Category: Pigments

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What If I Got SMP and Let My Hair Go Gray? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Doc.. I have mostly gray hair that I dye. If I was to consider SMP to use as a concealer with my existing hair (like dermatch) What would happen if one day I decided to let my hair go gray? I’d be left with dark SMP and gray hair. What then?

Also actor Joey Lawrence looks to me like he has had SMP. What do you think?

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Joey LawrenceThe color for Scalp MicroPigmentation (SMP) can be made gray, which would probably solve your issue if you decided to stop coloring your hair before you had it done. Most SMP procedures can turn some shade of gray over time, and that can be easily targeted.

As for Joey Lawrence (at right), he does have what looks like a closely cropped hair style, but I don’t know if he had pigmentation done or if it’s just a short haircut. It’s certainly the kind of look the SMP technique can achieve.

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Hair Loss InformationCan I Have Darker Scalp Micropigmentation (SMP)? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

I have seen the results of scalp pigmentation for people with what I presume to be naturally fair hair, and it seems that the pigmentation, although successfully creating a full look, is very faint and almost invisible in some lighting. Can a patient opt for a darker pigment, and have their real hair ever so slightly longer? Or if not, would a dark blonde/ olive hair colour allow for a darker pigment in the first place?

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It is important for you to keep a few things in mind:

  1. This procedure is absolutely permanent, so too dark may be your destiny if it does not lighten
  2. There it a good chance that there will be some color change, as the first session often gets lighter when the pigment is absorbed by your body — but then again, there is the chance that it may not change color
  3. The risk of color change from dark to a tint of blue or green is one that will be accentuated by a darker application. These variations are what create the art of what we do for Scalp MicroPigmentation (SMP) and we try not to go too light or too dark.

This is why you want a doctor with experience to do the SMP process. The final color will be decided between you and your doctor.

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My Doctor Said SMP Alone Would be a Mistake For My Norwood 6 Pattern – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Hey Dr Rassman. I hope your doing well.

I had a consultation with my hair doctor. At which i brought up the proposition of a combined SMP and hair transplant procedure. His response was the 2 would compliment each other well but just SMP alone would be a mistake. What are your thoughts does SMP look more natural when done in conjunction with hair transplantation?

And lastly i recall reading about a young man who won the American Dream contest a few years back. You performed surgery on him as my balding pattern would be close to his (ill prolly wind up developing into a class 6)and our ages are close or were im 23 now(i have been on finasreide since 20) i am interested to see his results. Thank you.

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Each person is a separate case. I can not tell you that Scalp MicroPigmentation (SMP) plus hair transplants is better than either alone. I make each judgment when I understand the patient, when I see how fast the hair loss process is, and when I can then build a Master Plan. Generally, the hair transplant is the way I start, adding SMP on only a minority of patients.

As for the winner of the American Dream Vote television show (see here if you don’t remember the single episode that aired before it was canceled), the last update photos we had to publish were from 2009 and can be found here.

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SMP and Scarring Alopecia – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

I have lost alot of the hair on the sides of my head due to a form of scarring alopecia. Would it be possible to have micropigmentation done just on the sides as haircuts that are buzzed on the sides and a bit lengthy on top are very common and in style?

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Generally, scarring alopecia with balding from it does well with Scalp MicroPigmentation (SMP). We have done a few severe cases which I could show you if you visited my office. One particular patient who had very extensive scarring and balding would rather not have his photos online.

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Hair Loss InformationCan I Still Have Transplants After Scalp Micropigmentation (SMP)? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

I’m a 29 year old male who’s been dealing with hair loss since I was 19. I’m very interested in the SMP procedure because I use a ton of hair loss concealers that are costly and messy. I wear my hair pretty long (4 to 5 inches) and was wondering if SMP is a good option. If so, will I still be able to have hair transplants in the future?

Thanks for everything you guys do!

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Scalp MicroPigmentation (SMP) may be a good option, but only for certain hair colors and people with specific goals that can be met with this solution. Everyone is different and the goals for some people who will accept the SMP solution may not satisfy others.

You must always consider the progressive nature of hair loss if you elect to have SMP. As you bald, you will probably have to follow the SMP process back to keep up with your balding. Hair transplantation may also be an option… and YES, you can still have a hair transplant after SMP, but you must make sure that the person doing the pigmentation process understands the balding process and develops a Master Plan for you over the years to come.

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SMP to Disguise Scalp Reduction Scars? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

I have had in the past scalp reduction and hair transplants which has left me severely scarred and with and unnatural look. It has also caused my hair to start falling out and thinning rapidly as I am now 51. My scalp is often irritable, hot and prickly.

My life is more than ruined as I am in a senior management role and frequently have to deal with people who are too embarrassed to look at me. I am at the point where I may have to leave a company that I helped build and find a job where I can wear a hat. My last chance would be to disguise the scars and create throughout my scalp and cut my hair shorter with perhaps your method of SMP?

Could you please be discreet when returning my email as this is my work computer, although nobody actually uses it, however you never know. I hope that you can restore some normality back to my life!!

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In general terms, Scalp MicroPigmentation (SMP) is a great method to disguise scarring from previous surgeries on the scalp, but you would need to keep your hair shaved. Another option would be a hair transplant to disguise the scars.

A consultation would be best at this point so we can see what you’re dealing with and come up with some treatment options. If you would like a consultation please contact us at (800) NEW-HAIR or use our consult form.

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Does Darker Skin Have More Natural Looking Results from SMP? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Hello Doctor,

I’m really interested in scalp micro-pigmentation, but browsing on the internet looking for before/after pictures I noticed something strange. The men with a brown skin color seem to have better (more natural) results than the caucasian men. Not only did the SMP ‘grafts’ look more the same as their own remaining hair, the transition between the pigmented area and the natural hair area looked more seamless.

Is this maybe because brown men tend to have coarser, thicker hair?

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You may be correct, but shaved heads are more common in the African-American community so we are more accustomed to that look. Light skin and dark hair accentuate any balding pattern, but Scalp MicroPigmentation (SMP) does work well. The key is choosing the right shade of SMP, since every patient is different.

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Can I Use SMP to Make a Norwood 4 to a Norwood 2? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

what if a person has a norwood 3 hairline and you guys already know it is going to go worse (the hairloss). can you perform SMP and change the NW4 to a NW2 or are you going to wait till he is completely bald and his hairloss has halted?

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Scalp MicroPigmentation (SMP) should not be used to convert a Norwood class 4 to a Norwood class 2… unless you made the decision to shave your head for life. Hair transplants would accomplish what you are suggesting, not SMP.

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Hair Loss InformationCould SMP Cause Shock Loss? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Hello, I was hoping you could answer these two questions:

1. With the advent of the Scalp Micro-Pigmentation, have you had any patients experience “shock loss” following the procedure?
I’m seriously considering the procedure but am a bit wary that the trauma to the scalp caused by the needle will cause shock loss.

2. Drawing on your years of experience, have you noticed a certain threshold (or range) for transplanted grafts where a patient is more prone to experience shock loss?

i.e. Is a patient who receives 1500+ grafts in one session more susceptible to shock loss than a patient who has two transplant surgerys of 750 grafts each session, say, three or four months apart?

Thank you in advance for your help.

Best

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We haven’t experienced “shock loss” per se in patients that had Scalp MicroPigmentation (SMP). One or two patients did report some hair loss initially, but it was not significant to be noticed. The risk is probably in the use of the anesthesia, rather than the SMP.

Dr. Pak’s mother had SMP done and did report hair loss the first few days, but it was insignificant. She had her procedure six months ago and other than the initial few days of hair loss, everything else stabilized.

Patients experience shock hair loss when their hair loss is ACTIVE and dramatic to begin with. In general, shock hair loss is more of a factor in men in their early 20’s (actively losing hair) and those who are not on Propecia. Your doctor should be able to better assess your risks of shock loss to the benefits of a procedure. The number of grafts you receive in a session is probably not related to the degree of shock loss.