Taking photos

A digital camera or personal phone camera is suitable for taking facial analysis photos.

Ensure the patient is perfectly upright and straight – for best results the photos should be taken on zoom or close enough that the face fills the screen but not so close it becomes distorted or blurred. The following NINE photos must be taken:

Camera operator MUST be at the same level as the patient

1. Front on no smile – hair behind ears (flash on)
2. Front on hair raised up so hairline is fully visible (pull hair back tightly* with two hands – flash on)
3. Front on with a natural but full smile (flash on)
4. Front on with a wide fake smile (have patient show both their top and bottom teeth – flash on)
5. Profile right – hair pulled back to show forehead shape from bridge to hairline – use a hairband to hold back fringe, so all forehead is seen – hold the head very level and take the image at 90 degrees to the bridge of the nose (flash on)
6. Profile left – hair pulled back to show forehead shape from bridge to hairline – use a hairband to hold back fringe, so all forehead is seen – hold the head very level and take the image at 90 degrees to the bridge of the nose (flash on)
7. Front on with a natural but full smile (flash off)
8. Front on with a frown to show lines between eyes (flash off)
9. Front on with eyebrows raised to show forehead lines – hair held up (flash off)

*Hair-bands are only successful if they hold the hair tightly. A loose hairline shape can be misinterpreted.

Remember that the head must be held very straight in each photo. If the head is not straight ears can look higher or lower than they really are. Features may look asymmetrical when they aren’t really asymmetrical.

*** IMPORTANT – If your patient is much shorter than you bend your knees to be at the same height. If they are taller than you have them sit in a chair so you can adjust to their height.

Observations in the clinic

Often facial lines do not show up on the photos but can be observed during the consultation – this is the reason that analyzing photos alone may not be sufficient. Both the camera and clinical observations make the total analysis.

What to tell the patient about this method

This method has been tested and used as a clinical diagnosis since 1999. HFA is such an essential part of our practice that we wouldn’t think of choosing a remedy until the patients’ miasm (as assessed by facial analysis) had been determined. Photos are generally taken after the consultation has finished but as part of the introduction to the consultation the following is a recommended explanation.

“In this clinic we use facial diagnosis to determine your specialised response to illness and which remedies will work with your defence mechanism and immune system. After all of your symptoms have been described, I will be taking some photos of your face and analyzing your facial structure through a set of photos. This is similar to the way an iridologist looks into the eye for information. This information helps me to determine the Homeopathic stress response group you below to and is important in my remedy choice for you.”

Cosmetic surgery

Remember to ask – the features PRIOR to the surgery are the only ones worth analyzing. A bump removed from a nose or teeth that used to be crooked are important pieces of information. Have the patient describe what their teeth or face used to be like – most will remember clearly. Old photos prior to the surgery can be helpful

Interpreting a feature

The main thing to remember is that the feature must be strongly influenced by the miasm. If you find yourself saying “is that a bump on the nose” or perhaps “the lips may be a bit full” disregard the feature. Errors are made by overweighting features. This is just experience but overall it is far better to leave things out than add them in UNLESS you can see them clearly. Some people have very “average” features and these can be more difficult to analyze. It is a good idea to look at lots of features and try to imprint in your mind what an “average” feature looks like so you can recognise features that are different. You will soon start noticing features that fall way out of the “average” or “normal” range. Remember too that some facial lines will only show when the person frowns (especially multiple or single lines between the eyes and forehead lines – photos 8 & 9) and the compact smile  will be seen when the patient laughs or smiles naturally during the consultation or in a non-flash photo.

The HFA facial analysis wizard tool is available for purchase through Complete Dynamics HFA software.

How long will it take before I am proficient at facial analysis?

Allow yourself the time to look at about fifty or more faces. VCCH students usually have an accuracy rate of 80-95% after two years study. In a clinic situation this timeframe can be reduced to a few months. Practice where-ever you are – at the movies, when reading magazines. You will soon start to recognize the miasmatic features and where biographies are known may see the link to life themes.