Page 262 - Blog Posts v1

E26 - The Fitzpatrick Skin Scale - What is wrong with this idea???
First things first - the melanin concentration (skin colour) is not related to the Fitzpatrick Scale...
The ‘Fitzpatrick Skin Scale’ was designed by a Californian dermatologist, Dr Thomas B. Fitzpatrick in 1975. He was routinely treating patients with potential skin cancers and wanted a way of classifying their potential for developing cancer and subsequent treatments. Dr Fitzpatrick developed his scale to assist in choosing the correct dose of UVA energy for PUVA treatments.
His scale assigns a number depending on the skin’s response to ultra-violet light – the main cause of skin cancer. It is NOT a skin colour scale!!
Unfortunately, the medical laser industry ‘hijacked’ his scale in the early 1980s when it was beginning to make an impact in medicine.
As a consequence, it has been mis-used ever since!
The reality is that we are all born with our ‘skin type’. I am a Fitzpatrick Type 2 – I ‘sometimes burn, tans minimally’ when exposed to UV light. If I am lucky enough to go on holiday in a sunny country (Covid-permitting) I will develop a decent tan after a few days of hot, red skin.
At that point my skin colour has changed significantly, BUT I AM STILL A TYPE 2!!!
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