In its essence, Scalp Micropigmentation, or ‘SMP’, is a form of medical tattooing. Over 2-3 treatments, a practitioner will use ultra-fine needles to deposit thousands of tiny micro-dots just beneath the surface of the scalp.
These ‘dots’ create the appearance of thousands of tiny new hairs, simulating the look of new growth; hair that is appearing through the skin at its shortest length. With the goal of a natural, realistic result in mind, the area(s) of concern are treated to match the existing hair pattern and density. This creates the overall image of far greater hair density, and the thinning / balding areas of the scalp are camouflaged into existing areas of hair.
So how is this illusion of more dense hair created naturally? These ‘short hairs’ are matched to each patient’s individual skin tone and hair colour. To the naked eye, the SMP is simply more new hair, filling areas of hair loss with these new baby hair replicas.
If we think of hair loss in its most literal components, disappearing hair is essentially the loss of two distinct properties: the physical appearance of the presence of hair, meaning an inability to see the skin on the scalp, and the texture of actual hair. Scalp Micropigmentation, or ‘SMP’, deals with the former of these two properties. It is a 2-dimensional treatment, and the primary goal is to disguise balding areas of the scalp with natural looking micro-hairs. When the scalp is less visible, hair looks more dense and full.
One of the many benefits of SMP is that it is notably low maintenance, with excellent results provided quickly, going home after the very first treatment with noticeable improvement already showing. Being essentially pain-free, with only minimal discomfort usually reported, makes the treatment more approachable for some, as is the vastly lower cost (in comparison with the highest quality Hair Transplant Surgery). The results are very long lasting, and for some hair loss sufferers, a non-surgical, effective treatment such as Scalp Micropigmentation can be the most appropriate choice.
For adding visual density into thinning areas of hair, to in-fill smaller areas, to conceal scarring, or for skin conditions such as alopecia, SMP has a lot to offer. When exploring your hair loss journey, considering Scalp Micropigmentation into a long-term treatment plan can be beneficial in more ways than one.
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