SCALP MICRO PIGMENTATION

Yes, Scalp MicroPigmentation is a permanent medical-grade tattoo similar to permanent makeup or a traditional tattoo.

Fading: Just like traditional tattoos, the pigment will fade over time. To avoid premature fading, we recommend that you use sunscreen and avoid prolonged periods of exposure to the sun. If you need to be exposed to the sun for a long time, wear a hat if possible. Doing so will not only preserve you SMP but it will also protect your skin from sunburns.

Scalp Micropigmentation is a medical-grade tattoo.

To understand the difference between a tattoo and SMP, you need to understand how a traditional tattoo is applied to the skin and the skin layers that are affected by the pigment.

Human skin has three layers: the epidermis, the dermis and the hypodermis. The dermis is the outer layer. It’s the layer you wash in the shower and the one that produces flakes from dry skin. The epidermis is the second layer of skin and it can be up to up to 4 millimeters thick. It’s this layer that will absorb the pigment during a tattoo or SMP procedure.

During a regular tattoo session, the tattoo machine is set to penetrate the epidermis all the way into the dermis to a depth of up to 3 ½ millimeters. The needles used in a tattoo are very thick and carry a lot of pigment into the skin.

During SMP, the dermis is penetrated to a depth of ¼ millimeter to ½ millimeter. The needles we use are extremely fine medical-grade needles designed to leave a very small.

Our SMP procedure is completely safe. We use pre-packaged one-time-use sterile needles. Our clinic adheres to surgical center rules to maintain the highest level of sterility and cleanliness. This greatly reduces the possibility of cross contamination from patients receiving other treatments at the clinic such as hair, beard or eyebrow transplants.

Scalp Micropigmentation is far less painful than a traditional tattoo but you will still feel some discomfort depending on your pain tolerance. Patients say the tender spots are at the front hairline and around the ears.

To make you as comfortable as possible, We offer a topical numbing cream get rid of all the rest.

SMP is used to decrease the contrast between your scalp color and hair color, giving an illusion of fullness. You can think of SMP as a “permanent” cosmetic concealer such as Toppik or DermMatch. Unlike some concealers, with SMP you will not have to worry if your scalp is showing from the uneven application of concealers. Unlike some cosmetic concealers, SMP does not put a stain on your clothing, pillow, or on your significant other’s fingertips.

Believe it or not, the stubble from white hair (and most colors of hair) is GRAY when you shave close to the skin. Just look at blond men with a close shave and you will see the gray shade where the hair exits the scalp. We try to match the shade of pigment based on your skin and hair color. If you have dark hair now and it turns gray later on in life, the underlying shade will blend despite the hair color change, because SMP covers the entire scalp (not just the bald areas).

You would come in as needed to fill in any areas that continue to lose hair.

The SMP process requires two to three treatments spaced out at least two weeks apart to get the color and shading just right. This time interval is needed so that your skin can exfoliate. Each individual absorbs some pigment at different rates. For the first year we offer free touch ups if there is any fading. Your finished SMP process should last years before needing a touch up, but everyone is different.

Yes. Although there is nothing in this world that is “perfect”, with the artistry and technique we use, you should not be able to tell that someone has had SMP even up close. SMP gives you the look of a permanent 5 o’clock shadow. SMP blends in with the genetically resistant-to-balding hair around the sides of your head.

Traditional tattoos may discolor, but this is highly dependent on the type of ink used, the depth the pigment was placed into the scalp, and the amount of sun exposure you get. The key to minimizing this effect is to use a specialty pigment like we do and either wear a hat when in the sun or use a good sun blocker (with a high SPF factor). SMP dots will lose definition over time, but unlike regular tattoos, the ‘blob’ look is greatly minimized due to the special technique and the instruments used.

Dr. Pak is an expert at creating natural looking hairlines. Most clients want a soft and natural fading frontal hairline, while others prefer a more distinct and linear look. We advise and work with our patients individually to obtain the look they want.

Immediately after the procedure, your scalp will look slightly pink, somewhat similar to a sunburn. This pink color will fade out over the course of 24 to 48 hours. This is more pronounced in patients with a light skin color. You will appear to have a full head of hair that has a closely shaved look. The pigment may also appear more pronounced until you wash your scalp and remove the excess pigment three days later. Depending on each patient and the type of skin, the pigment may fade as it settles in. This is the reason why you may need more touch-ups, so that the shade and color is just right. Although we recommend at least 2 weeks between SMP sessions, you can wait weeks or months depending on your schedule and geographic location.

Yes, we have performed SMP on women, but we are cautious when it comes to women because we want to know the cause of the hair loss or hair thinning. With men, 99% have hair loss or hair thinning from genetic causes in a typical balding pattern (MPB), but women may have balding due to many medical conditions