The Fitzpatrick scale (also known as the Fitzpatrick skin typing test or Fitzpatrick phototyping scale) is a numerical system used to classify human skin color. Developed in 1975 by American dermatologist Thomas B. Fitzpatrick, the scale was designed to assess how different skin types react to ultraviolet (UV) light.

Initially created to determine the appropriate UVA dose for PUVA therapy, the scale was revised after early tests, based solely on hair and eye color, resulted in excessively high UVA doses for some individuals.

The updated scale incorporated patients’ personal reports of their skin’s response to sun exposure and was expanded to include a broader range of skin types. Today, the Fitzpatrick scale continues to be a widely used tool in dermatological research on skin pigmentation.