Everyone loves a good set of before and after photos. It represents so much more than results. It means that if she can do it, so can you.  It’s that small voice telling you your goal is within reach. It’s motivation and inspiration rolled into one.

Marketing teams realize this, which explains why you’re seeing more and more of these side-by-side photos in advertisements and on packaging for everything from cellulite products, weight loss systems and hair care items.

But are they all legitimate? That’s a question you can answer yourself — if you know what to look for.

I recently came across before and after photos for a peel that showed remarkable improvement. Upon closer examination, though, I could see they used a trick. In the “before” picture the subject was smiling. In the “after” picture, no smile.

Call me crazy, but, wouldn’t she have more to smile about after getting the results she wanted? They had her smile before because a nice grin will exacerbate crows feet and wrinkles faster than a magnifying mirror.

Clinical before and after photos should be taken with a digital ultra-high resolution camera that provides credible photo documentation. Respectable clinicians and aestheticians know this and refuse to use trickery. To see whether a real difference was made, all makeup has to be removed. Even lipstick. That’s rule number one. And, hair should be pulled back with a headband so that it’s not a distraction. You want the focus to be the results, not some other measure of vanity.

Sometimes the manipulation is a little more subtle, like lighting. Some before photos are taken under harsh, fluorescent lights and then the after picture switches to more flattering, incandescent lighting that any demanding diva in Hollywood could approve of.

Coincidence? We think not. And neither should you. Deceptive marketing tactics mean nothing if you know enough to know better.  And remember, smart consumerism only gets you closer to a fabulous “after” shot of your own.