KKV Labs

Free med spa tool

Glogau scale classifier

The Glogau scale sorts photoaging into four types: Type I no wrinkles, Type II wrinkles in motion, Type III wrinkles at rest and Type IV only wrinkles. Pick what you see for wrinkles, pigment, keratoses and makeup below and the classifier gives the type, with a flag when the signs disagree.

Glogau photoaging type

0 / 4signs chosen

Pick the description that fits each sign best to see the type.

Type I
No wrinkles
Type II
Wrinkles in motion
Type III
Wrinkles at rest
Type IV
Only wrinkles

Chart

The four types at a glance

All four types with their typical age range and the signs a provider looks for.

Glogau scale of photoaging, Types I to IV
TypeNameTypical ageWrinklesPigmentKeratosesMakeup
Type INo wrinkles20s to early 30sNone, even when the face movesMild pigment changesNoneLittle or none
Type IIWrinkles in motionLate 30s to 40sLines appear when smiling or frowningEarly age spotsCan be felt, not seenSome foundation
Type IIIWrinkles at rest50s and olderLines stay when the face is stillObvious discoloration, visible small vesselsVisibleAlways worn
Type IVOnly wrinkles60s to 70s and olderWrinkled throughout, little normal skinYellow gray skinHistory of skin cancersCakes and cracks

How it works

Reading the four signs

Wrinkles. The main sign. Watch the face move, then at rest. Lines only in motion point to Type II; lines at rest to Type III.

Pigment. From mild changes, to early age spots, to obvious uneven color with small visible vessels, to the yellow gray tone of long sun damage.

Keratoses. Rough, scaly spots from sun damage: none, felt but not seen, visible, or a history of skin cancer. Anything suspicious goes to a doctor, not a treatment room.

Makeup. How much the client wears and how it sits on the skin, which the scale uses as a practical tell.

The classifier averages the four answers and rounds to the nearest type. When the answers are two or more types apart it says so, because wrinkles should carry the most weight.

Questions

What injectors ask about this

What is the Glogau scale?
A four type classification of photoaging, the skin aging caused by sun, published by dermatologist Richard Glogau in the 1990s. Type I is no wrinkles, Type II wrinkles in motion, Type III wrinkles at rest and Type IV only wrinkles.
What is the difference between Glogau Type II and Type III?
Whether the lines stay when the face is still. In Type II, lines show only when the client smiles or frowns. In Type III they are there at rest, usually with obvious discoloration and visible keratoses.
Is the Glogau scale based on age?
No, it is based on what the skin shows. Each type has a typical age range, but sun exposure and smoking can move a client up a type early, and good sun protection can keep them lower for longer.
How do med spas use it?
To record a baseline at consultation, set expectations and track change over a treatment plan. The type and the photos go in the chart; the treatment choice is the provider's.
How is it different from the Fitzpatrick scale?
Fitzpatrick describes how skin reacts to the sun (burning and tanning). Glogau describes how much sun damage and aging the skin already shows. Clinics record both. Take the Fitzpatrick skin type quiz

More free tools

Other med spa tools

All free, no sign up. See every med spa tool or all free tools.

Next step

Get your med spa recommended by AI in 90 days.

We run the questions your customers ask ChatGPT and Google AI Mode in your city and show you who gets recommended today. Then we fix the pages, listings and answers that decide it.

$499 a month, 3-month minimum, then month to month. If AI is not recommending you for 3 of your 5 questions by day 90, you get every dollar back.

Book a free AI strategy call

One business per industry per city. Founder led. Dated proof every 2 weeks.