How to Take 'Before' Photos for Your Plastic Surgery Consultation

For an online consultation, your photos are the surgeon's eyes. The quality of the photos you send directly impacts the quality and accuracy of the assessment and quote you receive. Blurry, poorly lit, or incorrectly angled photos can make it impossible for a surgeon to give you meaningful feedback.

Taking good photos is easy if you follow a few simple rules. Here’s how to do it right.

General Rules for All Photos

• Use a Plain Background: Stand in front of a neutral, solid-colored wall (like a white or beige wall). Avoid cluttered backgrounds.
• Good, Even Lighting: Natural daylight is best. Stand facing a window. Avoid harsh overhead lights that create shadows, or having a bright light source behind you.
• Get Help: Ask a friend or family member to take the photos for you. Selfies distort your features and make it hard to get the right angles.
• Use Your Phone's Back Camera: It's much higher quality than the front-facing selfie camera.
• Focus and Framing: Make sure the camera is in focus and that the entire area of concern is in the frame. For facial photos, frame from the top of your head to your collarbones. For body photos, frame from your neck to your knees.
• No Filters, No Makeup, No Smiling: The surgeon needs to see your natural anatomy. Tie your hair back away from your face.

Photo Guide by Procedure

For Rhinoplasty (Nose Surgery)

You need five specific shots:

1. Front View: Look directly at the camera, face straight.
2. Left Profile: Turn your head 90 degrees to the right, showing the complete left side of your face.
3. Right Profile: Turn your head 90 degrees to the left, showing the complete right side of your face.
4. Tilted Back (Basal View): Tilt your head back so the photographer can see directly up your nostrils.
5. Tilted Forward: Tilt your head slightly down.

For Breast Surgery (Augmentation, Lift, Reduction)

You need four shots. Stand straight with your arms relaxed by your sides. Wear a non-padded bra or go bare-chested.

1. Front View: Facing the camera directly.
2. Left Oblique: Turn your body 45 degrees to the right.
3. Right Oblique: Turn your body 45 degrees to the left.
4. Side View (Profile): Turn 90 degrees to show your side profile.

For Body Contouring (Tummy Tuck, Liposuction, BBL)

Wear underwear or a bikini. The surgeon needs to see the full contour of your torso and thighs.

1. Front View: Standing straight, facing the camera.
2. Back View: Standing straight, with your back to the camera.
3. Left Side View: Standing sideways.
4. Right Side View: Standing sideways.

For BBL, it's also helpful to include a photo of you bending forward to show the natural hang of the buttocks.

For Facelift / Neck Lift

Follow the same five angles as for Rhinoplasty (Front, Left Profile, Right Profile, Tilted Back, Tilted Forward). Ensure your neck is fully visible.

Sending Your Photos

• File Size: Don't compress the images too much. It's better to send larger files that are clear.
• Security: We use a secure, encrypted form on our website to ensure your photos are transmitted safely and confidentially.

By taking 5-10 minutes to capture clear, well-lit photos, you enable our surgeons to provide you with a thorough, accurate, and truly personalized recommendation. It's the most important first step in your surgical journey.