A real person reads every word.

Stuck on setup, or wondering how a number was read? Most answers are below, and anything else goes straight to a person.

Common questions

How do I get a skin score?

Open the Skin tab and start a capture. The guided view coaches your light and framing and asks you to confirm clean skin. When everything turns green, the shutter lights up. Tap it and your screen flashes white, so the light is the same every time. Nothing is ever captured on its own. Afterwards you decide whether to send it for scoring, because taking a photo and scoring it are separate choices.

Why did my skin score change between two captures?

Scores shift between captures for ordinary reasons: lighting, angle, expression and normal variation in the analysis itself. That's why Understory standardizes every shot, and why a re-capture within two weeks is labeled capture variation. The real story shows up month over month.

How many skin scores can I run?

Eight scored captures per rolling 30 days. Photos you take and keep on your phone are unlimited, and the limit only counts photos you send for analysis. Even a weekly capture fits inside it, though month over month is where your real trend shows.

Where are my skin photos stored?

On your phone, inside the app's private storage and out of your camera roll. They are included in your own encrypted device backup, so a new phone restores them. Face ID (or your passcode) is required to view them. You can view or delete them any time from the Skin tab. If you choose to score a photo, it is sent encrypted to our analysis partner, which returns the metrics; the image is handled under the partner's own privacy policy and is never stored on our servers. We keep the derived numbers, never your pictures.

How do I add lab results?

Tap Add labs in Health → Labs. Import results from the Health app on your iPhone if your clinic or lab connects there, or add a photo or PDF of a results page. Understory reads every marker and grades it against its evidence-based performance band where one exists, and against your lab's own reference range where it doesn't. You see every value it read and confirm each one before anything enters your record. A long panel takes a few seconds, and the screen shows its progress as it reads.

Which wearables are supported?

Today Understory reads your heart-rate variability, resting heart rate, sleep and related signals through the Health app on your iPhone, with your permission and on your device. Direct Oura and Whoop connections are in progress, and the app labels them clearly until they go live.

How do I delete my data or my account?

Profile → Delete account removes your record from our servers. Skin photos live on your phone and are removed with the app, or individually from the Skin tab at any time. Your data is never sold and never used for advertising.

Is Understory medical advice?

No. Understory organizes your own measurements and shows how they relate, with the strength of the evidence stated on every insight. It does not diagnose, treat, prescribe or dose. Your doctor makes the medical decisions, so talk with them before you change anything about your care.

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