Judging Progress With Flash Pictures Or Rear Mirror

[newdutuser10]

So, I'm sitting getting a haircut in a salon with lighting so harsh that it makes people with thick dense hair like that of Zayn Malik have diffuse spots.

In this same lighting using a clean rear view mirror both held close to my crown and the one hanging on the wall behind I look like I have decent hair with maybe a little bit bad cowlick.


But then I come home and take pictures using phone with flash on and I look bad. I look like I've made zero progress.


I've been taking dutasteride, minoxidil(once a day) and dermarolling 2 times a week and I can feel the increase in density but flash photographs make me look like I haven't made any progress at all.


Am I judging my progress wrong? Isn't the mirror supposed to be "real life", especially under harsh lighting?

 

[OldnBald]

It's probably a bit thin, but you know if you'd made progress or not. But don't use a flash, even transplant clinics will tell you not to use a flash on your pics you send in virtual consultations.

 

[Balding Boulder]

So, I'm sitting getting a haircut in a salon with lighting so harsh that it makes people with thick dense hair like that of Zayn Malik have diffuse spots.

In this same lighting using a clean rear view mirror both held close to my crown and the one hanging on the wall behind I look like I have decent hair with maybe a little bit bad cowlick.


But then I come home and take pictures using phone with flash on and I look bad. I look like I've made zero progress.


I've been taking dutasteride, minoxidil(once a day) and dermarolling 2 times a week and I can feel the increase in density but flash photographs make me look like I haven't made any progress at all.


Am I judging my progress wrong? Isn't the mirror supposed to be "real life", especially under harsh lighting?

I've found this myself. There are actually more variables than one might imagine that impact the perception of your hair:

• lighting
• mirror
• length of hair
• how wet/dry your hair is
• distribution of hair strands

 

[newdutuser10]

It's probably a bit thin, but you know if you'd made progress or not. But don't use a flash, even transplant clinics will tell you not to use a flash on your pics you send in virtual consultations.

How about a non-flash 4k video recorded by the barber under the same harsh lighting. This would be a true way to judge progress right?

 

[newdutuser10]

I've found this myself. There are actually more variables than one might imagine that impact the perception of your hair:

• lighting
• mirror
• length of hair
• how wet/dry your hair is
• distribution of hair strands

Lighting and mirrors are the same at the salon I go to. The length of hair is also kept similar, give or take half a cm. The hair is completely dry and my barber says he sees overall improvement in my hair, but then he is someone I am paying and usually such people try to appease you.

Distribution of strands is almost the same. Before taking the picture I comb with the direction of growth of my hair on my cowlick to expose as much hairloss as possible. The only way to make it worse is by using high hold products to make hair in my cowlick stand up.


I have diffuse hairloss and it's very hard to judge progress because it is so subjective.

 

[OldnBald]

How about a non-flash 4k video recorded by the barber under the same harsh lighting. This would be a true way to judge progress right?

Of course, but I just use the same bathroom lighting with a double mirror to get the fron tand back in the same shot. It works fairly well.I take some others, but if I only took those, they would be fine.