige or light olive skin tone
Any hair color
Any eye color
Darker Caucasian, European mix, lighter-skinned Hispanic or Asian

Reaction to sun exposure

Sometimes burns
Tans gradually

Olive (IV)

Select

Typical physical features

Golden to olive or light brown skin tone (like caramel)
Usually dark hair and eyes
Mediterranean, European, Asian, Hispanic, American Indian, sometimes mixed-race, African American

Reaction to sun exposure

Burns minimally
Always tans easily

Brown (V)

Select

Typical physical features

Brown to dark brown skin tone
Dark hair and dark eyes
Hispanic, African American, Middle Eastern

Reaction to sun exposure

Very rarely burns
Tans very quickly and easily

Dark brown (VI)

Select

Typical Physical Features

Deep mahogany to ebony or black skin tone
Dark hair and dark eyes
African American, African, Middle Eastern

Reaction to sun exposure

Never burns
Deeply pigmented (tans quickly and deeply)

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