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Before and After Photos in Clinical Research
At Citruslabs, we offer before and after photos as a service to better showcase the efficacy of your wellness product. Many brands choose before and afters to document the changes in participants’ hair, skin, and body.
What are before and after photos in clinical research?
In simple terms, before and after photos are taken before a study begins (this is called a baseline) and after a study ends. They play a crucial role in clinical research for wellness brands, capturing the transformations study participants experience while using your product.
They provide both researchers and brands with a clear visual representation of the progress made, fostering a deeper understanding and appreciation for the efficacy of the intervention.
You likely have a strong idea about how your product will perform, whether it’s a skincare product that will brighten the skin or a supplement that will improve hair growth. Before and after photos can pose as objective evidence needed to back up your product claims. These photos also show how your product works with real people who are experiencing the same issues that your product can solve.
Did you know that before and after photos can also be “implied claims” as interpreted by the FDA? If you don’t have scientific evidence to back up your claims, even if they’re implied, you could be in the hot seat with compliance agencies like the FDA and FTC. Make sure that you have substantiation for what you’re claiming.
How before and after photos can benefit your study
At Citruslabs, we understand the power of visual documentation in clinical research. Our team recognizes that before and after photos are more than just images—they are a testament to the effectiveness of your wellness product. They are the unbiased results that speak for your product. When comparing these photos side by side, we can visually demonstrate the observable changes, whether it's in skin condition, body shape, hair growth, or other relevant aspects.
By incorporating before and after photos into your study, you will enhance transparency for your consumers and instill confidence in the outcomes they can expect while using your product.
While a consumer perception study can provide you with tangible data to back up your claims, incorporating before and after photos takes your study to the next level by introducing undeniable data to support what the study participants are saying about your product.
Before and after photo categories
We can collect photos for just about any category that would help support your product claims. Your photos will support your supplement, skincare product, superfood, or medical device and can be captured at any time point during the study. Here are some examples from previous studies.
Clinical photography guidelines
With our commitment to high-quality clinical research, Citruslabs ensures that before and after photos are captured meticulously, maintaining strict adherence to clinical photography guidelines.
We provide every study participant with clinical photography guidelines so that you’ll receive photos that are consistent in lighting, and angle, and taken at the same time of day. This is especially important when comparing photos for differences. Sometimes the difference can be subtle, and the right conditions are essential to notice these improvements.
Skin Analyzer
For a more in-depth view of the skin changes, we can use our Optic Elite Skin Analyzer, a cutting-edge imaging device.
This advanced tool combines state-of-the-art imaging technology with comprehensive analysis capabilities to provide a detailed assessment of the skin.
Equipped with high-resolution cameras and specialized sensors, the Optic Elite Skin Analyzer captures precise images of the skin's surface. By analyzing various parameters such as hydration levels, sebum production, elasticity, pigmentation, and even UV damage, this device offers valuable insights into your study results.
UV Porphyrin analysis
Sensitive area analysis
What to expect from before and after photos
We strive to provide you with high-quality photos that can be used for research, marketing, partnerships, and more, and we feel it’s important to set expectations from the beginning so that everyone is satisfied with the results.
Decentralized clinical trials provide us with many advantages, such as recruiting a diverse range of participants, a quick turnaround time with study completion, and reduced cost. This also means that in most cases, study participants will be taking their own photos.
This is why we provide photo guidelines to our participants. Our team also reviews every photo soon after they’re submitted for quality assurance. If a photo does not meet our guidelines, we simply ask the participant to take a new one with additional guidance.
It’s also important to note that while our database is full of eager participants to try your product, we don’t contract with a modeling agency to provide a certain type of “look.” We provide real, authentic results from real people who are excited to use your product.
We can provide you with photos that you can use on your website but we’re limited by the constraints of our study participants who are typically taking these photos on their cell phones in their homes. If you’re looking for studio-quality photos, please enroll in the services of a photo marketing professional.
Three ways to use before and after photos
On your website
Use a side-by-side comparison on your product page to showcase your product’s effectiveness. Clinical research carries more weight with consumers because it’s an unbiased way to show the results.
In paid advertising
Great visuals are required for display campaigns. A before-and-after set is the perfect way to catch the eye of your target audience.
Scrollers will pause when they see your photos and look for the differences themselves. A strong photo will always speak louder than any catchy headline for your product.
On social media
Social media platforms have raised the bar on content quality.
Before and after photos meet this quality check. Use your photos on social media to capture the attention of people who have been interested in and following your brand but needed that final push to make the purchase.
Remember, it’s important to cite your source with before and after photos across all of these channels so that your consumers know you stand behind your product in a clinical trial. Otherwise, consumers might just assume the photos were provided by a happy customer or gathered from a review.
Get your before and after photos for your brand
Before and after photos in clinical research serve as a powerful tool to showcase the efficacy of your wellness product.
By comparing the photos side by side, the observable changes in skin condition, body shape, hair growth, and other relevant aspects are visually demonstrated.
Incorporating before and after photos into your study enhances transparency, instills confidence in the outcomes, and takes your study to the next level by introducing undeniable data to support participants' experiences and product claims.
Contact us today to find out how you can add this element to your next study.