Skin Type Isn’t Just About Color—It’s About Behavior
How the Fitzpatrick Scale Shapes Your Treatment, Healing, and Results
Most people think of skin type as oily vs dry, or “fair” vs “tan.” But when it comes to medical aesthetics, there’s a much more important question:
How does your skin react?
How easily does it burn? How does it tan? Does it scar or pigment after a breakout? Does it recover quickly—or overreact for weeks? These are the things that actually matter when we’re deciding how to treat your skin safely.
And the tool we use to understand that? It’s called the Fitzpatrick Scale.
What Is the Fitzpatrick Scale?
The Fitzpatrick Scale is a clinical classification system that categorizes skin types based on:
Natural skin tone (with or without sun exposure)
Ethnic background / melanin density
Your skin’s reaction to UV light—does it burn, tan, or both?
There are six Fitzpatrick types, ranging from Type I (very fair skin that always burns) to Type VI (deeply pigmented skin that never burns).
At Core, we use this scale in every consultation—because it tells us how your skin behaves below the surface, and how to protect it long after the treatment ends.
Why Fitzpatrick Type Matters in Aesthetics
This isn’t just academic. Fitzpatrick type helps us:
Select the right settings for lasers, RF, and microneedling
Prevent pigmentation issues like PIH (post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation)
Understand healing timelines and how inflammation may linger
Customize your skincare and prep protocols before and after treatment
Know what not to do—and when to say “no” for your safety
Because two people can get the same exact treatment… and have completely different outcomes depending on how their skin responds.
Sun Exposure: Your Skin Type’s Hidden Risk Factor
What most people don’t realize: Your skin’s response to the sun tells us a lot about how it will respond to heat-based treatments—like laser, Morpheus8, or chemical peels.
For example:
Type I–II: Skin burns quickly, often thin and reactive → more prone to redness, sensitivity, and prolonged irritation
Type III–IV: Can tan, but still burns → more prone to melasma or inflammation-based pigment
Type V–VI: Rich melanin protects from sunburn—but increases the risk of post-treatment pigment issues if not treated carefully
We always ask:
Do you tan easily? Do you burn? Does your skin scar or darken after acne?
Not because it’s cosmetic, but because it’s clinical.
How Fitzpatrick Type Affects Treatment
A breakdown of what we think about with each type:
Type I–II: Thin, sensitive barrier. Often early aging and redness.
→ Focus: barrier support, anti-inflammatory prep, conservative energy settingsType III–IV: Balanced but still pigment-reactive. Can appear “normal,” but risk PIH.
→ Focus: pigment suppression support, safe microneedling + laser settingsType V–VI: Melanin-rich, slow to burn—but highly reactive to trauma and inflammation.
→ Focus: exosomes, antioxidant-heavy post-care, barrier-first protocols, PIH prevention
Even something as simple as a retinol or chemical peel reacts differently depending on your type.
Fitzpatrick Isn’t About Limiting You—It’s About Protecting You
Some clients hear this and panic:
“Wait… does this mean I can’t do lasers?”
“Is my skin too dark for these treatments?”
The answer is: no. You absolutely can treat skin of color, sensitive skin, or sun-damaged skin. You just have to treat it intelligently. And that’s why we never follow a one-size-fits-all approach.
What This Means for Your Skincare Plan
Your Fitzpatrick type also influences:
What actives we recommend (retinoids, acids, pigment suppressors)
How often you exfoliate
What kind of sunscreen you need (chemical vs physical)
What to avoid before or after procedures (like sun exposure, waxing, or heat)
Even skincare marketing ignores this half the time. But at Core, we build your plan around it. Because if your skin overreacts after treatment, it’s not just uncomfortable—it can undo your results.
Final Word: When We Know Your Skin, We Can Treat It Better
You don’t need a massive skincare routine. You don’t need to guess what treatments are “safe” for your skin tone. You just need someone who knows what to look for beneath the surface.
Your Fitzpatrick type helps us:
Avoid damage
Prevent pigment issues
Choose smarter treatment paths
Build a real long-term skin strategy—not just a reaction to symptoms
If you’re ready to work with a team that treats your skin like a system (not just a surface) we’re here. Contact us if you don’t know your skin type. We’ll figure it out, together.
