Regarding some recent before/after pictures of a patient presented by Dr. Nigam, many people are complaining two different people were used.
Personally, I believe it to be the same person in both shots, but I can understand why many people have doubts. Like many of Dr. Nigam’s photos, the quality, lighting, angle, etc. is very different in the before and after shots.
In the particular set of photos that’s generating so many complaints and doubts lately, the patient’s complexion looks darker in the “before” shot, and a bit “lighter” in the after shot, leading some viewers to believe they’re two different people.
Of course, that can be attributed to differences in lighting between the two shots. And of course, this is bad photographic techinique.
However, another thing which hasn’t been mentioned is that in the “before” shot, the patient’s nose is NOT EVEN VISIBLE, whereas in the “after” shot, his nose is not only visible, but prominent. This is true despite the fact that his head appears to be tilted at almost the exact same angle in both pictures!
Which just shows how poor the photographic technique and standards are.
I can understand why there’s so much doubt about this set of photos because if the patient’s nose isn’t visible in the first shot, but looks prominent in the second shot, and the head is tilted the same in both, with the other landmarks like hairline, ears, etc., being about the same, all that would indicate it is in fact two different people.
I believe Dr. Nigam, through his use of poor photographic techniques and low standards for before/after photos, is shooting himself in the foot. He is hurting his own credibility.
Please note that I am not defending Dr. Nigam here. I am not 100% convinced of the efficacy of his procedures, the quality of his HT and HM work, or even his total honesty. You can believe that if I find enough evidence that he is lying or misrepresenting the facts about his procedures or his results, I will lose interest in Dr. Nigam.
But this applies not only to Dr. Nigam, but to ALL doctors in this field.
HT and HM technologies have advanced. With more extraordinary claims, more extraordinary evidence is required. Video technology has advanced, too. We can now shoot quality video with small digital cameras and our smart phones.
There is no excuse, then, that HT doctors still present only still photographs as evidence of their claims.
The new standard should be video. Potential patients should demand before-and-after videos, where patients’ hair in the before and after videos is seen from different angles, parted with a comb, brushed, etc. We should be able to see video close-ups of the hairline, crown, etc., in such a way that the true density and quality of the work can be objectively assessed.
The technology is there. We’re no longer living in the age where still photographs are the standard. We’re living in the age of YouTube, where videos can easily be recorded shared instantly and globally via the internet.
Why are HT doctors still using still photos for before/after comparisons?
Prospective patients should demand video before and after comparisons for every case shown.