Can a diagnosis be made if I only send photos?

In addition to photos, the texture and duration of skin changes, systemic symptoms, and reactions to used medications must be checked together to specifically determine the differential diagnosis and treatment direction.

Do I need to bring all the cosmetics I am using?

If it is difficult to bring everything, first prepare the names and photos of the full ingredient lists of products you started using recently or those whose application area overlaps with the location of the symptoms.

Is it okay if my skin has calmed down on the day of the consultation?

It is helpful to bring photos, a timeline of symptoms, and your reactions to any medications used. However, a diagnosis cannot be confirmed by photos alone.

Are there any precautions when sending photos of my face?

For your safety, photos containing personal information should only be sent using the methods guided by the medical institution and should not be uploaded to public devices or public boards.

Skin Disease Treatment Guide

Preparing for your visit with skin photos, symptoms, and medications used

Name: Preparing for a visit with skin photos, symptoms, and medications used
Published: 2026-08-25

Rather than a single photo, prepare a chronological record of the date it first appeared, the timing of when it disappeared and reappeared, itchingpain, and the medications used and their reactions. It is helpful for the medical evaluation to take photos of the same area from the same distance during both normal and most severe states.

Click on unfamiliar terms to see their meanings immediately.

Reviewed by Korean Medicine Doctor Choi Yeon-seung · Last updated 2026-08-25

Please also note the circumstances before and after the day it first appeared

Along with the date it first appeared, note changes that occurred around that time, such as a cold, travel, moving, new cosmetics or detergents, changes in medication, or lack of sleep. You do not need to conclude that these are definitely related.

Please take photos from the same position and under the same lighting

Take both a photo showing which part of the body is affected and a close-up photo of the skin surface. Take these every few days under the same lighting and distance, and be cautious when storing and transmitting photos containing personal information, such as your face.

Please list the names of ointments, oral medications, and cosmetics

List the names and dates of use for ointments, oral medications, moisturizers, shampoos, and cosmetics. This does not mean everything that touched your skin is the cause; it is a record to see if they coincide with the onset of symptoms.

Please also note how your daily life has changed due to your skin

Discomforts such as the number of times you woke up during the night, the extent to which you wore covering clothes, or the degree to which you avoided water work, exercise, or face-to-face work are difficult to determine from skin photos alone.

Check once more before your appointment

Prepare to explain the changes over time even on days when your skin has calmed down

Even if you receive a medical evaluation on a day when your skin has calmed down, having photos and a timeline will allow you to more accurately describe recurring patterns.

Please take a photo showing the location and a close-up photo of the skin

Take an overall photo showing where on the body it is located, and Keratina close-up photo showing blisters or discharge. It is better to maintain the same distance and lighting rather than placing a ruler or coin directly on the skin.

Take photos from the same angle not only on the most severe days but also on days when the symptoms are subsiding.

Please list the dates in order, from the day the symptoms first appeared to the day they recurred.

Record the date of first onset, dates of medical evaluations, dates when medication was started or stopped, and the date of recurrence. It is also helpful to note how the affected area has changed.

Simply leaving the date and a single sentence in your phone's memo app is sufficient.

Please let us know how your sleep or daily life has been affected by your skin condition.

Photos cannot show how many times you woke up during the night, whether you missed work or school, or how uncomfortable it was to wash or get dressed. We consider these changes when determining the priority of improvement during treatment.

Please write down one of the most difficult experiences you had over the past week.

Records to gather and submit at once

Photos showing the overall location and close-up views of the surface
Dates of symptom onset and recurrence
Names of ointments, oral medications, and moisturizers
Impact on sleep, school, and work

You can check the simple meaning first before proceeding to the detailed explanation

Skin Terms to Know in This Guide

Lesion DistributionWhen describing the distribution, please explain not only "where it appeared," but also whether it is symmetrical on both sides, if it is in skin-fold areas, or if it follows areas exposed to sunlight, cosmetics, or clothing.Exacerbation periodA flare-up period is when itching, redness, oozing, or the area of the lesions increases more than usual. This does not always mean that a new disease has developed.Contact allergenContact allergens are substances, such as fragrances, metals, or preservatives, that can cause an allergic reaction when they touch the skin. This is not the same as an irritating substance.Topical TreatmentTopical treatment involves using medications applied directly to the skin. Usage varies depending on the ingredients, potency, application area, amount, and duration.

When herbal medicine treatment is the primary focus

We set the goals for herbal medicine treatment based on your previous treatments and when symptoms recurred

If skin symptoms persist or recur despite receiving necessary tests and treatments, and if this disrupts your sleep or daily life, we can plan a treatment centered on herbal medicine after reviewing your current skin changes and response to previous treatments.

Before the consultation

We ask where it appeared and when it worsened again

We examine the appearance and location of the skin lesions, the timing of flare-ups, and the response to medications used, along with overall bodily conditions that change simultaneously, such as sleep, digestion, and fatigue.

During treatment

We check if not only the itching, but also sleep and daily life are improving

In addition to visible changes in photos, we check the level of itching and pain, the frequency of waking up during the night, the interval between new skin changes, and your recovery of daily functioning.

Treatment sequence

We set the goals for herbal medicine treatment by identifying the problems that need to be resolved first

If there are causes that require immediate priority, such as infection or rapid worsening, those treatments come first. Subsequently, for herbal medicine treatment, we determine the primary goal of recovery by examining current discomfort, recurring patterns, sleep, digestion, and fatigue, and coordinate the sequence with necessary dermatological treatments.

While reducing aggravating factors through lifestyle management, herbal medicine treatment determines the initial target by analyzing the pattern of lesions, sleep, digestion, and fatigue through pattern identification (Byeonjeung). Necessary skin treatments are continued in accordance with the progress.

Consult about treatment

Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions Before Your Visit

Can a diagnosis be made by sending photos alone?

In addition to photos, we must check the texture and duration of skin changes, systemic symptoms, and the response to medications used to specifically determine the differential diagnosis and treatment direction.

Do I need to bring all the cosmetics I am currently using?

If it is difficult to bring everything, please first prepare the names and photos of the full ingredient lists for products you started recently or those that overlap with the location of the symptoms.

Is it okay if my skin has calmed down by the day of the appointment?

It is helpful to bring photos from that period, a timeline of symptoms, and the response to medications used. However, a diagnosis is not finalized based on photos alone.

Is there anything I should be careful about when sending photos of my face?

Photos containing personal information should only be transmitted via the methods guided by the medical institution; for safety, avoid uploading them to public devices or public boards.

Conditions and Guidance Related to My Symptoms

Condition GuidanceContact dermatitisContact dermatitis is a type of dermatitis where the area that touched a substance becomes red, itchy, or stinging, or develops swelling, blisters, discharge, or cracking. Irritant contact dermatitis, caused by substances that directly damage the skin such as detergents or disinfectants, often causes stinging immediately after exposure. Allergic contact dermatitis, caused by metals, fragrances, cosmetics, etc., may appear as itching several hours to several days later. Identifying and avoiding the causative substance is the starting point of treatment.Condition GuidanceUrticariaThe representative symptom of urticaria (hives) is itchy wheals that suddenly appear. They may appear as round bumps, wide plaques, or linear shapes and can merge together; depending on skin tone, they may look red, pink, or similar to the surrounding skin color. A single wheal usually disappears within a day, but new skin changes appear in other locations, making the rash feel as if it is moving. In addition to itching, it may sting or burn, and angioedema, swelling of deeper skin layers such as the eyelids, lips, hands, and feet, may accompany it. Swelling of the face, mouth, tongue, or throat, difficulty breathing or swallowing, dizziness, or a feeling of fainting require immediate emergency assistance.Condition GuidanceEczemaCommon symptoms of eczema include dry, severely itchy skin and rashes. These can occur on the face, inside the elbows, behind the knees, and on the hands and feet; depending on skin tone, they may appear red, brown, purple, or gray, or present as prominent rough bumps. Scratching leads to more swelling and itching, and may cause scratch marks, scaling, cracking, blisters, oozing, or scabs. Prolonged scratching causes the skin to thicken and crack. If you experience unusual pain, heat, yellow scabs, or if clustered blisters are accompanied by fever and fatigue, promptly evaluate for the possibility of infection or herpetic eczema.Condition GuidanceRhinophymaRosacea may begin with recurring redness on the face, centered around the nose, cheeks, forehead, and chin, or with the skin becoming darker than the usual skin tone, such as purple or brown, with the color persisting over time. It may be accompanied by burning, stinging, sensitivity, visible fine blood vessels, and papules, pustules, or edema that look like acne. In some cases, the skin on the nose, forehead, and chin thickens. Dryness, a foreign body sensation, redness, or eyelid swelling in the eyes may appear before skin symptoms; severe eye pain, light sensitivity, or changes in vision require a prompt ophthalmological evaluation.Differential Diagnosis GuideAtopic dermatitis, contact dermatitis, and eczema: clues to distinguish them from the same sensation of itchingEczema is a general term for various inflammatory skin diseases rather than a single specific diagnosis. Age of onset, boundaries of the affected area, recurring locations, and family history must be examined together for diagnosis.

Evidence and Update Information

The following materials were referenced for the differential diagnosis of similar skin diseases and the criteria for continuing existing treatments. The direction of Korean herbal medicine and acupuncture treatment is determined by examining these alongside skin patterns, sleep, and general systemic condition.

American Academy of Dermatology Guide to Contact DermatitisI have confirmed the basic principles of contact factors and the diagnostic process.
NIAMS Atopic Dermatitis GuideInformation on itching, skin barrier, recurrent courses, and infection risks was verified.