Having good ‘before’ and ‘after’ pictures is a great way to market your aesthetic treatment skills. Let’s not forget, though, that these images are an essential part of medical documentation.
Having consistent and standardised photographic records of patient results can go a long way in helping you if a complaint or claim arises.
There are now many photography and skin analysis systems that can help you create excellent before and after pictures, but if you’re not ready to invest yet there are things you can do yourself…
Perfect Positioning
Ensure there’s an equal distance between the photographer and the patient by marking two Xs where each should stand for the photos. Buy a cheap tripod (available for less than £20 on some websites) to help get the height right each time, but don’t forget to take note of the height you set it at for each patient so it’s consistent when they come back for their ‘after’ photo!
Plain Backdrops
We want to be able to see the patient’s face clearly with no distractions, so ensure they stand in front of a plain background. If you don’t have a suitable spot in your clinic, purchase a backdrop that you can hang up for the photos. You may need variations of grey, white and black to suit patients with different skin colours.
Expert Lighting
Lighting is one of the most common before and after photography mistakes! If you don’t get it right, you can unintentionally make a patient’s results look better or worse than they actually are. If possible, avoid taking pictures near a window as the time of day can impact lighting and shadowing. Don’t be afraid to use a flash or ring light, but remember to do this for every image you take of that patient.
Clear Skin
It may sound obvious but with so many patients wearing make-up, it can be easy to create inconsistent or unintentionally deceiving before and afters if you don’t cleanse their skin in advance. Provide make-up remover and a mirror so they can reapply if appropriate afterwards.
Varied Facial Expressions
Make sure you take pictures of patients’ features when static and upon animation! This will help record exactly how impactful their treatment has been, allowing them to see how they look in normal day-to-day life when smiling, pouting and frowning.
Protect Patients Data
While taking photos has become a normal part of everyday life, it’s important to remember that before and after images are part of your patients’ medical records and should be stored securely under GDPR regulations. Ensure you have appropriate protections on your imaging devices and do not share anywhere without consent.
No matter how good the results are, it would be wrong to assume that all patients are happy for you to share their before and afters in your marketing material. Update your consent forms so it’s clear what they’ll allow, with separate tick boxes for your website, social media and training material.
If you’d like more advice on standardising before and after images, get in touch for a 121 coaching session!
