The most common photo rejection reason is glare from overhead lighting, which affects 23% of first-session photos uploaded to myhairline.ai. Every rejection includes a specific reason code that tells you exactly what went wrong and how to fix it in under 30 seconds.
This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice.
Understanding Why Photos Get Rejected
myhairline.ai uses Google's MediaPipe Face Mesh to map 468 facial landmarks for Norwood classification. When the AI cannot reliably detect these landmarks, it rejects the photo rather than producing an inaccurate reading. This quality gate protects your tracking data from unreliable data points that would corrupt your trend line.
A rejected photo is not a failure. It is the system working correctly by refusing to generate data from an image that would not produce a trustworthy result.
Rejection Reason: Glare or Hot Spots
What it means: Bright reflections on the forehead, scalp, or temples are washing out the skin surface detail that the AI needs for landmark detection.
What causes it: Overhead ceiling lights (especially recessed bathroom lights), camera flash, direct sunlight hitting the scalp at a steep angle.
How to fix it:
- Turn off overhead lights
- Face a window for natural, even front-lighting
- If using artificial light, position the lamp at eye level in front of you
- If overhead light is unavoidable, tilt your chin down 10 to 15 degrees to redirect the reflection away from the camera
| Lighting Setup | Glare Risk | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|
| Bathroom ceiling lights | High (most common cause) | Avoid or tilt chin |
| Ring light at eye level | Low | Good option |
| Natural window light | Very low | Best option |
| Camera flash | High | Always disable |
| Desk lamp behind camera | Low | Good option |
Rejection Reason: Face Not Fully Visible
What it means: The AI cannot detect enough facial landmarks because part of your face is outside the frame or blocked.
What causes it: Camera too close (cropping forehead or chin), hair falling over forehead, hand or phone partially blocking the face, sunglasses or hat.
How to fix it:
- Hold the camera at arm's length or use a timer with the phone on a stand
- Pull all hair back from the forehead, temples, and face
- Remove glasses, hats, headbands, or any accessory covering the hairline
- Center your face in the frame with visible space above your forehead
The AI needs to see your complete hairline from temple to temple. If any portion of the frontal hairline is obscured, the Norwood classification will be unreliable.
Rejection Reason: Insufficient Resolution
What it means: The image resolution is too low for accurate landmark detection. The AI requires at least 720p (1280x720 pixels) with the face occupying a significant portion of the frame.
What causes it: Old phone camera, heavy digital zoom, screenshot of a video call, compressed image from messaging apps.
How to fix it:
- Use your phone's native camera app (not a messaging app camera)
- Avoid digital zoom, which degrades resolution
- Move closer physically rather than zooming in digitally
- Check your camera settings: ensure photo resolution is set to the highest available
- Do not send the photo through a messaging app before uploading (WhatsApp, iMessage, and similar apps compress images)
Rejection Reason: Extreme Angle
What it means: The camera angle distorts the apparent hairline position, which would produce an inaccurate Norwood reading.
What causes it: Selfie taken from below chin level (common when holding phone low), photo taken from above, head tilted significantly to one side.
How to fix it:
- Hold the camera at eye level, directly in front of your face
- Keep your head straight with your chin level (not tilted up or down)
- Look directly at the camera lens
- If using a mirror selfie, ensure the phone is at forehead height
A 15-degree deviation from straight-on can shift your apparent hairline position by several millimeters, which is enough to change a borderline Norwood classification by one stage.
Rejection Reason: Inconsistent Lighting (Shadows)
What it means: Shadows on one side of the face or across the forehead create false contours that confuse landmark detection.
What causes it: Single light source from one side, window light hitting only half the face, mixed lighting (warm lamp on one side, cool daylight on the other).
How to fix it:
- Use two light sources on either side of the camera for balanced illumination
- Face a large window that provides broad, diffused light
- Avoid mixed color temperatures (keep all lights the same type)
- If using one lamp, bounce it off a white wall behind the camera for softer, more even coverage
Quick Fix Reference Table
| Rejection Code | Most Likely Cause | 30-Second Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Glare/hot spots | Overhead bathroom light | Turn off ceiling light, face window |
| Face not visible | Hair over forehead | Pull hair back, remove accessories |
| Low resolution | Messaging app camera | Use native camera app |
| Extreme angle | Phone held too low | Raise phone to eye level |
| Shadow patterns | Side lighting | Face a window head-on |
| Multiple faces | Other person in frame | Retake alone |
| Blurry image | Camera shake | Use timer, brace phone |
Building a Rejection-Proof Setup
The fastest way to eliminate rejections is to create a repeatable photo station. Find one spot in your home that meets all the criteria and use it every time.
Ideal setup:
- Stand facing a window during daylight hours (or face a lamp at eye level at night)
- Phone mounted on a tripod or propped at eye height
- Timer set to 3 seconds so you can position yourself and hold still
- Hair dry, unstyled, pulled back from forehead
- No accessories on head or face
Once you establish this setup, your rejection rate drops to near zero. Most users experience rejections only during their first or second session before they find the right spot and lighting.
For a detailed walkthrough of the full photo protocol, see the guide to consistent hair loss progress photos. And for advanced lighting techniques, the hair loss tracking lighting guide covers every scenario from apartments to hotel rooms.
Get your first successful density reading today at myhairline.ai/analyze.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Consult a dermatologist for personalized hair loss assessment.