Most people now start with photographs rather than a trip across the country, and for a first look that works well. It is worth understanding what a remote assessment can genuinely establish, and where an in-person examination is still necessary.
What a photo assessment can tell us
From good photographs of the hairline, crown and donor area we can usually judge the pattern and rough stage of your loss, whether the picture is consistent with pattern hair loss, an approximate graft range, and whether you are broadly a candidate. That is often enough to tell you honestly whether it is worth going further.
It costs nothing, it takes minutes, and it means you do not travel to be told you are not suitable.
What it cannot tell us
Photographs flatten things. They cannot reliably show donor density under magnification, individual hair calibre, scalp laxity, or the early miniaturisation that distinguishes stable hair from hair that is on its way out. Lighting and angle can make thinning look better or worse than it is.
Nor can a photograph pick up a scalp condition that needs treating first. For those, an examination is required.
How we usually sequence it
Send photographs, receive an honest view and an indicative range, then have a video consultation to discuss your history, family pattern and goals properly. If you decide to proceed, the in-person examination and final planning happen before surgery. For patients travelling any distance, that keeps the number of journeys to a minimum.
When you should insist on being seen
If your hair loss is sudden, patchy, accompanied by scalp symptoms such as itching, scaling, redness or pain, or if you are a woman with diffuse thinning, ask to be examined rather than assessed from photographs. Those pictures often need blood tests and a closer look, and surgery may not be the answer at all.
How to take useful photographs
Use daylight, avoid overhead spotlights which exaggerate thinning, and take the hairline straight on, the crown from above, both sides, and the back of the head. Dry hair, no product, no hat. If you have older photographs from a few years ago, send those too; the rate of change is genuinely useful information.
Frequently asked questions
Is the photo assessment free?
Yes, and there is no obligation. A clinician reviews your photographs personally.
Will I get a graft number from photographs?
An indicative range, yes. The final figure is confirmed after examining your donor area, because density and calibre change the calculation.
Do I have to visit before surgery?
Yes. Final planning and hairline design are done in person on the day, and an examination beforehand is part of proper assessment.
Can women use the photo assessment?
Yes, though diffuse thinning is harder to judge remotely, so we more often recommend being seen and having blood tests.
Send your photographs for a free assessment, or book a free consultation at our Harley Street clinic.