At Skin Type Solutions, we are driven by the passionate pursuit of developing skincare regimens that improve global skin health. We use the latest technology from a multitude of cosmeceutical brands and combine them in a series of customized skincare regimens that target specific underlying skin defects. We partner with dermatologists to test the regimens and combine the gained knowledge into treatment plans to improve the skin type of patients. Our patented scientific methodology has been tested on over 200,000 patients around the world and is used by hundreds of medical providers in the US and many more worldwide. To find a medical practice that uses our system click here.

Our years of expertise are focused on improving global skin health by working with medical providers and skincare brands to promote the use of scientifically proven skin care, diet, lifestyle habits and oral supplements to maximize skin health. We passionately believe that by reducing the use of unproven, ineffective, and harmful products while dramatically increasing the proper use of efficacious therapies -- we can reduce the incidences of skin cancer, acne and other skin issues that affect the skin’s health and appearance. We empower medical aestheticians, physicians, medical providers and patients by providing an easy systematic scientific approach that correctly identifies barriers to skin health and gives clear instructions on what to do to change and improve the skin type. We promote education, engagement, and interaction with patients by helping medical providers simplify, optimize, and revolutionize their approach to diagnosing, tracking and improving skin health.

For over 15 years, our company has focused on working with dermatologists around the world  to research, create, and validate a scientific system to diagnose the Baumann Skin Type® and prescribe the optimal skincare regimen to improve skin health. Our software generates over 40,000 different skincare regimens based on skin type, lifestyle habits, brand preference and price.  Our proprietary software allows doctors to easily use our system in their medical practices to educate, engage and communicate with patients to encourage compliance and improve outcomes. There are imposters incorrectly using the Baumann Skin Typing System, but only companies that display the Skin Type Solutions logo have access to the constantly evolving Baumann Skin Typing questionnaire and skincare recommendation software. 

The Baumann Skin Typing System was first used by dermatologists at the University of Miami as a diagnostic tool in 2005 and has been included in medical textbooks and training curriculums since 2007. The 16 Baumann Skin Types® were first described to the public in 2006 by Dr. Leslie Baumann, MD in the New York Times Bestselling book The Skin Type Solution. A PBS special in 2010 (Skin Type Solutions with Dr. Leslie Baumann) took 6 women through the process of changing their skin type to a healthier skin type. Dermatologists around the world heard about the Baumann Skin typing System from the books, PBS show, lectures and medical publications and requested to be included in data collection and scientific validation of the questionnaire and corresponding skincare recommendations.  

In 2014, the guidelines to be an “STS Approved” product were developed and Skin Type Solutions licensed the rights to use the Baumann Skin Typing System and the skincare recommendation logic and patents to generate medical grade skincare regimens for use by medical practices.  The first doctor to become an “STS Approved” medical provider was Dr. Richard Hope in Texas in 2014.  In 2016, software was introduced which allowed physicians to choose from a list of approved products so that they could choose form over 40 different skincare brands. As of 2022, over 250 doctors were using the Skin Type Solutions Skincare Regimen software in their medical practices in the US.

The Baumann Skin Types system is a skin-type classification system defining 16 skin personalities. This classification system was developed to subdivide research participants into specific phenotypes. Patients were assigned binary values to four characteristics, so defining sixteen "skin personalities", or "skin types". These have been used in genetic research aimed at identifying the genes that contribute to skin characteristics such as dryness, oiliness, aging, pigmentation and sensitivity. The classification system has been adopted by aestheticians, dermatologists, consumers and retailers to match cosmeceutical ingredients and skin care products to specific skin types. The type assigned is determined by a self-completed questionnaire, marketed as the "Baumann Skin Type Indicator" or the “Skin Type Solutions Quiz”.

The use of the Baumann Skin Typing System is well established in the medical field as evidenced by 7 chapters in major medical textbooks[i], [ii] multiple publications in peer reviewed medical journals, societies based on researching the Baumann Skin Types[iii], [iv]and the frequent subject of dermatology lectures on skincare around the world. The software was developed to accurately diagnose and track the skin type change, collect and categorize data, analyze preferences, and encourage and track compliance. The scientifically-based software is set up to facilitate deep learning.

A strict set of guidelines dictate:

1. Ingredients each skin type should use
2. Ingredients each skin type should avoid
3. Formulations for these individual and combined ingredients
4. Regimen adjustments based on lifestyle factors
5. Regimen adjustments based on patient preferences
6. Regimen adjustments based on underlying conditions such as pregnancy, breast feeding, gluten sensitivity and allergies
7. Order the product are applied to the skin (Product layering)
8. Adjustments of skincare regimens monthly based on skin response
9. Regimens adjustment for use with in-office procedures

Products and regimens must adhere to these guidelines to be STS Approved. 

Only STS approved medical providers and companies displaying the Skin Type Solutions logo are using our scientifically based system properly. 

[i] Baumann, L. (2013). Nonsurgical skin care and rejuvenation. Gurtner GC, Neligan PC. Plastic Surgery (3rd ed). China: Elsevier, 25.

[ii] Baumann, L. (2008). Cosmetics and skin care in dermatology. Fitzpatrick’s Dermatology in General Medicine. 7th ed. New York: McGraw Hill, 1357-2363.

[iii] Global Dermatology Alliance 2005- 20014 worked with dermatologists around the world to collect skin type data.

[iv] The Korean Society for Skin Type Research, dedicated to researching the scientific attributes of the Baumann Skin Types, was formed in 2017, and has over 200 board certified dermatologist members.

Honesty, integrity, and transparency are at the core of our business. The trust placed in us by our physician partners and their patients is paramount and we work to earn and maintain that trust. We do this by only choosing products for inclusion in the system that are formulated, manufactured, and packaged in a manner that ensures the highest efficacy. We are brand agnostic and test all products ourselves.  All products included in the software must meet our rigid scientific requirements.

We are lifelong learners, never settling for the latest skincare solution. We research, test, and expand our expertise every day. We update our software and product recommendations frequently based on data received from our dermatologists. We see it as our duty to be the smart source for product information and recommendation – and strategic innovations. That’s why doctors and medical providers trust us to teach their staff how to give medical advice on skincare and guide their patients to the very best outcomes.

Multiple dermatologists at the University of Miami helped validate the questionnaire and test the corresponding product recommendations from 2005-2013.[i]  The questionnaire used to determine the Baumann Skin Type was validated[ii] using objective methods such as a sebometer, spectrophotometer, and Canfield Visia Camera System to validate that the questionnaire, when used correctly, can accurately identify the skin type even when the patient is not seen in person.

In 2006 - 2014 the Global Dermatology Alliance tested the questionnaire on their patients and gathered skin type data from around the world. The questionnaire was shown to be valid in ages 13- 80 and in both genders and multiple ethnicities.[iii]

In 2014- 2015, Dr. Leslie Baumann analyzed the data and painstakingly developed a strict set of guidelines used to develop efficacious skincare regimens to correspond to each Baumann Skin Type. In 2015, cosmeceutical products were chosen based on these guidelines and tested for efficacy on the various Baumann Skin Types.  In 2016, the software that was introduced had the ability to collect skin type data used to provide insights about skin types in various geographies and demographics.

The Baumann Skin Types have been used in genetic research aimed at identifying the genes that contribute to skin characteristics such as dryness, oiliness, aging, pigmentation and sensitivity. The Baumann Skin Types are also used to study the effects of the microbiome on various skin types and how cosmeceuticals play a role in the microbiome.

The Baumann Skin Typing System is used as a screen tool in research trials because it allows researchers to improve their ability to select patients for clinical research trials.

[i] Baumann, Leslie S., et al. “A Validated Questionnaire for Quantifying Skin Oiliness” Journal of Cosmetics, Dermatological Sciences and Applications 4 (2014): 78-84.

[ii] Baumann, Leslie S., et al. “A Validated Questionnaire for Quantifying Skin Oiliness” Journal of Cosmetics, Dermatological Sciences and Applications 4 (2014): 78-84.

[iii] Baumann, Leslie. “Validation of a Questionnaire to Diagnose the Baumann Skin Type in All Ethnicities and in Various Geographic Locations” Journal of Cosmetics, Dermatological Sciences and Applications 6 (2016): 34-40.

“Optimized skincare regimens for changing the genetic skin type to the ideal skin type—oily, resistant, non-pigmented and tight skin.”

This invention is a method for improving skin health by changing the skin to a healthier skin type was awarded to Dr Leslie Baumann in August of 2017 by The United States Patent Office. The method of the invention involves identifying and treating 16 specific skin types with a specific series of ingredients that are adjusted at monthly intervals.

In 2005, Dr. Baumann authored The Skin Type Solution, a New York Times bestseller that has been published in many languages and distributed all over the world. The latest edition of The Skin Type Solutions was published in December 2010 to coincide with the PBS special, “Skin Type Solutions with Dr. Leslie Baumann,” which began airing in late 2010. The success of this book proved that consumers are confused on what products are right for them – they need guidance to solve their skin concerns.

Cosmeceuticals and Cosmetic Ingredients (McGraw Hill) The Importance of Skin Type: The Baumann Skin Type System.

With over 230 scientific publications in medical journals and medical textbooks, our dedication to science is unparalleled. Skin Type Solutions is supported by the following publications supporting its accuracy. The Baumann Skin Type system is published in both Fitzpatrick's Dermatology Editions 7-9 and Neligans Plastic Surgery Editions 2-3 Reference books for Dermatologists and Plastic Surgeons.

Our intelligent and constantly evolving skincare recommendation platform guides physicians and patients on the proper skincare guidelines to improve their skin health. Powered by Dynamic Regimen Generation Technology, our platform can instantaneously provide an accurate skincare regimen for a patient out of more than 40,000 combinations from over 40 different brands.  Our platform simultaneously gathers data to be used in deep learning to improve our knowledge on the best ways to treat the skin to improve skin health.