Use this guide from the beginning if you are setting up snApp for the first time, or jump to the task you need:
1. Before you start
Have the following ready:
A smartphone. snApp is designed to work with most smartphones.* The iPhone app requires iOS 16.0 or later. For Android, open the Google Play listing on your device to check compatibility.
A dermoscope or lens and a suitable phone case adapter. Microscopic scalp imaging requires an attached optical device. We recommend using a phone case adapter rather than a clip, as it provides a more stable connection.
A calibration target. Use the supplied calibration pattern or the calibration screen available in snApp on another phone.
An internet connection for account setup and uploading examinations.
*Most standard smartphones and optical devices are supported, although compatibility may vary in some uncommon cases.
TrichoLAB offers the DE-500 dermoscope. If you already own a different dermoscope, confirm that your phone, adapter and dermoscope work together before starting. You can purchase the DE-500 after logging in.
How snApp and LAB work together
Use snApp to capture images and organise them into patient examinations. Open TrichoLAB Platform to access backed-up examinations, available results and expert assessment requests.
2. Install snApp and sign in
Download TrichoLAB snApp:
New to TrichoLAB? Open snApp and follow the registration and free-trial activation instructions.
Already have a TrichoLAB account? Sign in using your existing account. If you work within a clinic, use the account associated with that clinic.
Allow camera access when prompted so that snApp can capture images.
Find your way around the home screen
The home screen offers four starting points:
Second Diagnostic Opinion
Disease-specific procedures
Open Mode
Custom procedures
Tap the ⓘ information icon beside an option to read its description before starting.
Above these options, the account panel shows the signed-in user, the credit balance, a Wi-Fi indicator and a cloud-upload control. The gear icon in the bottom-right corner opens Settings.
3. Attach and calibrate your dermoscope
Calibration establishes the image scale used for quantitative measurements. Complete it before using your setup for hair measurements.
Attach the dermoscope
Fit the adapter or phone case according to its manufacturer’s instructions.
Attach the dermoscope securely.
Check that the dermoscope is aligned with the camera used by snApp.
Check the camera preview before continuing.
The attachment method depends on your phone, adapter and dermoscope.
Run calibration
Open snApp and sign in.
Select Start Calibration when prompted during setup.
Use snApp’s calibration screen on another phone.
Position the dermoscope over the target and follow the on-screen instructions.
Complete the calibration process before starting an examination.
To access calibration again, open Settings using the gear icon in the bottom-right corner of the home screen.
Having trouble calibrating? See the troubleshooting section below.
4. Take your first examination
Choose your workflow, patient and procedure
On the home screen, choose Second Diagnostic Opinion, Disease-specific procedures, Open Mode or Custom procedures, according to the examination you want to perform.
Tap the ⓘ information icon if you need to check what an option includes.
Follow the workflow prompts to select an existing patient or create a new patient record.
Where a procedure selection is offered, choose the relevant procedure and read its description before beginning.
The selected workflow and procedure determine the views and images you need. Follow the instructions shown in the app for that examination.
Capture the requested images
Follow the prompt for the current image or scalp area.
Take overview photographs when the procedure requests them.
Attach the dermoscope when prompted for microscopic images.
Prepare the area and check the live image.
Capture the image and review it before moving on.
Complete the remaining views requested by the procedure.
Retake an image if important detail is blurred or obscured.
5. Check image quality
A useful trichoscopy image should show the scalp and the hairs emerging within the photographed area clearly.
Before accepting an image, check:
Hair separation: create a clear parting and move loose hairs away from the area you need to examine.
Framing: position the parting centrally, along the longer edge of the image.
Focus: check that the scalp and hairs near the scalp are sharp.
Visibility: avoid crossing hairs that obscure the structures being measured.
Stability: keep the phone and dermoscope steady during capture.
Use the dermoscope according to its manufacturer’s instructions and review the saved image, not only the live preview.
For more examples, see our guide to trichoscopy photo quality.
6. Save images, access results and use the TrichoLAB platform
TrichoLAB is a platform for capturing, storing and analysing trichoscopy images. It helps you keep examinations organised, compare results over time and access quantitative measurements and reports. The platform consists of two connected applications:
TrichoLAB snApp — the mobile application used to capture images during an examination, save them and upload them to the platform.
TrichoLAB Platform — the web application used to access uploaded examinations, review images and measurements, generate or view available reports and manage patient records.
To use the platform, log in with the account associated with your clinic or examination. Open TrichoLAB Platform in a web browser to access examinations and results. During image capture, use the TrichoLAB snApp application on the supported mobile device.
There are several separate stages between taking a photograph and receiving an assessment:
Stage | What it means |
Capture and save | You have taken an image and saved it as part of an examination in snApp. |
Upload | The image has been sent from snApp and is available in your TrichoLAB account. |
AI analysis | The image has been processed to produce quantitative measurements. |
Second Diagnostic Opinion | You have requested an additional assessment from a specialist. This is a separate service. |
These stages do not happen automatically at the same time. Check the relevant status before assuming that an image has been uploaded, analysed or reviewed by a specialist.
Upload an examination
After completing an examination in snApp, check whether any images or examinations are waiting to be uploaded.
The upload control on the home screen is represented by a cloud with an upward arrow. Open it to view the available upload options and the current status. If an examination is waiting for an internet connection, reconnect the device to the internet and follow the instructions shown in the application.
To confirm that an examination is available in LAB:
Open TrichoLAB Platform.
Sign in with the account associated with the examination.
Find the relevant patient.
Open the examination and check that the expected images are present.
Review measurements and reports
AI analysis provides measurements such as hair density and hair thickness. Open the examination’s available results to review them.
The results and report options depend on the examination and processing performed. For help understanding report content, see Understanding your TrichoLAB reports.
Once the images have been uploaded and processed, open the examination to review the available results. AI analysis may provide measurements such as hair density and hair thickness. Depending on the examination and the processing performed, you may also be able to view or generate reports.
To review results:
Open the patient record in TrichoLAB Platform.
Select the relevant examination.
Open the images, measurements or report options available for that examination.
Check that the results correspond to the correct patient, examination date and scalp area.
For help understanding the content of TrichoLAB reports, see Understanding your TrichoLAB reports.
7. Review previous examinations
Keep follow-up examinations under the existing patient record so that previous visits remain easy to find.
Before capturing a follow-up:
Open the patient’s previous examination.
Review the recorded areas and images.
Use the corresponding procedure and reproduce the earlier capture conditions.
Use available reference images or alignment tools to help position the new photographs.
Consistent areas, framing, magnification and lighting make comparisons more useful.
Use the existing patient record for follow-up examinations so that all visits, images and results remain together and can be compared over time.
Before capturing a follow-up examination:
Open the patient’s previous examination.
Review the recorded scalp areas, images and examination details.
Select the corresponding procedure and reproduce the earlier capture conditions.
Use available reference images or alignment tools to position the new photographs in the same way.
Keeping the same examination areas, framing, magnification and lighting makes comparisons more reliable and helps show changes over time.
Use the available tags to organise findings, conditions or treatments and make relevant examinations easier to locate.
8. Request a Second Diagnostic Opinion
A Second Diagnostic Opinion provides an additional assessment from a dermatologist experienced in trichoscopy.
This service is available separately using credits, during the free trial and after it ends.
To begin, select Second Diagnostic Opinion on the snApp home screen. Tap its ⓘ information icon to review the description, then follow the examination instructions.
Before submitting a request:
Complete the images required by the relevant examination protocol.
Review image quality.
Make sure the examination has uploaded.
Include the clinical information and question you want the specialist to consider.
Selecting the workflow is the start of the examination process. Follow the subsequent submission instructions to request the assessment.
Use TrichoLAB Platform to manage the expert assessment request and review the specialist’s findings when available.
For an explanation of report content, see TrichoLAB reports.
9. Understand your plan and credits
Your snApp plan and your expert-opinion credits cover different services.
Item | What it covers |
Backed-up images | Examination photographs stored in your TrichoLAB account. |
AI analyses | Image processing that produces quantitative hair measurements. |
Expert-opinion credits | Separately requested specialist assessments. |
The free trial includes 20 backed-up images and 5 AI analyses. A Second Diagnostic Opinion is purchased separately using credits.
Your credit balance appears beside the coin icon in the home-screen account panel.
Visit your TrichoLAB account to review the available plan options. For current plan details and prices, see the snApp product page.
10. Troubleshooting and support
Problem | What to check |
I cannot sign in. | Check that you are using the correct account details. If you belong to a clinic and are unsure which account to use, contact your clinic administrator or TrichoLAB support. |
I am unsure which home-screen option to choose. | Tap the ⓘ information icon beside Second Diagnostic Opinion, Disease-specific procedures, Open Mode or Custom procedures to read its description. |
The camera preview is unavailable. | Check that snApp has permission to use the camera in your phone’s settings. |
The dermoscope image is cut off or off-centre. | Check the adapter position and alignment with the camera used by snApp. |
Calibration will not complete. | Check the target, focus and mounting alignment. Follow the current calibration prompts. If the problem continues, note the step and any message shown. |
My images are blurred or difficult to assess. | Review the image-quality checklist. Improve the parting, remove obstructing hairs and stabilise the device before retaking the image. |
An examination has not uploaded. | Check the internet connection, the cloud-upload control on the home screen and any upload messages. Follow the app’s prompts for pending examinations. |
I cannot find an examination in LAB. | Check that you are signed in to the correct account, looking at the correct patient and that the upload has completed. |
I can see images but no measurements or expert opinion. | Check whether analysis or expert assessment has been requested and completed. Uploading images, analysing them and requesting an opinion are separate stages. |
Still need help?
Contact TrichoLAB at [email protected].
Include your phone model, operating-system version, snApp version, the step where the problem occurs and the exact error message. If you attach a screenshot, hide patient-identifying information.