Hair transplants in daylight..

[mg42]

We often see clinics shooting their photos inside the room using favorable angles,lighting and other hollywood tricks of trade(concealers)

Im not saying all of them are guilty but many are,even ones with good reputation.I have issues with that as I know how easy it can be to manipulate photos using these simple tricks

Dr Rassmans blog says normal hair density is 200 hair per cm^2 for an average caucasian male,70-90 follicular unite per cm square
HT densities range from 30 to 70 grafts per cm^2

Do HT look good during the day, under the sun?
Do they ever look as good as we see them on websites especially if shot inside for advertizing purposes


Its just to easy for clinics to pick the best 5% of cases(above average density,good colors,texture,small balding area, etc) and prezent them, they might even look ok in natural daylight but how about your average Joe who is not blessed with these characteristics?

It would be good for patients if clinics start taking their before/after photos in daylight, it would be more realistic and closer to actual result(if you look good outdoors I bet you look good indoors)
plus there should be standard protocol where pic are taken from all angles, sides/birds eye view and front

 

[janna]

mg42 wrote:
It would be good for patients if clinics start taking their before/after photos in daylight, it would be more realistic and closer to actual result(if you look good outdoors I bet you look good indoors)[/quote]
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This has been discussed many times on the forums. There are couple of reasons as to why such suggestion of taking pics outside in the sunlight isn't realistic for clinics.

1. Patients would want a private setting where they wouldn't look odd sitting outside a professional building having pics taken. Would you personally go sit outside for your clinic to take pics? It's difficult enough to get patients to come back for follow up appointments as it is.

2. Let's say some clinics can provide a private area outside. What do you do about the weather with wind, rain, clouds, snow, etc. Some places may have more ideal weather but a lot of places don't.

I believe if a clinic is going to use concealers, they will use it whether photos are taken inside or outside.

We try our best to take consistent pics as possible with same standard angles/distance/lighting for both pre and post ops but it's not difficult to get everything just the same.

 

[mg42]

Many of clinics have been opened for 10+ years, Im sure it would not be that difficult to get 10-15 patients (1 patient per year)to pose in front of building for 5 minutes, 20-30% off total price would definately do the trick, many would be happy to do it for generous discount, it would ultimately pay off...another problem is cherry picking, I d like to see other end


i hate to see videos where patient is being filmed from favorable angles, in studio like enviroment with make up on,everything is done to maximize effect of HT

I would prefer some casual shots in a beer garden, preferably from different angles

 

[topccat29]

Pictures outside in the sunlight are the real test. It is possible to achieve a result that looks good in any light and any setting but of course you have to have all the right characteristics. One result that I have seen in person in sunlight is Stephen €™s result the rep from BHR. Hands down the best I have ever seen. If you did not know beforehand it would absolutely be impossible for you to tell and this is someone who cuts his hair to I guess it would be a one guard. So yes it is possible.

I have also seen work that looked really good but I knew was a transplant as it had a see through look that seemed to uniform with too much shine reflecting light off the scalp. Granted most would not know unless they were familiar with the procedure and this particular person was very fair skinned with blond hair which gave him an edge.

 

[topccat29]

MG I would also say taking pictures is not not so easy at least close up clear pictures. One does get better over time but for most it's not easy.

Have you posted pictures and details about your case anywhere?

 

[Bigmac]

It's easy to manipulate photos in any lighting, most clinics do try to take consistent pictures.

 

[sl]

Great topic and thank you topcat for your kind words. I shave to 2.5mm so just under a number 1.

As said here a clinic should try to be honest and present photos in same light settings, angles, conditions where possible.

Most post op photos come from patients themselves and not clinic taken as such unless the patient wishes to return to the clinic and often this in itself would be a task as means international travel.

We do hold consultations in several countries and give a large percentage of the slots to see previous patients and also take photos where permitted. They are indoors because we are in hotels and conference rooms usually so cannot always replicate pre surgery conditions but try to get as much natural lighting as possible in the photos and match angles.

Surgery as about an illusion and especially more so on more advanced loss or the patient would run out of donor not to mention other possible issues when placing at a high density ranging from grafts popping up, trauma to the skin, competition for growth or even necrosis in some severe cases. Whenever recipient sites are cut there needs to be distance for adjacent slits and so on so many factors come into play and my own result even though looking good and seen by many I do not have the God given density of pre-loss.

Where possible meet with the respective clinic reps, assuming they have had surgery, and with ex patients also. This is by far the best way to see real results no mater how good or honest the clinic are seeking to be in post op photos.

 

[Bigmac]

Mg, how about posting your pictures in natural daylight and an indoor setting.

 

[Prohairclinic]

I Agree that it is not always that easy to get inside and outside pictures and or video.
Weather conditions, time of year, unwillingness of the patient to go outside and have camera's pointed at him/her.

But from time to time we are able to get both inside and outside recordings.

Here is a perfect example of a patient with blond hair. We used 3k grafts in order to restore his hairline.
Enjoy,

http://youtu.be/MvdZuH4HYbM

Bart

 

[mg42]

Bigmac

Sending my pictures in daylight are totally irelevant to this topic.

Its about HT clinics who are making big money,
all HT results look much better in photos than they do in real life under sunlight, this should not be the case.

why not push the limits and make it mandatory to take pics outdoors, try to make before/after more realistic to what they look like in flesh on the street...

i know its been discussed many times before but it counts to nothing if we still not seeing improvements

 

[Bigmac]

Not really, you can take pictures inside and out, same angles etc and show us the difference.

 

[mg42]

Bigmac

Its not necesarry im sure you been around long enough to know how it all works

I remember when I was losing hair I could take pictures in normaly lit room and it looked as if I im not losing hair,
no flash, good angle of camera and light source..that was without any concealers and photoshopping

when picture is taken outdoors it looked completly different,it looked very very bad


Im sure topcat would agree with this

 

[Bigmac]

mg42 wrote:

Bigmac

Its not necesarry im sure you been around long enough to know how it all works

I remember when I was losing hair I could take pictures in normaly lit room and it looked as if I im not losing hair,
no flash, good angle of camera and light source..that was without any concealers and photoshopping

when picture is taken outdoors it looked completly different,it looked very very bad


Im sure topcat would agree with this

Yes i know how it works, if you look at the clinics pictures on here, they will take the before and after pictures in the same setting, then if a patient does return, they take updated pictures in the same setting.

Not many patients do return to clinics, they may send updates to them.

Why dont you have someone take your pictures outside and indoors, same camera, settings and angles, then point out why you`re not happy with indoor pictures.

Clinics can only do their best, some may try to manipulate pictures but i dont see it happening on here.

 

[topccat29]

MG sure I would agree. Not only can outside pictures be the harshest but where is the Sun in the sky. Sunset/sunrise always makes it look better same with being overcast it looks better. The worst is a clear day with the Sun at high noon. One also needs to look at the backdrop the head is being set against with an open field type setting with the sky as the background probably being the worst and I €™m hardly an expert on photographing but this is what I do know.

I also agree with BM taking pictures of one €™s hair outside especially in my case with no concealer is not something I care to do €¦ €¦ €¦lol €¦ €¦ €¦yes I have my limits althought I do try to show the beard donor in an outdoor setting.