Fitzpatrick skin type (FST) was developed to assess the propensity of the skin to burn during phototherapy, but it also is commonly used by providers as means of describing constitutive skin color and ethnicity
We conducted an anonymous survey of dermatologists and dermatology trainees to evaluate how providers use FST in their clinical practice
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Why is Fitzpatrick's Dermatology in general medicine important?
New knowledge drives medical progress and improves patient care
The rapid growth of this knowledge in skin diseases and skin biology makes publication of the eighth edition of Fitzpatrick's Dermatology in General Medicine (DIGM) particularly timely
Fitzpatrick dermatology pdf
Classification of skin color and response to UV light
The Fitzpatrick scale is a numerical classification schema for human skin color. It was developed in 1975 by American dermatologist Thomas B. Fitzpatrick as a way to estimate the response of different types of skin to ultraviolet (UV) light. It was initially developed on the basis of skin color to measure the correct dose of UVA for PUVA therapy, and when the initial testing based only on hair and eye color resulted in too high UVA doses for some, it was altered to be based on the patient's reports of how their skin responds to the sun; it was also extended to a wider range of skin types. The Fitzpatrick scale remains a recognized tool for dermatological research into human skin pigmentation.
American dermatologist (1919–2003)
Thomas B. Fitzpatrick was an American dermatologist. He was Chairman of the Department of Dermatology at Harvard Medical School and Chief of the Massachusetts General Hospital Dermatology Service from 1959 to 1987. He has been described as the father of modern academic dermatology and as the most influential dermatologist of the last 100 years, in part because he trained so many of the leaders in the field.
