Fitzpatrick Skin Analysis for Aestheticians and Spa Professionals – Understanding Its Uses and Limitations

The Fitzpatrick Skin Analysis is utilized by aesthetic professionals, and is based on the work of Dr. Thomas Fitzpatrick, for years the chair of the Department of Dermatology at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. Called the father of modern academic dermatology, he has also been called the most influential dermatologist of the past 100 years. With an interest in treating disease using psoriasis and vitiligo, Dr. Fitzpatrick used ultra violet light. He also developed the system we know as the Fitzpatrick Skin Analysis system.

The color or pigmentation of skin is an inherited characteristic, racial and ethnic in origin. Within ethnic groups there is variability, and a clinician is able to assist a client better with skin care and anti aging through a solid understanding of skin typing, most especially in medical spa environments.

The Fitzpatrick runs from type one to type five, with type one being English and Scottish ancestry commonalities, type two northern European, type three German, type four Mediterranean, Hispanic and southern European, and type five some Africans, Native Americans and Asians. Type six is primarily most Africans.  Particular hair colors, eye colors and complexions are common with these groups and can be used to determine which aesthetician services may work well, or not work well for these particular groups. For instance, microdermabrasion, a treatment growing in popularity across the United States, is not good for all clients, and the Fitzpatrick scale can be used by the aesthetician to help determine which treatments will work well, and which won’t.

When trying to determine which type a client falls into, see if they know what their ethnic heritage is. If a client is adopted they may not be aware of what their biological roots are, but most people will have a good idea. Check the eyes also because unless tinted contact lenses are worn, eye color can be more indicative of ethnic background than hair color, since so many women color their hair. A natural blonde may dye her hair red, or a light brunette may dye her hair either blonde or darker brunette. A limitation of the Fitzpatrick scale lies in this area.

Still, even with some of the small limitations it has, knowing the Fitzpatrick Skin Analysis scale is essential for the aesthetic professional who wishes to function at peak to provide the best possible services to clients. This holds for day spa settings and especially for medical spa settings.