The Fitzpatrick Skin Type Scale

admin — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 04:27:20 +0000

Skin type is often categorized according to the Fitzpatrick skin type scale which ranges from very fair (skin type I) to very dark (skin type VI). The two main factors that influence skin type and the treatment program devised by your practitioner are:

-genetic disposition
-reaction to sun exposure and tanning habits

Skin type is determined genetically and is one of the many aspects of your overall appearance, which also includes the color of your eyes, hair, etc. The way your skin responds to sun exposure is another way of correctly assessing your skin type. Recent tanning, whether by the sun or an artificial tanning booth, even tanning creams, can have a major impact on your skin color evaluation.

By using the information found in this form, you will gain a greater understanding of how different skin types are categorized using the Fitzpatrick scale. Please feel free to print and complete the following questionnaire.

Genetic Disposition

Score	0	1	2	3	4
Your natural eye color?	Light blue, green, or gray	Blue, gray or green	Blue	Dark Brown	Brownish Black
Natural color of your hair?	Sandy, red	Blond	Chestnut/ Dark Blond	Dark Brown	Black
Color of your non-exposed skin	Reddish	Very pale	Pale with beige tint	Light Brown	Dark Brown
Do you have freckles on unexposed areas?	Many	Several	Few	Incidental	none

Total score for genetic disposition: ________

Reaction to Sun Exposure

Score	0	1	2	3	4
What happens when you stay too long in the sun?	Painful redness, blistering, peeling	Blistering, followed by peeling	Burns sometimes, followed by peeling	Rarely burns	Never burn
To what degree do you turn brown?	Hardly or not at all	Light color tan	Reasonable tan	Tan very easy	Turn dark brown quickly
Do you turn brown within several hours after sun exposure?	Never	Seldom	Sometimes	Often	Always
How does your face react to the sun?	Very sensitive	Sensitive	Normal	Very resistant	Never had a problem

Total score for reaction to sun exposure: _______

Tanning habits

Score	0	1	2	3	4
When did you last expose your body to sun or tanning booth/cream?	More than 3 months ago	2-3 months ago	1-2 months ago	Less than one month ago	Less than 2 weeks ago
Did you expose the area to be treated to the sun?	Never	Hardly ever	Sometimes	Often	Always

Total score for tanning habits: _______

Summary

Add up the total scores for each section for your Skin Type Score to give you a better evaluation of your skin type.

_______ Total score for Genetic Disposition

_______ Total score for Reaction to Sun Exposure

_______ Total score for Tanning Habits

_______ Skin Type Score

Your Fitzpatrick Skin Type:

Skin Type Score	Fitzpatrick Skin Type
0-7	I
8-16	II
17-25	III
25-30	IV
Over 30	V – VI

Layers of the Skin

admin — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 13:53:50 +0000

There are 3 distinct layers to the structure of the skin. These layers can be defined as

1. Epidermis or outer layer which in itself contains 5 sub layers
2. Dermis: composed of 3 types of tissue namely collagen, elastic tissue and reticular fibers
3. Hypodermis or Subcutaneous tissue: a layer of fat and connective tissue that houses larger blood vessels and nerves

Depending on the clinical endpoint you are hoping to achieve the lasers may be working on one or multiple layers of the skin. A basic understanding of these layers will help you to understand the level of improvement that can be achieved.

What is a Chromophore

admin — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 13:34:53 +0000

A chromophore is part (or moiety) of a molecule responsible for its color.

When a molecule absorbs certain wavelengths of visible light and transmits or reflects others, the molecule has a color. A chromophore is a region in a molecule where the energy difference between two different molecular orbitals falls within the range of the visible spectrum. Visible light that hits the chromophore can thus be absorbed by exciting an electron from its ground state into an excited state.
In biological molecules that serve to capture or detect light energy, the chromophore is the moiety that causes a conformational change of the molecule when hit by light.

Laser Clinics Australia » Anatomy of the Skin

The Fitzpatrick Skin Type Scale

Score

Score

Score

Skin Type Score

Fitzpatrick Skin Type

I

II

III

IV

Over 30

Layers of the Skin

What is a Chromophore