HEALTH · BODY SURFACE AREA
Body Surface Area Calculator
Estimate your body surface area in square metres using the Mosteller and Du Bois formulas. For informational use — not for clinical drug dosing.
Not for clinical drug dosing — results are estimates only.
About This Calculator
Body surface area (BSA) estimates the total exterior surface of the human body in square metres. It is used in clinical settings to adjust drug doses, assess cardiac output, and calculate burn area — but any dose calculation must be performed by a qualified healthcare professional, not this tool.
How It Works
Enter your height and weight. The calculator shows BSA from both the Mosteller (1987) and Du Bois (1916) formulas. Mosteller is the default because it is widely used in clinical drug-dosing references and is simpler to verify. Du Bois is the historical standard still used in cardiology.
The Formula
Mosteller: BSA (m²) = √(H · W / 3600)
- H
- height in cm
- W
- weight in kg
Frequently Asked Questions
- Can I use this result for drug dosing?
- No. This calculator produces an estimate for informational purposes only. All clinical drug dosing — especially chemotherapy — must be calculated and verified by a qualified pharmacist or physician.
- Which formula is more accurate?
- Both have similar accuracy for typical adults. Mosteller is more widely used in current clinical practice; Du Bois is the historical reference. They agree within about 2–3% for most adults.
- Is BSA different from BMI?
- Yes. BMI (weight/height²) is a ratio that screens for weight classification. BSA (in m²) estimates the physical surface of the body and scales differently — it is used in physiology and pharmacology, not weight classification.