GDPR gives EU users the right to access, correct, delete, and port their health data. Hair loss tracking data, including scalp photos, density measurements, and treatment histories, qualifies as health-related personal data under GDPR, which means it receives the highest level of protection. Here is exactly what that means for your myhairline.ai account.
Why Hair Loss Tracking Data Gets Special Protection
Under GDPR, personal data is categorized by sensitivity level. Standard personal data (name, email) receives baseline protection. Health data receives enhanced protection because it reveals information about a person's physical condition.
Hair loss tracking data falls into the health data category for several reasons:
- Scalp photos reveal a medical condition (hair loss pattern)
- Density measurements quantify a health-related metric
- Treatment logs record medical interventions (finasteride, minoxidil, PRP)
- Surgical tracking documents medical procedures (FUE, FUT, DHI)
This classification means myhairline.ai must meet stricter processing requirements under GDPR Article 9, which governs special categories of personal data.
| Data Type | GDPR Category | Protection Level |
|---|---|---|
| Name, email, account info | Standard personal data | Baseline GDPR protection |
| Scalp photos | Special category (health) | Enhanced protection |
| Density measurements | Special category (health) | Enhanced protection |
| Treatment history | Special category (health) | Enhanced protection |
| Norwood classification | Special category (health) | Enhanced protection |
| Device and browser info | Standard personal data | Baseline GDPR protection |
Your Seven GDPR Rights
As a European user, GDPR grants you seven specific rights over your tracking data. Here is what each right means in practical terms for your myhairline.ai data.
Right 1: Access (Article 15)
You can request a complete copy of all data myhairline.ai holds about you. This includes:
- All uploaded photos
- All density measurements and analysis results
- Your tracking timeline and progress reports
- Account information and preferences
- Any AI-generated classifications or predictions
- Metadata (upload dates, device information, IP logs)
How to exercise: Submit an access request through your account settings. myhairline.ai must respond within 30 days with a downloadable copy of your data.
Right 2: Rectification (Article 16)
You can correct any inaccurate data in your account. If myhairline.ai's AI misclassified your Norwood stage, recorded an incorrect treatment, or associated wrong dates with your photos, you can request correction.
How to exercise: Use the in-app data correction feature or contact support. Corrections must be processed without undue delay.
Right 3: Erasure, the Right to Be Forgotten (Article 17)
You can request permanent deletion of all your data. This is the most powerful GDPR right and the one most relevant to health data.
When you exercise this right, myhairline.ai must delete:
- All scalp photos from all storage systems
- All density measurements and analysis data
- Your tracking history and reports
- Account credentials and personal information
- Backup copies within the compliance window
- Any AI training data derived from your photos (if applicable)
How to exercise: Submit a deletion request through account settings or email. Deletion must be completed within 30 days. You will receive confirmation when all data is removed.
Important exception: myhairline.ai may retain anonymized, aggregated data that cannot identify you. For example, average density statistics across user groups may be retained if your individual data is fully anonymized.
Right 4: Data Portability (Article 20)
You can download all your data in a machine-readable format (typically JSON or CSV) and transfer it to another service. This prevents vendor lock-in and gives you control over your tracking history.
What you receive:
- Photos in original resolution
- Density measurements in structured data format (CSV/JSON)
- Tracking timeline with dates and values
- Treatment logs
- AI analysis results
How to exercise: Use the data export function in your account settings. The export should be available within 30 days of request.
Right 5: Restriction of Processing (Article 18)
You can ask myhairline.ai to stop processing your data while keeping it stored. This is useful if you dispute the accuracy of your data or want to pause AI analysis without deleting your account.
Practical example: You notice your density readings seem inaccurate. You request restriction while the issue is investigated. myhairline.ai stores your data but stops running AI analysis on it until the dispute is resolved.
Right 6: Object to Processing (Article 21)
You can object to specific types of data processing. For example, you can allow myhairline.ai to store your photos for personal tracking but object to your data being used for AI model training or statistical analysis.
How to exercise: Adjust your processing consent preferences in account settings. You can selectively opt out of non-essential processing activities while maintaining core tracking functionality.
Right 7: Breach Notification (Article 33 and 34)
If a data breach affects your information, myhairline.ai must notify the relevant supervisory authority within 72 hours and notify you directly without undue delay if the breach poses a high risk to your rights.
What a notification includes:
- Nature of the breach
- Categories of data affected
- Approximate number of users affected
- Likely consequences
- Steps taken to address the breach
- Recommendations for protecting yourself
How myhairline.ai Complies with GDPR
Data Storage Location
myhairline.ai stores European user data on EU-hosted servers. Data centers are located in Frankfurt, Germany and Amsterdam, Netherlands. Your photos and tracking data do not leave the European Economic Area (EEA) unless you explicitly consent to a cross-border transfer.
Legal Basis for Processing
GDPR requires a legal basis for processing personal data. For health-related tracking data, myhairline.ai relies on:
- Explicit consent (Article 9(2)(a)): You explicitly consent to processing your health data when you create an account and upload photos.
- Contract performance (Article 6(1)(b)): Processing is necessary to provide the tracking service you signed up for.
You can withdraw consent at any time. Withdrawing consent does not affect the lawfulness of processing that occurred before withdrawal.
Data Minimization
GDPR requires collecting only the data necessary for the stated purpose. myhairline.ai collects:
- Required: Photos, basic account info (email), consent records
- Optional: Treatment logs, surgeon information, Norwood self-assessment
- Not collected: Financial data, social security numbers, unrelated health information
Retention Periods
Your data is retained as long as your account is active. After account deletion or a deletion request, data is removed within 30 days from all primary systems and within 90 days from encrypted backups.
| Data Type | Active Account | After Deletion Request |
|---|---|---|
| Photos | Retained | Deleted within 30 days |
| Tracking data | Retained | Deleted within 30 days |
| Account info | Retained | Deleted within 30 days |
| Encrypted backups | Included | Purged within 90 days |
| Anonymized aggregates | Retained | Not affected (no personal data) |
GDPR vs Other Privacy Regulations
European users benefit from the strongest data protection framework globally. Here is how GDPR compares to other regulations that may apply to hair loss tracking apps.
| Feature | GDPR (EU) | CCPA (California) | PIPEDA (Canada) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Right to deletion | Yes, within 30 days | Yes, within 45 days | Yes, reasonable time |
| Data portability | Yes, machine-readable | Limited | Limited |
| Breach notification | 72 hours to authority | Without unreasonable delay | As soon as feasible |
| Health data special rules | Yes, enhanced protection | No special category | Sensitive data rules |
| Fines for violations | Up to 4% global revenue | $7,500 per violation | $100,000 per violation |
| Right to restrict processing | Yes | No | Limited |
Practical Steps for European Users
When You Create an Account
- Review the privacy policy and understand what data is collected
- Note your consent options and select only what you are comfortable with
- Verify that data storage location is listed as EU-based
- Save a copy of your consent record
During Active Tracking
- Regularly export your data using the portability feature (quarterly recommended)
- Review your processing consent settings annually
- Monitor for breach notifications from myhairline.ai
- Contact the Data Protection Officer with any questions or concerns
When You Want to Leave
- Export all your data first using the portability feature
- Submit a deletion request
- Confirm receipt of your request
- Follow up after 30 days to verify deletion is complete
- Request written confirmation that all data, including backups, has been removed
Data Protection Officer Contact
Under GDPR, companies processing health data at scale must appoint a Data Protection Officer (DPO). The DPO serves as your point of contact for all privacy-related questions and requests.
Reach the myhairline.ai DPO through:
- The in-app privacy settings page
- The privacy section of the website
- Direct email to the DPO address listed in the privacy policy
FAQ
What are my GDPR rights regarding my hair loss tracking data?
Under GDPR, you have the right to access all data myhairline.ai holds about you, correct inaccurate data, delete all your data (right to be forgotten), download a portable copy of your data, restrict how your data is processed, object to specific processing activities, and receive notification of any data breach within 72 hours.
How do I request deletion of all my myhairline.ai data under GDPR?
Submit a data deletion request through your account settings or by emailing the data protection contact. Under GDPR, myhairline.ai must complete your deletion request within 30 days. All photos, density measurements, tracking history, and personal information will be permanently removed from all systems, including backups, within the compliance window.
Is my data stored in the EU if I am a European user?
myhairline.ai stores European user data on EU-hosted servers to comply with GDPR data residency requirements. Your photos, tracking data, and personal information do not leave the European Economic Area (EEA) unless you explicitly consent to a transfer. Server locations include Frankfurt and Amsterdam data centers.
Your tracking data is protected by the strongest privacy framework in the world. Start tracking with confidence at myhairline.ai/analyze.
Medical disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice or legal counsel. Consult a qualified legal professional for specific GDPR compliance questions.