For more than 100 years, science has used various measures to classify humans into skin types, based on colour. History of these classifications is discussed - how they have been used and relied upon for not only placing humans in colour boxes, but also for decision making in clinical studies.
An argument is presented for abandoning the widely used Fitzpatrick Scale for cosmetic science purposes, using the example of changes now imminent for the SPF testing of sunscreens according to the Reviewed ISO 24444 test method, most likely to be adopted into Australian New Zealand Standard AS/NZS 2604 in 2019-20.
It is estimated that modern humans evolved around 150,000 years ago in Africa and migration to other geographic locations began around 100,000 years ago.1
Dark, heavily UV protected skin was the original skin colour but, as part of the ongoing evolutionary process, and most likely influenced by Neanderthal man from more northern climates, differing skin colour resulted, apparently influenced by geographic relocation to latitudes further from the higher UV light areas.2
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