The Fitzpatrick scale (also Fitzpatrick skin typing test; or Fitzpatrick phototyping scale) is a numerical classification schema for human skin color. It was 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 (UV) light.[1] Later, it was updated to also contain a wider range of skin types.[2][3] The Fitzpatrick scale remains a recognized tool for dermatological research into human skin pigmentation.

The following list shows the six categories of the Fitzpatrick scale,[4][5] in relation to the 36 categories of the older von Luschan scale:

  • Type I (scores 0–6) Pale white; blond or red hair; blue eyes; freckles — Always burns, never tans
  • Type II (scores 7–13) White; fair; blond or red hair; blue, green, or hazel eyes — Usually burns, tans minimally
  • Type III (scores 14–20) Cream white; fair with any hair or eye color; quite common — Sometimes mild burn, tans uniformly
  • Type IV (scores 21–27) Moderate brown; typical Mediterranean skin tone — burns, always tans well
  • Type V (scores 28–34) Dark brown; Middle Eastern skin types — Very rarely burns, tans very easily
  • Type VI (scores 35–36) Deeply pigmented dark brown to darkest brown— Never burns, never tans

Unicode

The Unicode Standard uses the Fitzpatrick scale to specify skin tones for emoji characters which represent human beings. Five special emoji modifier characters were introduced into Unicode version 8.0 in June 2015, and when one of these characters is applied to an emoji character showing a person or body part, the rendering system or font should display the emoji with the corresponding skin tone (Fitzpatrick Types 1-2 through 6). If the rendering system or font do not support these emoji modifier characters the character should be rendered as a square patch following the emoji character. These characters only apply to certain defined emoji characters, and cannot be used to modify the color of emoji characters that do not show people or body parts.[6]

Code point Character Character name
U+1F3FB 🏻 Emoji Modifier Fitzpatrick Type-1-2
U+1F3FC 🏼 Emoji Modifier Fitzpatrick Type-3
U+1F3FD 🏽 Emoji Modifier Fitzpatrick Type-4
U+1F3FE 🏾 Emoji Modifier Fitzpatrick Type-5
U+1F3FF 🏿 Emoji Modifier Fitzpatrick Type-6

References

  1. ^ Fitzpatrick, T. B. (1975). “Soleil et peau” [Sun and skin]. Journal de Médecine Esthétique (in French) (2): 33–34
  2. ^ Pathak, M. A.; Jimbow, K.; Szabo, G.; Fitzpatrick, T. B. (1976). “Sunlight and melanin pigmentation”. In Smith, K. C. (ed.): Photochemical and photobiological reviews, Plenum Press, New York, 1976: 211-239
  3. ^ Fitzpatrick, T. B. (1986). “Ultraviolet-induced pigmentary changes: Benefits and hazards”, Therapeutic Photomedicine, Karger, vol. 15 of “Current Problems in Dermatology”, 1986: 25-38
  4. ^ “The Fitzpatrick Skin Type Classification Scale”. Skin Inc. (November 2007). Retrieved 7 January 2014. 
  5. ^ “Fitzpatrick Skin Type” (PDF). Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency. Retrieved 7 January 2014. 
  6. ^ “Unicode Emoji – Diversity”. The Unicode Consortium. Retrieved 9 January 2016.