A new guide is challenging the status quo in dermatology by calling attention to how poorly traditional photography captures skin conditions in people with darker skin tones. The issue, experts say, is more than technical—it’s about equity, trust, and better care.
“Traditional photographic technologies have typically been calibrated using lighter skin tones,” said Dr. Nada Elbuluk, co-author of the guide and director of the USC Skin of Color and Pigmentary Disorders Program. This has led to inaccurate depictions of dermatologic conditions in patients with skin of color, contributing to diagnostic gaps and underrepresentation in medical education.
The guide, published in JAMA Dermatology, offers practical solutions: use of dark backgrounds, soft lighting, cross-polarization, and standardized distances. But it also emphasizes humanistic practices like informed consent and preserving patient dignity during photography.
High-quality images, Elbuluk explained, can improve clinical monitoring and care, especially for pigmentary disorders. They also help diversify educational materials, which have long lacked accurate images of skin conditions in non-white patients.
“This guide isn’t just about how to take better clinical photographs,” Elbuluk said. “It’s about health equity, patient trust, and clinical excellence.”
The next step, she noted, is to develop standardized clinical guidelines and integrate these practices into dermatology training. As clinicians adopt more inclusive imaging techniques, they can help close the diagnostic gap and improve outcomes for underrepresented populations.
See: “Best Practices for High-Quality Pictures in Patients With Skin of Color” (June 27, 2025)
