No one would dispute the fact that medical images are an integral part of our specialty. An article without clinical photographs in a scientific journal is inconceivable in dermatology. In our daily practice, however, we tend not to attach great importance to photography, either from the technical standpoint or from the point of view of the ethical, legal, and psychosocial framework.

Consequently, the time has perhaps come to consider the issue of clinical photography from the point of view of the patient, a task undertaken by the authors of a study published in this issue.1 Their findings indicate that most patients do not mind being photographed for medical purposes and understand the usefulness of clinical photography. However, when the lesions are located on the face or genitals or when the photograph is taken by someone other than the dermatologist, they are more reticent about giving their consent.

Another aspect that requires our attention is the need to obtain written informed consent from our patients (a practice currently not common among Spanish dermatologists) and where to store these images. In effect, the photographs form part of the patient's clinical record and should, therefore, be stored with that data and not on devices owned by the dermatologist (mobile phones, personal computers, or external hard disks). Our institutions should provide the necessary technology for storing clinical images (and accessing them when necessary) in a secure environment that complies with current legislation, but this will not happen unless we, as dermatologists, call for a solution and make it a priority.