Skin types can be distinguished in a variety of ways, such as colour, features and tanning ability. Skin colour can be influenced by different factors such as pigments produced by the skin itself (melanin), other pigments produced in the body (e.g., haemoglobin) and external pigments in or on the skin surface (e.g., eating Carrots!).
At a molecular level, skin colour is determined by the size and activity of melanosomes (the cells that make melanin). In darker skinned people the number of melanocytes are the same as white people, however- melanosomes are larger, more separate and occur throughout the full thickness of the epidermis (top layer of the skin) in darker skinned people. The level and expression of melanosomes is down to our genetics.
Skin types are most commonly classified using the ‘Fitzpatrick Skin Type’ which ranges from Type 1 (always burns, never tans) to Type 6 (black skin). This man could potentially be classified as Type 5 skin type which is ‘brown skin, tans darkly’ due to his darker complexion, but we would need to take a full history (including his susceptibility to burning and tanning/ respond to UV radiation) to properly categorise.
This man’s skin type is due to his genetic predetermination of melanin pigmentation, which is a result of the evolutionary principles of his ancestors spanning thousands of years.
This man is a native Alaskan!
At DigiDerm we always assess and take into consideration your Skin Type when offering advice and treatment. Do you know what skin type you are?! Let us know by tagging us in your Instagram photos @DigiDerm.co.uk
References
Graham-Brown, R., Harman, K. and Johnston, G., 2015. Lecture notes. 11th ed. Chichester: John Wiley & Sons Ltd, pp.114-118.
Chowdhury, M. and Katugampola, R., 2020. Dermatology at a glance. 2nd ed. Chichester: John Wiley & Sons, pp.122-125.
Find Your Condition
Find Your Treatment
Book a telephone or video consultation
We hope you have found this very skin-teresting to read,
Team DigiDerm
