Smartphone Photography in Plastic Surgery: Advancements, Ethics, and Best Practices

Abstract

The extensive integration of smartphone photography has tremendously influenced plastic surgery, providing unmatched convenience, accessibility, and image quality. This comprehensive review explores the various applications of smartphone technology in the care of plastic surgery patients, from preoperative planning to postoperative monitoring. It emphasizes sophisticated smartphone camera capabilities and the potential for artificial intelligence-driven applications. However, using smartphones gives rise to noteworthy ethical considerations, requiring the implementation of solid regulations, adherence to guidelines, and personnel training to guarantee patient privacy and data security. This article is a valuable resource for healthcare professionals seeking to integrate smartphone photography into their practices while navigating the complex ethical landscape of digital imaging in healthcare. Level of Evidence: 5 (Risk).

Figure 1.

Understanding zoom technologies: optical vs digital zoom. (A) Optical zoom maintains image quality as it is not dependent on resolution, allowing you to zoom in on distant subjects without loss of clarity. (B) Digital zoom relies on resolution, cropping a portion of the image and enlarging it, which can result in a loss of image quality and pixelation.

Figure 2.

Tap to focus. (A) AE/AF OPEN. (B) AE/AF CLOSED. To adjust focus, tap the square over the subject (in this case operative field). To disable the AE/AF lock, tap and hold on the subject until the AE/AF lock icon appears. Tap the icon again to unlock the settings.

Figure 3.

Smartphone utilization in surgical photography: techniques and best practices. (A) A surgical team member holding a smartphone using it to capture photographs in the operating room. (B) The optimal position features the arms close to the body and elbows tucked in while holding a smartphone to achieve stable photography. (C) A specialized surgical photography setup utilizes a tripod for stability, along with a smartphone and lighting to capture high-quality images of surgical procedures.

Figure 4.

Macro mode activation indicator A flower-shaped icon appears in the viewfinder. (A) When illuminated in yellow, it indicates that macro mode is activated; (B) when not illuminated, the camera is in its standard mode for regular photography. A close-up of the field highlights the distinction between macro and standard modes.

Figure 5.

Enhanced low-light photography: night mode and extended shutter speed night mode extends the shutter speed to allow more light to be captured, resulting in brighter and more detailed photographs. (A) Night mode autoflash off. (B) Night mode autoflash on.

Figure 6.

The exposure triangle—aperture, shutter speed, and ISO. Aperture controls the depth of field and light entry, shutter speed determines exposure time and motion capture, and ISO adjusts light sensitivity, balancing image clarity with noise. This figure originally appeared within WClarke and Samsara (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Exposure_triangle_-_aperture, _shutter_speed_and_ISO.svg) under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license, which permits reproduction of the image with proper attribution to the original work.

Figure 7.

Exposure comparison: illustrating overexposure, underexposure, and ideal exposure. The bottom right corner illustrates a photograph with extreme overexposure, resulting in an excessively bright image. In contrast, the top left corner depicts extreme underexposure, where the image appears overly dark. The top right square represents the ideal exposure in this context.

Figure 8.

Comparison of HDR+ and standard mode: image quality differences. The image on the left was captured with HDR+ turned off, while the image on the right was taken with HDR+ enabled. The HDR+ photo is noticeably brighter, cleaner, and sharper, revealing significantly more detail in the subject's hair and eyelashes. HDR, high dynamic range.