Your dermatologist assesses your skin from your photos. Their quality therefore determines how precise your treatment plan can be. Taking good photos takes you about a minute.
What makes a photo usable
Light
Take your photos in daylight and keep the flash off. Flash flattens colour, and colour is exactly what your dermatologist reads. Stand by a window if you can.
Two kinds of photos
Take one overview photo of the whole area, so your dermatologist can see where it is on your body and how far it spreads. Then take one close-up of the spot itself, from about 15 to 20 centimetres away.
Hold your device steady and tap the spot on your screen so that it is in sharp focus.
Show what matters
If there is redness, swelling or inflammation, make sure it is clearly visible. Do not apply cream just beforehand and do not cover the area with make-up.
Photos of your scalp
These are hard to take yourself, so ask someone else to help.
Part your hair at the spot where the problem is, and make sure one photo shows your whole scalp for an overview.
Always upload in your consultation
You upload your photos in the consultation itself, never by email.
We cannot use photos that arrive by email, because they do not end up in your medical record, where your dermatologist can see them and where they are stored securely.
Read “How do I upload photos in my consultation?”
If your photos are not clear enough
Your dermatologist will then ask you for new ones. This costs you nothing extra, so do not hesitate to send more if you are not sure whether a photo is good enough.