SKIN COLOR OF THAI PEOPLE

Abstract

Skin color was measured for 100 Thai male and 100 Thai female with a spectrophotometer to make database of Thai skin color. The average a* was 8.8, and b*=15.9 from female subjects and a*=9.0 and b*=16.9 from male subjects, showing skin color of male is slightly redder than that of female. Lightness L* was also measured and it was L*=56.8 ranging from 47 to 63 in female and L*=53.9 ranging from 41 to 63 from male, indicating slightly lighter in female. The data were compared with Garnier skin color scale which is popular in Thailand to sort out skin color to “dark”, “tan”, and “white”. The color scale, did not overlap with Thai skin color at all.