Scalp micropigmentation, which is also known as an SMP treatment, is a specialised a form of treatment that is able to be performed on both men and women to fight away the visual signs of hair loss. But, as it is a completely non-surgical treatment unlike the majority of hair loss treatments that are available, it’s very different and really breaks the mold in what it is able to do for a patient. At it’s most basic level, scalp micropigmentation is essentially just a tattoo for your scalp that is performed to mask or hide the signs of baldness by creating a freshly shaved appearance on the scalp, or is performed to add the appearance of depth and shadow where hair is thinning. It’s non-invasive and non-surgical, but what does it actually do to aid those who are already struggling with the battle with thinning hair (or have already lost the fight and suffered total hair loss) to provide the illusion of still having a full head of hair?
Hair loss for men (or those who choose to have much shorter hair) is something that, in a generalised sense, will affect the vast majority of them at some point during their lifetime and is something that will dictate the way that they look and feel. While some people are able to, not everyone can pull off the bald look like some celebrities are able to. Using someone like Dwayne Johnson as an example (seeing as he’s been able to pull off the no hair look for decades now and it’s hard to picture him with hair again), scalp micropigmentation can help with that by creating the illusion of follicles on the scalp. The treatment itself is famed for the way in which it can create the visual appearance of a freshly shaved head of hair, but what does it actually consist of?
Well, if it helps you can try to think of scalp micropigmentation as a tattoo but for your head. The treamtent uses a specialised type of pigment, that is designed to be used during a scalp micropigmentation treatment to perform a tattoo, alongside a specialised tattooing machine that’s equipped with an incredibly small needle that is known as a “microneedle”. The aesthetic practitioner responsible for creating the new look will use the tool to strategically pierce the skin and inject the pigment in a very similar way to that of a tattoo, which creates the appearance of tiny dots or follicles on the scalp. The end result after a scalp micropigmentation treatment is essentially to have hundreds to thousands of minuscule dots tattooed onto your scalp to give the appearance of hair follicles which gives the freshly shaved appearance (without the need to get your hair cut), although we would still recommened routinely shaving or cutting your hair to ensure that there is no growth through which could break the illusion.
For women (or those who choose to have longer hair) on the other hand, scalp micropigmentation is performed in a completely different way for the majority of treatments that are performed (although it’s worth mentioning that some women do still opt for the freshly shaved look). For those with longer hair who are suffering from hair loss, but not total loss that has lead to baldness, the outcome is not to give the appearance of a freshly shaven head but rather to provide the appearance of depth and shadow beneath the hair instead. This is done by performing a very similar process (using the exact same tools and type of pigment), but with a slightly darker ink to aid in providing the appearance of shadow. This can help to mask the appearance of hair loss and hide any patches of thinning that are starting to appear until the cause and solution can be identified.
Scalp micropigmentation can also be used to conceal a number of imperfections on the scalp too and many of our patients have utilised scalp micropigmentation to aid with the concealment of scars and blemishes that they have acquired during their lifetime. These blemishes could be something as simple as just a birthmark, but it could also include surgical scars or injuries.
It’s worth noting that your hair will never grow out of these new tiny follicles as they are not actually follicles and are instead just dots on your head, but as long as you take the time to maintain your new look properly you will gain the confidence that is given back with a wonderfully designed head of hair!