ABSTRACT
Ethnic skin is a commonly used terminology to describe people of color. Other phrases used for skin of color include dark skin, brown skin, and pigmented skin. The unifying feature represented is pigmented skin (i.e., shades of tan, olive, brown, and black). Such individuals are often classified as Fitzpatrick's skin types IV-VI. These individuals represent many of the faces of North America, South America, Africa, the Caribbean, Asia, and Australia. In the year 2000, the U.S. Census Bureau estimated that the total resident U.S. population included 33 million Hispanic Americans (12%), 34 million African Americans (13%),11 million Asians and Pacific Islanders (4%), and 2 million Native Americans, Eskimos, and Aleuts (1 %). Statistical projections suggest continuing major growth of the nonwhite U.S. population, with Hispanics having the most significant growth rate [1].
