Body Surface Area (BSA) Calculator
Mosteller, DuBois, Haycock and Gehan-George formulas. Free, private and instant.
How to use the Body Surface Area
- Pick metric (cm, kg) or imperial (ft, in, lb) units.
- Enter height.
- Enter weight.
- Press Calculate to get an instant result with a colour scale, chart and plain-English explanation.
About the Body Surface Area
Body surface area estimates the total skin area of the body in square metres. Clinicians use it to scale doses of some medicines, such as chemotherapy, and to index heart output.
Also known as: BSA calculator, Mosteller calculator, DuBois BSA calculator, body surface area m2.
Worked example
- Height: 170 cm
- Weight: 70 kg
Body surface area (Mosteller): 1.82 m² (Average adult). Your body surface area is about 1.82 m². Average adults are about 1.6 m² (women) and 1.9 m² (men).
- Mosteller: 1.818 m²
- DuBois: 1.810 m²
- Haycock: 1.826 m²
- Gehan-George: 1.831 m²
Formula and cut-offs
Mosteller = sqrt(height cm x weight kg / 3600). DuBois = 0.007184 x W^0.425 x H^0.725. Haycock = 0.024265 x W^0.5378 x H^0.3964. Gehan-George = 0.0235 x W^0.51456 x H^0.42246.
Frequently asked questions
What is the average BSA?
The average adult has a BSA of about 1.9 m2 for men and 1.6 m2 for women.
Which BSA formula should I use?
Mosteller is the most common because it is simple and accurate. Differences between formulas are usually under 3%.
Why is body surface area used for medicine doses?
BSA tracks metabolic size better than weight alone, so it is used to dose some chemotherapy drugs and to index measurements such as cardiac output. Doses are set by a clinician, not by this calculator.
What is the body surface area (Mosteller) for 170 cm and 70 kg?
Body surface area (Mosteller): 1.82 m² (Average adult). Your body surface area is about 1.82 m². Average adults are about 1.6 m² (women) and 1.9 m² (men). Enter your own numbers above for a personal result.
Sources and references
- World Health Organization - Obesity and overweight fact sheet
- WHO - Waist circumference and waist-hip ratio: report of a WHO expert consultation
Written and checked by the MediHub editorial team against the sources above. Read how we build and review our calculators.
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Last updated . This calculator is for education only and is not medical advice. See the medical disclaimer.