Assessment tool
Skin type calculator
The Fitzpatrick scale classifies skin by how it responds to sun. Answer six questions to find your type and what it means for prescription skin care.
What is your natural eye color?
About the Fitzpatrick scale
The Fitzpatrick scale classifies skin into six types based on its natural color and how it responds to sun. Types run from I, which always burns and never tans, to VI, which is deeply pigmented and rarely burns. The classification combines constitutional color, the shade of skin not exposed to sun, with how readily the skin burns or tans after sun exposure.
Thomas Fitzpatrick, a dermatologist at Harvard, introduced the scale in 1975. He originally designed it to predict how a patient's skin would react to ultraviolet phototherapy and to estimate the risk of burning, and it has since become a common reference across dermatology and cosmetic medicine.
Clinicians use the type to estimate ultraviolet sensitivity, to set starting doses and predict the risk of irritation or pigment changes from treatments such as tretinoin, chemical peels and lasers, and as context for skin cancer risk. The scale is a guide, not a diagnosis. A clinician tailors any treatment to your skin and history.
Common questions
What Fitzpatrick type is olive skin?
Olive skin is usually Type III or Type IV. Both tan readily, with Type III burning only sometimes and Type IV rarely burning. The exact type depends on how easily your skin burns in strong sun, which is why the questionnaire weighs burning and tanning together.
What is the most common Fitzpatrick skin type?
Types II and III are the most common in many populations, but the distribution varies widely by ancestry and region. There is no single most common type worldwide. The scale is meant to describe the full range rather than a typical case.
How do I know my Fitzpatrick skin type?
Answer the six questions about your natural eye, hair and skin color and how your skin reacts to sun. Each answer carries points, and the total places you in one of six types from I to VI. The questions capture both your baseline coloring and your sun response, which together define the type.
What Fitzpatrick type burns but never tans?
Type I always burns and never tans, and Type II usually burns and tans only minimally. These two types have the highest UV sensitivity and the greatest need for strict sun protection. They are also among the types most affected by sun-related skin aging.
Does Fitzpatrick type affect skincare treatment?
Yes. Higher types (IV to VI) carry more risk of post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, so treatments like tretinoin are often started at the lowest dose to limit irritation. Sun-sensitive Types I and II need stricter photoprotection. Knowing your type helps a clinician set a starting plan that fits your skin.