Help with Understory
Questions, problems, or something that looks wrong in your record — write to us and a person will answer.
Email support
[email protected]We reply within two business days. If something in your data looks wrong, tell us what you saw and roughly when — we take accuracy seriously and will trace it.
Common questions
How do I get a skin score?
Open the Skin tab and start a capture. The guided view checks lighting, angle and distance, and asks you to confirm clean skin. When those turn green the shutter button lights up — you tap it, and your screen flashes white so the lighting is consistent every time. Nothing is captured automatically. Afterwards you choose whether to send it for scoring; capturing and scoring are separate decisions.
Why did my skin score change between two captures?
Skin scores move between captures for ordinary reasons — lighting, angle, expression, and normal variation in the analysis itself. That is why Understory standardizes the shot, and why we label a re-capture taken within two weeks as capture variation rather than a trend. Compare month over month, not day to day.
How many skin scores can I run?
Four scored captures per rolling 30 days. Photos you take and keep on your phone are unlimited — the limit applies only to sending one for analysis. A monthly cadence is well inside it, and it is what makes the trend meaningful.
Where are my skin photos stored?
On your phone, inside the app's private storage — not your camera roll, and excluded from iCloud backup. 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 and deletes the image within 24 hours. We keep the derived numbers, never your pictures.
How do I add lab results?
Use Upload on the Labs tab and send the PDF from your lab. Understory reads the markers, puts each one in range context, and shows you what it extracted so you can confirm before anything enters your record.
Which wearables are supported?
Today Understory reads from Apple Health — heart-rate variability, resting heart rate, sleep and related signals — with your permission, on your device. Direct Oura and Whoop connections are in progress; until they are live the app says so rather than showing an inactive switch.
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 explains how they relate, with the strength of evidence stated. It does not diagnose, prescribe, or dose, and it is not a substitute for your clinician. Talk to a professional before changing anything about your care.
Read the privacy policy →Understory is a general-wellness and educational tool, not a medical device.