This information will help you take a picture of the wound or incision (surgical cut) on your breast(s) to show your healthcare provider. Sending a clear picture will help them see how you’re healing or if there are any problems with the area.
Take the picture
Figure 1. Picture of the front of both breasts
This picture should show the front of both breasts. It should include your shoulders down to just above your belly button (see Figure 1). You may need to have someone take the picture for you.
To take the picture:
- Stand in front of a clean, solid-colored background, such as a wall or door.
- Stand about 2 feet (0.6 meters) away from the camera.
- Position your phone or camera so the picture will be wider than it is tall. This is called a horizontal picture.
Tips for Taking Pictures
The tips in this section will help you take better pictures to share with your healthcare provider.
It’s best to take the pictures in the same place with the same lighting and background each time. This helps your healthcare provider compare them to one another.
Set up the background
Make sure there’s no clutter in the background of your picture. A solid-color background will make your pictures clearer. If you don’t have solid-color background, hang a solid-color bed sheet or cloth and use it as a background for your pictures.
Plan the lighting
- Turn on the flash on your camera or phone. The flash will give you the light you need.
- Make sure light is shining directly on the area you’re taking a picture of. If something is in the way of the light, it can cause shadows in the picture. Make sure there are no shadows on your breasts.
Take the picture
- Point the camera directly at the area you’re taking a picture of.
- Hold the camera still while taking the picture.
- If you’re using your phone, look at the area you’re taking a picture of on the screen. Tap the screen to make your camera focus.
- When you’re ready, take the pictures. Remember to take all the views your healthcare provider asked for.
- Check each picture to make sure it’s clear. If any of your pictures look blurry or don’t show the right area, take that picture again. Don’t edit the picture.
Send Your Picture Using MSK MyChart
If you do not have a MSK MyChart account, visit mskmychart.mskcc.org, call 646-227-2593, or call your doctor’s office. You may need to send more than one message to share them all with your healthcare provider.
Using the MSK MyChart website
To send the pictures using MSK MyChart on your computer:
- Save your pictures to your computer. One way to do this is to use your phone to email the pictures to yourself, open the email on your computer, and save the pictures.
- Open your internet browser. Type in mskmychart.mskcc.org and log in to your MSK MyChart account.
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Click “Messages” on home page.
- You can also click “Menu” at the top left.
- Scroll down to Communication and select “Messages.”
- Click “Send a message.”
- A new window will appear. Click “Ask a medical question.”
- Click “Brief medical question.” If your care team told you to use a different subject, choose that one instead.
- Choose the doctor and care team to send the message to.
- Click “Subject” and enter the reason for your message.
- Click “Enter you message…” and write a message to your care team.
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Click “Attach.” Open the folder where your picture is saved and click on your picture. Then click the “Open” button. Repeat this step for each picture.
- MSK MyChart only lets you send a certain number of pictures at a time. You may need to send more than one message to share them all with your healthcare provider.
- When your message is ready, click the “Send” button.
Using the MSK MyChart app
To send pictures using the MSK MyChart app on your smartphone or tablet:
- Make sure your pictures are saved on your smartphone or tablet.
- Tap the MSK MyChart app icon. Log in to your MSK MyChart account.
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Tap “Messages” on home screen.
- You can also select “Menu” at the top left. In the MSK MyChart mobile app, “Menu” appears as 3 lines at the top left.
- Scroll down to Communication and select “Messages.”
- Tap “Send a message.”
- Tap “Ask a medical question.”
- Tap “Brief medical question.” If your care team told you to use a different subject, choose that one instead
- Choose the doctor and care team to send the message to.
- Tap “Subject” and enter the reason for your message.
- Tap “Enter you message…”and write a message to your care team.
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Tap “Attach” at the bottom of the screen. Choose “Photo.” Tap the photos to attach to your message. Tap “Done” in the upper right corner of your screen.
- MSK MyChart only lets you send a certain number of pictures at a time. You may need to send more than one message to share them all with your healthcare provider.
- When your message is ready, tap “Send” in the lower right corner of your screen.
The messages you send using MSK MyChart are encrypted. That means no one but your MSK care team can see them.