Micropigmentation has become an increasingly popular aesthetic procedure for both men and women. Overall, micropigmentation is meant to enhance a person’s appearance, creating thicker brows and fuller lips, for instance. The procedure is also being used as a nonsurgical method for persons suffering from hair loss.
Scalp micropigmentation (SMP) aims to create the illusion of fuller and thicker hair, without surgery. Despite its recent popularity, the first scalp micropigmentation session was reported in the 1970s using tattoo ink. Fast forward to 2002, the procedure was refined to make the results look more natural, leading to the first hair enhancement procedure in 2006. Care to know more about the procedure? This article gives you a heads up on scalp micropigmentation. Read on!
How Is Scalp Micropigmentation Done?
In SMP, a practitioner infuses tattoo-like pigments on an individual’s hair to make it look better, covering up the obvious signs of hair loss, and creating a more robust hairline for the client. Think brow microblading, except that instead of drawing lines to mimic brow hair growth, the artist applies the pigment in tiny dots to mimic the shadow of hair on one’s scalp.
Instead of using a manual blade, as brow microblading artists do, a scalp micro pigmentation practitioner uses a more powerful tattoo machine. The scalp is a lot thicker than your facial skin, and, therefore, needs more powerful equipment to allow the pigments to penetrate it.
In the first session, the doctor typically creates the outline on your entire coverage area on your head before the actual procedure, which takes four to six hours. For the second session, your artist will create the perfect hairline based on the preferences you’ve laid out with your SMP professional. They’ll increase the volume and density by layering the pigments. Adjustments will also be done, depending on how the pigments turned out after your first visit.
Depending on the results of the first two sessions of the procedure, your artist may only need to perform quick final touches on your scalp on your third visit.
Is One Session Enough?
The practitioner will go to great lengths to ensure that the procedure looks natural. But, it’s almost impossible to get the desired results in just one session.
Symptoms and causes of hair loss vary, and so are the factors that trigger an SMP client’s reaction to the procedure. It’s hard to predict the number of sessions that a patient has to undergo unless the first session is done with.
Generally speaking, the number of SMP sessions that a patient needs is dictated by the body’s reaction to the micropigmentation, the hair and skin color, the technique and pigments used by the artist, and the scar tissue that develops after the treatment. Clients who don’t have conditions that may hamper SMP may only require two to three sessions to achieve the best results. Some, however, require more.
Why Do Some Clients Need More Sessions?
The following factors largely dictate how scalp micropigmentation will impact the patient and the number of sessions needed to achieve the best results:
- Genes: The client’s genetic makeup can influence the pigment fading process. In some patients, the pigments fade away more easily, while the colors stick better to other clients.
- Coverage area: A bigger area of coverage means longer time spent for each session, and, consequently, more sessions required.
- Changes after the first session: If the individual has specific requests, such as more ‘dots,’ on a wider area it will impact the number of SMP sessions needed, too.
- Scar tissue: Consisting mainly of collagen and cells, scar tissue forms to protect a specific area on your body that has been affected by an injury or surgery. The presence of scar tissue disperses the pigmentation faster than usual.
- Depth: If the artist inadvertently made shallow dots on a patient’s head, they may fade quickly. In such a case, a quick re-touch is needed for better and more favorable results.
- Pigmentation used: There’s a wide range of pigmentation to choose from, and it’s typically up to the practitioners to use the right hue for your skin tone. A retouch is likewise needed when the artist used the wrong or lighter shade.
- Other health conditions: Individuals with blood disorders and those taking blood-thinning medications may have less than favorable results, needing more sessions.
Who Can Avail Of Scalp Micropigmentation?
Both men and women who are suffering from hair loss, such as alopecia, hair thinning, or crown balding can avail of this non-invasive procedure. Micropigmentation practitioners adapt their techniques depending on the client’s main concern.
These are the most common hair loss problems and how artists typically address them:
- Receding hairline: Male pattern baldness typically attacks the hairline, and then the crown. A skilled micropigmentation artist will restore a person’s hairline by using hairline ink to create an impression of fuller hair.
- Alopecia: This condition manifests as patchy and uneven bald spots in random spots on a patient’s head. With scalp micropigmentation, a client may have to get a buzz cut before going to the clinic.
- Thinning hair: This is the most common problem affecting both men and women. And, unlike the two previous conditions, the sufferer doesn’t need to have a buzz cut to achieve the best results. If you only want to add density to your thinning hair, the artist can tattoo the pigment on specific spots to come up with a thicker and denser look.
The Bottom Line
If you’re looking for a non-surgical method to address your hair loss problems, consider having scalp micropigmentation. Current technological advancements and techniques have allowed scalp micropigmentation practitioners, whether doctors or not, to create a fuller yet more natural and stylish look.
