Practical health guide
How to take useful skin photos for telehealth
Clear photographs can add useful information to a skin consultation, although they cannot replace every examination, dermoscopy, test or biopsy.
Check whether photographs are appropriate
Follow the secure instructions provided for your consultation. Do not send intimate images through ordinary email, messaging apps or public social media. If the affected area is sensitive, ask how images should be handled before taking or sending them.
A photograph is optional supporting information, not permission for diagnosis from an image alone. The doctor may recommend video or in-person examination instead.
Use neutral light and accurate colour
Use bright natural light where possible and avoid coloured lamps, flash glare, beauty modes and filters. Clean the camera lens and check that the image is sharp before sending it.
Include a neutral surrounding skin area so colour can be compared. If the colour looks different from what you see in person, try another location or light source.
Take an overview and close-up
Start with a wider photograph that shows where the problem is on the body, then take a closer image showing edges, texture and surrounding skin. Keep the camera parallel to the skin where possible.
For size, place a clean ruler beside—not on—painful, broken or infected skin. Take more than one angle only when it adds useful information.
- One orientation image showing body location
- One mid-range image showing the affected area
- One close-up in focus
- An optional ruler image when safe and relevant
Record changes that a photograph cannot show
Write down when the problem began, whether it is spreading, and symptoms such as pain, itch, heat, tenderness, bleeding, discharge or fever. Mention new products, medicines, travel, bites, illness and similar problems in close contacts.
Tell the doctor if the image was taken earlier and the appearance has changed. A current image is usually more useful than a heavily edited or compressed screenshot.
Know the limits of remote skin assessment
Photographs cannot reliably show depth, firmness, temperature, sensation or all colour changes. Pigmented lesions may require dermoscopy, and infection, severe pain, rapid spread or systemic symptoms may need prompt in-person assessment.
Call 000 for a life-threatening allergic reaction or severe breathing difficulty. Seek earlier care if the condition is worsening while you wait.
Dr Lily Vu
A doctor’s perspective
The most useful set usually includes one photograph showing where the problem is, one showing its overall extent and one close image with sharp focus. Consistent lighting and an unfiltered image are generally more informative than a highly edited photograph.
Common questions
How many photographs should I send?
A small set of clear overview and close-up images is usually more useful than many repetitive images. Follow the clinical upload instructions.
Should I use flash?
Avoid glare where possible. Bright indirect natural light usually gives more accurate colour.
Can a photograph rule out skin cancer?
No. Some lesions require in-person examination, dermoscopy or biopsy.
Clinical review
Reviewed by Dr Lily Vu
Australian-registered Medical Doctor · Content reviewed 7 October 2026
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