Which Skin Tone Are You?

The Fitzpatrick Scale

The Fitzpatrick Scale is a numerical classification schema for the color of skin, developed in 1975 by T.B. Fitzpatrick, a Harvard dermatologist, as a way to classify the response of different types of skin to UV light. It remains a recognized tool for dermatologic research into skin of color.

The scale itself measures several components: Genetic Disposition, Reaction to Sun Exposure and Tanning Habits, and the questions below will allow you to correctly identify your skin tone more accurately via the Fitzpatrick scale.

Answer each question as accurately as possibly, keeping a running total as you progress. For instance is your answer was “dark brown” on question one, you would score three points, and if it was “Blonde” in question two you would add one point to that total, making four.

Once you have finished the test, you can compare your score with the skin tone chart provided.

What’s your eye colour?

0:  Light blue, light grey or light green
1:  Blue, grey or green
2:  Dark blue, dark grey or dark green. Light brown or hazel.
3:  Dark brown
4.  Brownish black.

What’s your natural hair colour in the area of treatment?

0:  Sandy red
1:  Blonde
2:  Dark blonde, chestnut or light brown
3:  Brown
4:  Black

What’s your natural skin colour in unexposed areas?

0:  Reddish
1:  Pale
2:  Beige or olive
3:  Brown
4:  Dark brown

How many freckles do you have in the unexposed areas?

0:  Many
1:  Several
2:  Few
3:  Hardly any
4:  None

If you stay in the midday sun without protection (sun cream) what normally happens?

0:  Painful redness and blistering or peeling
1:  Mild blistering and then peeling
2:  Sometimes burns and peels
3:  Rarely burns
4:  Never burns

Do you go brown after being in the sun for a while?

0:  Never
1:  Rarely
2:  Sometimes
3:  Often
4:  Always

How brown do you usually turn?

0:  Not brown at all
1:  Very light tan
2:  Medium tan
3:  Dark tan
4:  Very dark tan

Is you face sensitive to the sun?

0:  Very
1:  Quite sensative
2:  Normal
3:  Resistant
4:  Never

How often do you tan?

0:  Never
1:  Rarely
2:  Sometimes
3:  Often
4:  Always

When was your last tan?

0:  Over 3 months ago
1:  2-3 months ago
2:  1-2 months ago
3:  Weeks ago
4:  Days ago

Skin Tone Results

0-7 Points Total – Type I

Very white or freckled skin, always burns with sun exposure (often people with red or blonde hair and blue eyes).

8-16 Points Total – Type II

White skin, usually burns with sun exposure, tans with difficulty (often people with light brown or blond hair and blue, green or hazel eyes).

17-25 Points Total – Type III

White or olive skin tone, sometimes burns with sun exposure, tans gradually (seen in people with any hair or eye colour).

26-30 Points Total – Type IV

Brown skin, rarely burns with sun exposure, tans with ease.

Over 30 Points – Type V, VI

Dark brown/black skin, very rarely burns with sun exposure, tans very easily.