3D scalp scanning with LiDAR on iPhone: how it works in the clinic

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3D scanning is the starting point for several TrichoSuite features: it measures the real area of each zone, feeds the graft calculator and lets you compare the state of the scalp between visits.

How it is done

1. Capture. With the iPhone or iPad app in the clinic, you move around the patient's head with the LiDAR sensor and Apple Object Capture.
2. On-device reconstruction. The model is built on the phone itself in a few minutes. Only the finished model travels to the server, not the capture photos.
3. Linking. The model attaches to the session and the patient record and can be opened in the clinical portal's browser.
4. Zone marking. In the portal, the professional marks zones with brush, lasso or rectangle and the system calculates their area in cm².
5. Saving. The marking is archived in the record with the recipient area and suggested follicular units, and you can download the analysis or share a link.

Comparing visits

Each scan is tagged with its session type (initial assessment, pre-surgery, surgery or follow-up). The comparison view shows two scans side by side, with the days between them and the quality of each capture, and lets you export the comparison. At least two scans of the same patient are required.

Requirements

• iPhone or iPad with a LiDAR sensor and an A14 chip or later, running iOS 17 or higher: iPhone 12 Pro onwards (non-Pro models have no LiDAR) and iPad Pro with M1 or later. The app checks on launch and warns if the device is not suitable.
• The clinical portal runs in any browser; nothing to install on the computer.

What it does not do

• It does not replace the surgeon's assessment: the measured area and unit count are a working reference.
• It is not a simulation of the outcome. It is a measurement of the current state.
• Capture quality depends on lighting and movement; the app shows a quality score and you can repeat the scan.

Which plans include it

Starter (from EUR 199/month, VAT not included) includes 30 scans a month; Professional (EUR 499/month), 100; and Group (EUR 1199/month), unlimited. Extra scans on Starter and Professional cost EUR 1 each. Current prices are on the pricing page.

Which pain it addresses

Quoting from a measurement instead of an eyeballed estimate, and leaving an objective reference for follow-ups: see The quote that never closes and The cost of a scattered patient record. The natural next step is the graft calculator by zone. For sector context, 3D technology in hair clinics.