Firstly, lets dispel some common misconseptions of what SMP is and what it isn't.

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Does hair grow back?

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SMP is not replacement of hair follicles, no hair will grow after treatment. This can be quite a common question but, this is a cosmetic 'tattoo' and gives a 2D look.

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A miracle cure?

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Although SMP is a fantastic hair loss treatment with guaranteed results, it isn't a miracle cure. It has many applications such as hair density filling and scar camouflage but it is a 2D treatment. It is not designed to cover large areas of hair loss whilst still keeping remaining hair long. It is designed for a shaven head look but still has fantastic results for density filling dependent on the person. (more info under treatment tab).

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Scalp Micropigmentation is just a tattoo?

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This is a common question and will also bring me on to a later topic of the dark side of the industry.

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If this statement were true, then every provider would produce amazing results as tattoo training is comparartively low cost and plentiful. Unfortunately this is not the case and results can vary dramatically from one company to the next.

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Although SMP is technically a form of tattooing, the process and the end result are very different. The technique used and the equipment are specific to SMP creating a far more natural look than a traditional tattoo.

The follicle shaped needle, which is around three quarters smaller than that of a traditional tattoo needle, goes directly into the epidermis layer of the skin and not into the dermis. This is a more stable area for the ink to hold resulting in less fading and bleeding of the ink, as often seen on tattoos. Each dot replicates an individual shaven hair follicle and when combined with thousands of other dots and blended skillfully with whatever hair you  have remaining, an illusion of a full head of shaven hair is created.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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The inks, the major difference SMP pigments have compared to a traditional black tattoo ink is that they are not composed of dyes or colours. In traditional black tattoo inks, these dyes and colours can break down or separate over time turning blue or green in colour. Scalp micro pigmentation pigments will never change colour over time. This is extremely important when considering these pigments will be applied to your scalp. Nobody wants to risk the chance of turning their scalp blue or green.

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Importance and mechanics of dot size?

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Each individual dot created during the scalp micropigmentation process is intended to replicate a shaved hair follicle. To achieve this, the dot size must correct to each individual client and the correct shade, it must also stand the test of time. Unfortunately this doesn't always happen, hance why peope tend to ask what kind of dot size they should expect. The underlying question really being, will the treatment look like real hair?

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Many providers will claim they use the smallest needle so the dot size will be small. Although this does have a small bearing on the overall outcome, there are lots of other variables. Type of machine used, the needle stroke and the pressure applied by the technician are far more significant to the overall size of the replicated follicle.

 

The most significant being the pressure applied by the technician. The more pressure the larger the dot. Pressure applied determines the depth of penetration and this is the most crucial factor. As the ink is applied into the epidermis, the structure of the epidermis is much tighter and uniform than the dermis layers below. When pigment is applied correctly into the epidermis, a small defined dot is formed. If too much pressure is applied and into the dermis layers, the structure is less dense and the pigment will spread, resulting in larger less defined dots and can have terrible results if this is the consistent approach giving a helmet type look and in no way natural.

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Dots can also be too small and be a sign of too shallow penetration. When too shallow and the micro wound heals and scabs over. Once the scab falls off the pigment can often be removed at the same time leaving no dot. Even if it's still visible and too small, it can be subject to aggressive fading under UV light and require a top up much sooner than expected.

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