The purpose of skin phototypes is to determine the following:
- the skin color
- how the skin reacts in the sun (e.g. prone to sunburn, appearance of freckles)
- the hair color
There are 7 phototypes: the higher the phototype, the more resistant to the sun and darker the skin is.
The physician will choose the laser hair removal machine with the suitable wavelength and fluence (energy) according to the patient’s phototype. In general, the Alexandrite machine is used for fair skin, with quite a high energy level, and the Nd Yag machine, with a low energy level, to prevent burning on dark skin, which has a particularly high concentration of melanin.
The Fitzpatrick phototype classification is shown below:
| Phototype | Skin color | Sun sensitivity | Tanning ability | Melanin content | Hair color | Recommended permanent hair removal method |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phototype | Skin color | Sun sensitivity | Tanning ability | Melanin content | Hair color | Recommended permanent hair removal method |
| I | Very white skin | High | No ability | No melanin | black | Laser hair removal (Alexandrite laser) |
| brown | Laser hair removal (Alexandrite laser) | |||||
| red | Electrical hair removal (electrolysis) | |||||
| blond | Electrical hair removal (electrolysis) | |||||
| gray/white | Electrical hair removal (electrolysis) | |||||
| II | White skin | High | Low | Very low melanin | black | Laser hair removal (Alexandrite laser) |
| brown | Laser hair removal (Alexandrite laser) | |||||
| red | Electrical hair removal (electrolysis) | |||||
| blond | Electrical hair removal (electrolysis) | |||||
| gray/white | Electrical hair removal (electrolysis) | |||||
| III | Medium skin (brown hair and light colored eyes) | Moderate | Good | Low melanin | black | Laser hair removal (Alexandrite laser) |
| brown | Laser hair removal (Alexandrite laser) | |||||
| red | Electrical hair removal (electrolysis) | |||||
| blond | Electrical hair removal (electrolysis) | |||||
| gray/white | Electrical hair removal (electrolysis) | |||||
| IV | European medium skin (dark hair, dark eyes, olive skin) | Very low | Very good | Moderate melanin | black | Laser hair removal (Alexandrite or Nd:Yag laser) |
| brown | Laser hair removal (Alexandrite or Nd:Yag laser) | |||||
| red | Electrical hair removal (electrolysis) | |||||
| blond | Electrical hair removal (electrolysis) | |||||
| gray/white | Electrical hair removal (electrolysis) | |||||
| V | Brown skin (brown Asian, Mediterranean, mixed-race skin) | Very low | Excellent | Quite high melanin | black / brown | Laser hair removal (Alexandrite or Nd:Yag laser) |
| VI | Black skin | Not sensitive | Excellent | High amount of melanin | black / brown | Laser hair removal (Nd:Yag laser) |
