BACKGROUND: Keloid and hypertrophic scars have a common physiopathogenic origin and are defined as fibroproliferative scars. Fibroproliferative scars are frequent in individuals with darker skin. However, mixing of "races" renders it difficult to group patients with different skin tones according to morphological and static classifications (white for Caucasians; brown for individuals of Spanish descent (Hispanic/Latino); yellow for individuals of East Asian descent; and black for individuals of African descent) according to their response to sun exposure. It is known that when individuals whose ethnic origin is in colder countries move to tropical countries, they show a higher incidence of these types of scars, which mainly affect parts of the body that are more exposed to the sun. A correlation between fibroproliferative scars and Fitzpatrick phototype, a dynamic classification based on the skin's response to sun exposure, would contribute to an understanding of the pathophysiology of these scars. The aim of this study is to investigate the distribution of fibroproliferative scars according to Fitzpatrick phototypes. METHODS: We classified patients' fibroproliferative scars according to the Muir classification as Long-Term Evolution (keloid scars), Short-Term Evolution (hypertrophic scars), and Intermediate Group (mixed scars), while their skin types were grouped according to the Fitzpatrick classification. RESULTS: Fitzpatrick phototype III and mixed scars were predominant among the patients analyzed (p = 0.001). A correlation (p = 0.025) was observed between fibroproliferative scars and Fitzpatrick phototypes; the higher the phototype, the higher the tendency to develop keloid and mixed scar tissue. CONCLUSIONS: Fitzpatrick skin phototypes proved to be an efficient method to study keloid and hypertrophic scars.
Keloid; Cicatrix, hypertrophic; Skin pigmentation; Melanocytes; Ultraviolet rays
