Support
Last updated 2026-10-04
Answers to the questions we hear most. Can't find yours? Email viral.b.tandel@gmail.com.
Worried right now? If you have sudden heavy shedding, round bald patches, or a red, painful or itchy scalp, do not wait for an app. See a dermatologist this week.
Using StrandScout
How does a check-in work?
Pick the scale that fits (Norwood for the usual male pattern, Ludwig for the usual female pattern; you can switch later in Settings). Take four photos: front, left temple, right temple and crown, with a faint ghost of last month's photo over the camera so the angle matches. Answer two quick questions about shedding. The photos are read, and in a few seconds you get a stage as a range, a coverage score for each zone, the findings the AI can see, a comparison with your last check-in, and one of four verdicts. Every check-in is saved to your timeline on your phone.
What do the four verdicts mean?
Looks stable: nothing in these photos points to a change. Keep the monthly photo habit.
Keep watching: early signs, or a stage worth a photo every month. Nothing to act on yet; the 3-month comparison will say more.
Changing: something has moved since an earlier check-in, in the same zone, in photos that line up. Book a dermatologist in the next few weeks.
See a dermatologist: a red flag was seen or reported, such as patchy loss, an inflamed scalp or sudden heavy shedding. Book this week.
A safety layer can only raise the verdict, never lower it. Your first check-in is a baseline, so it can never read Changing.
What is the stage?
A position on the Norwood scale (1, 2, 2A, 3, 3V, 4, 5, 6, 7) or the Ludwig scale (I, II, III), given as a range with a confidence level because even dermatologists staging the same photos often land on neighboring stages. A read that flips between two neighbors from one month to the next is normal noise. The Norwood scale checker shows every diagram.
What is the coverage score?
A 0 to 100 estimate of how much hair covers each of five zones (front hairline, left temple, right temple, mid scalp, crown), plus an overall figure, so you can see direction over months. It is a guide for you, not a medical measurement.
Does it work for women?
Yes. Pick the Ludwig scale in onboarding. The part and the top are the clue in female pattern loss, so the crown photo matters more. The Guide has an article on hair loss in women, and the site has a women's hub.
Why does the crown photo have a timer?
Because the crown is the one zone you cannot see in a mirror. The 3-second timer lets you hold the phone above your head; a second mirror or a helper works too. You can skip it, but it is the photo most worth the trouble.
How do I take photos the app can trust?
Same room, same light, every month. Daylight from a window or a plain ceiling light. No flash.
Same distance: line the ghost overlay up on your eyebrows, ears or the top of your head.
Dry, unstyled hair, no product, parted in the same place.
No hat marks: wait half an hour after a hat or helmet.
The photo guide has the full checklist.
How many free check-ins do I get?
2 in total: a baseline and one comparison. The timeline and the full guide stay free, with or without Pro.
How do I make a report for my dermatologist?
With StrandScout Pro, open Today and tap Dermatologist report. Choose the last 3, 6 or 12 months, or everything, with or without photos. The PDF is made on your phone and shared through the iOS share sheet.
Accuracy and safety
How accurate is StrandScout?
An honest answer: StrandScout gives an AI estimate from photos, not a diagnosis. It looks at what a photo can show, like the shape of the hairline, the depth of the corners, and how much scalp shows at the crown and along the part. It cannot see miniaturized hairs the way a dermatologist's magnifier can, it cannot tell shedding from pattern loss on one photo, and it cannot see a thyroid or iron problem. Lighting, wet hair, a fresh haircut and head tilt can all fool it. Use it as a consistent pair of eyes that remembers what your head looked like 3 and 6 months ago, not as the final word.
Is this a diagnosis?
No. StrandScout is not a doctor and not a medical device. It does not identify, name or rule out any condition, and it does not recommend any medicine, product or dose. A dermatologist can confirm what is going on.
Why does the app ask what I already use?
So the read knows what to expect. Some things cause a shedding phase in the first weeks and take 6 to 12 months to judge. The checklist uses generic names only, as labels you can tick, and the app never suggests starting, stopping or changing anything. That is a conversation for a dermatologist.
When should I see a dermatologist instead of taking another photo?
This week: sudden heavy shedding, smooth round bald patches, a red, painful, burning, itchy or scaly scalp, a shiny bald area with no pores, hair loss in a child, loss of eyebrows or lashes, or loss that began within months of a new medication (ask the prescriber; do not stop it on your own). In the next few weeks: a hairline that has moved a full stage against 3-month-old photos, a crown patch or a part that is clearly larger or wider than 3 months ago, shedding past 2 to 3 months, or the verdict reading Changing twice in a row.
Privacy and your data
Where do my photos go?
When you run a check-in, your photos travel over an encrypted connection to our server, which sends them to Google Gemini to be read and returns the result to your phone. We do not store photos on our servers; they are held in memory only for the request. The app asks for your OK, and names Google Gemini, before the first photo is sent. The full details are in our privacy policy.
Do I need an account?
No. There is no account, no login and no email address to give. StrandScout has no ads and no tracking.
Where is my timeline stored?
On your phone only. There is no copy on our servers, so if you delete the app, the timeline goes with it. If you move to a new iPhone, it comes along only if it is included in your own iPhone backup or transfer.
How do I delete my data?
In the app, open Settings and tap Delete my data. This erases your check-ins, photos, reads and notes from your phone and replaces the anonymous id with a new one. Deleting the app does the same. There are no photos or timelines on our servers to delete. If you would also like your purchase record removed from RevenueCat, our subscription service, email us.
Purchases
What does Pro cost?
$29.99 a year with a 7-day free trial for new subscribers, $4.99 a month, or $44.99 once for lifetime access, as of October 2026. These are US prices; prices in other countries are set through the App Store and may differ.
How do I restore purchases?
Open StrandScout, go to Settings or the Pro screen, and tap Restore purchases. Make sure you are signed in to the App Store with the same Apple ID you used to buy Pro.
How do I cancel my subscription?
On your iPhone, open Settings, tap your name, then Subscriptions, choose StrandScout and tap Cancel Subscription. Cancel at least 24 hours before the renewal date, or before the free trial ends, to avoid being charged. Pro stays on until the end of the period you paid for. Deleting the app does not cancel a subscription.
Can I get a refund?
Purchases are made through Apple, so refunds are handled by Apple. You can request one at reportaproblem.apple.com. If something went wrong, email us too and we will help where we can.
Contact
Email viral.b.tandel@gmail.com. Tell us your iPhone model, the app version (shown in the app's Settings) and what happened. Screenshots help. Photos of your hairline are optional.