SMP | InkleCosmeticClinic

What is
SMP?

To put it simply.

Scalp micropigmentation (SMP) is a cosmetic procedure where tiny dots of pigment (colour) are applied to the scalp using a special needle which creates the look of tiny hair follicles or short hair stubble.

It's similar to getting a cosmetic tattoo, but is designed specifically to blend with your natural hair colour (at the root) giving the appearance of a fuller head of hair.

It's a great option for people who are balding, have thinning hair or want to conceal scars.

A closer look at SMP

There are four main elements that make SMP unique to other hair loss procedures

SMP is not just a regular tattoo; it is a highly specialised and precise form of cosmetic pigmentation. The pigments used in SMP are custom mixed to match your follicle shade, resulting in a seamless and realistic outcome. Whether you have thinning hair, receding hairlines, scars, or even a completely bald scalp, SMP can help restore your confidence and give you a fresh, youthful look.

Specialised pigment is implanted into the upper dermis, into a layer of the skin called the papillary layer, using ultra fine needles designed for SMP, which are matched to your hair follicle size (typically around 0.6mm)

For context, traditional tattoos are placed into the hypodermis, and is why they can blur & merge over time, and also appear 'blueish'. The skin is a filter and the deeper a pigment is, the more the 'filter' changes the appearance. When SMP is placed into the correct layer of skin, the pigment remains floating there, as nice crisp dot, until the body's immune system naturally breaks it down over the years.

There are multiple benefits around SMP as a procedure;

Minimally invasive with no incisions or sutures: SMP is performed using a fine needle to apply pigment to the upper layer of the skin on the scalp. Unlike hair transplant surgeries, which involve making incisions to remove hair follicles from one part of the scalp to implant them into another, SMP only requires tiny punctures to deposit pigment, the average size of our needles are only 0.6mm and thus does not cause cause permanant damage to the skin or underlying tissue

Quicker recovery: Because SMP does not involve surgery, the recovery time is much shorter. There is no need for extended downtime or the care associated with surgical wound healing. Clients can typically return to their normal activities within a day, but must follow some minor precautions like avoiding excessive heat, sweating and swimming for a week during the healing period.

Reduced risks: The risks associated with SMP are significantly lower compared to surgical procedures. There is no risk of surgical complications such as scarring, or adverse reactions to anesthesia. The most common side effects of SMP are temporary and minor, such as some redness or mild discomfort/sensitivity at the treatment site.

Overall, the non-surgical nature of SMP makes it a safer, less invasive, and more accessible option for individuals looking to address hair loss without the risks and recovery time associated with surgical procedures.

One of the best features of SMP, is its low-maintenance nature as a hairloss solution.

No special hair products needed: Unlike some hair loss treatments that require special shampoos, conditioners, or topical medications to maintain results, SMP does not necessitate any specific hair care products. Regular hair care routines can be continued without the need for additional treatments.

Long-lasting results: The pigments used in SMP are designed to be long-lasting and fade very slowly over time. Most people only need occasional touch-ups, typically every three to five years, to maintain the appearance. This long duration between maintenance sessions adds to the convenience of SMP.

Low to no daily maintenance: Once the initial healing process is complete (which typically takes about a week), there’s no daily maintenance required to preserve the appearance of SMP. Unlike hair systems or wigs that need to be adjusted, cleaned, and styled regularly, SMP stays consistent and requires no daily attention. There is also no risk of misplacement or damage.

Sweat and water resistant: SMP is not affected by water, sweat, or everyday activities like swimming or exercising once healed. This makes it highly practical for an active lifestyle, as there’s no need to worry about the treatment being disturbed or requiring constant adjustment. The only exception is excessive sun, so its important to wear sunscreen and protect your skin.

Overall, the low maintenance nature of SMP makes it an appealing option for those seeking a hassle-free solution to hair loss, allowing them to enjoy a consistent and natural look without the need for frequent ongoing care or special treatments.

Another benefit of SMP is being cost effective

One-time expense: Once you have completed your consultation and received your quote, your treatment can be carried out. Upon completion there is no further investment required. Only occasional touch-ups may be needed every three to five years, unlike solutions requiring continuous investment such as wigs, dyes and fibers.

No ongoing product costs: Unlike topical solutions or medications, which need regular purchases, SMP does not require any creams or medications for maintenance, eliminating recurring expenses.

Avoids high surgical costs: SMP is a non-surgical alternative to hair transplants, which can cost up to $15,000 - $45,000 dollars (depending on how many treatments) and involve additional expenses for anesthesia, travel and recovery.

Minimal maintenance: SMP requires very little upkeep, avoiding the costs associated with hairpieces, wigs, or specialized haircare routines. Regular grooming can be integrated into your routine at home for gents or ladies rocking the buzzcut look, or with standard barber services.

Overall, SMP provides a cost-effective, low-maintenance, and durable solution for hair loss.

For a detailed price guide on SMP click here

Next..

Let's look at the
process of getting

an SMP treatment.

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The SMP Process

Three steps to a new you

Click through the slides to see the complete process

Our services

Buzz cut hairline

& scalp restoration

Our skilled practitioners can re-create a hairline that is natural and custom to you. A strong hairline can make you appear more youthful, frame the face and elevate your confidence. Got a bald crown or horseshoe going on? We can disguise this too, for a completely natural and long lasting look.

SMP for Alopecia

For some types of alopecia, SMP can be a great treatment to camouflage this form of hair loss by either adding density or by creating stubble replication.

Density Treatment

For men and women alike, whether you have had hair transplants that lack thickness or your hair is thinning and showing the scalp, density adds SMP between existing hair follicles which gives the illusion of thicker, fuller hair.

SMP for scars

Have you undergone a FUT or FUE hair transplant that has left you with scarring? Or perhaps an injury or surgery?

Our modern blending techniques are incredibly effective at disguising scars to give you natural looking coverage.

At Inkle Cosmetic Clinic

We understand that every person is unique.

That's why we offer personalised consultations & treatments

tailored to an individuals specific needs and desired outcomes.

This way we can help direct to the best possible outcome.

This might mean, that SMP is not right for some. And that is ok.

Our objective is to simply help you with your hair loss journey, and help identify the best course of action for you.

This is why we provide a free in house consultation to every customer, to share as much info as possible, with no obligation to book a treatment.

If you would like to book your consultation and discover more about SMP, Click below.

Book now

Inkle Clients

The buzz cut

Ask anyone who has taken the leap and shaved;

it's a liberating experience!

If you crave a low maintenance, stylish & striking style, then

SMP is the solution for you.

Shaved head tattoo.

A shaved head tattoo is applied to the scalp to provide a person with

the appearance of a full head of hair, that has been shaved to a buzzcut.

A well structured hairline frames the face and can draw the eye to your other features, improving your appearance, restoring a youthful look all the while boosting confidence!

Each person is different, and so each treatment is unique.

Your original hairline, hair shade, face shape, age and personal style all come into factor during assessment so we can design a hairline shape that fits you perfectly.

So what is the process like?

We like to look at it in three stages:

Stage one is consultation and design. During this stage we get to know you a little and if SMP is the right fit for you; we can map and design your hairline, so you can get an idea of where the new buzz cut edge will be.

Stage two is the sessions. There are generally three but occasionally four or more sessions depending on the amount of coverage needed, and how well your tattoo heals. Session one, is a light scatter to assess how your skin absorbs the pigment. Session two is denser and starts to really take shape. session three and onwards are final sessions, adding finishing touches and perfecting the belnding into your natural hair.

Stage three is aftercare and maintenance. Aftercare is simple much like a tattoo; avoiding swimming, spas and saunas, sweating and direct sun. you will receive and aftercare package following your treatment sessions to ensure your SMP is looked after. Once healed maintenance is easy and becomes a part of your routine. keeping the hair an appropriate length and slip slop slap to protect from sunburn!

How long can my hair be?

For a Shaved head tattoo, its important to remember that while your natural hair will grow, the tattoo will not. and so as your hair grows, the change in length becomes obvious.

So, to keep the SMP blended and looking nice and natural, we recommend keeping your hair around 0.5mm - 1mm in length.

We can recommend an array of products that can maintain this cut length that also make it easy to incorporate into your routine. Depending on the growth rate of your hair, you may need to trim every few days or once a week, to keep the desired look on point.

What causes Hair loss in men?

One in three men will experience some form of hair loss in their life. This can be contributed to a number of factors, including:

Genetics,
Hormonal changes
Age
Medical conditions & medications
Stress and emotional factors
Poor nutrition and lifestyle factors

Hair loss is normal to a degree as you age, however if you start experiencing sudden or sever hair loss this could be a sign of an underlying health issue which may need a doctors attention.

"I may have lost my hair, but I have
not lost my inner badass"
-Bald Brothers

DENSITY

Density treatments

For Men and Women alike, hair thinning can be distressing. Fortunately for most causes of thinning, SMP can provide near full coverage which gives the appearance of thick, full hair.

Density Treatments.

Density treatments in practice, are the same as our shaved head procedures.

The primary difference being, the existing hair is not shaved off, and the impressions are placed between the follicles of the thinning hair areas, giving the appearance of thicker, fuller hair.

The contrast between skin tone and follicle is adjusted by the pigment and effectively disguises hair loss.

Continued hair loss, post treatment.

When your artist adds density to your scalp, we are essentially tattooing back in the lost follicles. so if in future you lose more hair, we can then come through, and increase your density for any areas that may continue to thin.

For clients who want density now, but will likely shave in future, density is carried out with this in mind, so if in the future you do decide to take the leap and shave, your SMP can be simply touched up & blended, so you are ready to rock the shaved head look.

Will density work for me?

Density can be an amazing solution for thinning hair, creating a thick, uniform appearance. With that in mind; density is not for everyone.

Depending on the level of hair loss, density may not be an appropriate option. If there are large areas with no hair, or the hair is exceedingly thin and cannot cover the SMP sufficiently, the results will not look natural, and instead the shaved head SMP solution may be a better.

During a consultation, your artist will asses your current level of hair loss and go over this with you.

A match made in heaven.

Hair transplants and SMP go together incredibly well.

Often after undergoing a hair transplant, you will most likely experience a bit of fallout, where some hair follicles are rejected by the skin. this can sometimes leave the treated area looking a bit sparse.

This is where density comes in. After the long healing period of a transplant is complete, you can then scatter SMP through the transplanted area, making the hair look thicker and fuller.

SMP can also blend and hide any unsightly scarring which is common for FUT and FUE hair transplants.

SMP FOR ALOPECIA

SMP for alopecia

For people suffering with the challenges of alopecia, SMP can be a remarkably adaptive solution to this problem.

What is alopecia?

Alopecia is an umbrella term which covers many different types of hair loss.

The most common form of alopecia is androgenetic alopecia, aka: Male pattern baldness.

This type of hair loss is what you get when someone with a genetic predisposition towards pattern baldness experiences the reaction that occurs when enzyme Type II 5-alpha reductase and testosterone contact at the follicle. The result, the 5-alpha converts testosterone into dihydrotestosterone (DHT) This is what triggers the hair loss.

Other forms of alopecia

There are several types of alopecia areata:

Alopecia areata (patchy): Alopecia areata (patchy) is when you have one or more round or oval, coin-sized tracts of hair loss on your head or other parts of your body. This may later turn into complete hair loss on your head or complete hair loss all over your body. When it just stays patchy, which it usually does, this form of alopecia is called persistent patchy alopecia areata.
Alopecia totalis: This is the name for complete baldness of the scalp.
Alopecia universalis: When you lose all the hair on your body it’s known as alopecia universalis. That means no hair on your head, face, and body, sometimes even including nose hair!
Diffuse alopecia areata: Does stress cause hair loss? Yes! That’s what diffuse alopecia areata, sudden and acute thinning of all the hair on your head, hard to diagnose. It looks like other forms of hair loss!
Ophiasis alopecia: this is when you lose hair on the sides and lower back of your head in the shape of a band.

SMP for alopecia

SMP for alopecia can be a real game changer by providing

natural looking coverage for anyone dealing with the struggles alopecia can present.

By shaving back to a buzzcut length, we can replicate your existing hair into any bald patches to give your hair a complete appearance.

For some mild cases of alopecia we can also provide "hair thickening" via a density treatment to help disguise any hair loss.

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SMP FOR SCARS

SMP for scars

Have you undergone a FUT or FUE hair transplant that has left with you with scarring?

SMP can blend these scars with your natural hair, making them virtually indistinguishable.

Scars be gone!

Using SMP to hide scars on the scalp is very common practice in our industry. Just as in a standard treatment, the ink and needle is selected to match the size and shade of surrounding hair follicles, and the impressions are selectively placed on the scar tissue to blend it with surrounding hair.

Other scars.

Just like FUT & FUE scars, other scars such as from surgeries and accidents can also be covered using SMP.

Some other forms of scars are; Keloid scars (raised from excess collagen) fine line scars (from minor cuts) hypertrophic scars (excess collagen but differs from keloid)

scar contractures / burn scars (stretched and tight skin) and pitted scars or icepick scars (caused by disappearance of underlying fat tissue)

The varying types of scars may have an impact on the way SMP could work for you, and as such we always recommend a consult with us to discuss your needs.

Keep in mind, there are some scars that may not accept ink like regular skin.

Read on the next tab, limitations for scar disguise.

FUT vs FUE

There are two types of hair transplants, FUE (Follicular Unit Extraction) & FUT (Follicular Unit Transplantation)

In Follicular Unit Transplantation (FUT/Strip), a long, thin sliver of tissue removed from the donor area in the back and sides of the scalp and the individual follicular units are removed from that strip via stereo-microscopic dissection. The wound edges are then closed leaving a single, generally fine scar. In Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) hair is harvested through small circular incisions over a considerably larger area of the donor zone leaving tiny, round, white scars.

Scars that don't tattoo well

Certain types of scar tissue can be very difficult to tattoo.

Keloid and Hypertrophic scars are these scars and in fact attempting to tattoo a keloid can make the scar worse.

However if you do have a keloid scar and want to attempt to disguise it with SMP, it must be healed for at least a year.

This healing period applies to all scars, including FUT and FUE.

It is worth noting that SMP can act like micro needling and help soften hard scar tissue. This may mean future sessions of SMP may take better to a scar than it's initial attempted treatment.

Pricing

How much is SMP?

Pricing for SMP can vary depending on each clients individual needs and level of coverage required.

Each client is quoted individually during their initial consultation however the pictures below can give an average price which can be expected based on a level of hair loss.

$250 - $850

For hair stages 1 - 3

$850 - $1500

For hair stages 3 - 5

$1500 - $2500

For hair stages 5 - 7

What is SMP?

To put it simply.

A closer look at SMP

Next..

Let's look at the process of getting

an SMP treatment.

Three steps to a new you

Our services

Inkle Clients

The buzz cut

Shaved head tattoo.

"I may have lost my hair, but I have not lost my inner badass" -Bald Brothers

Density treatments

Density Treatments.

SMP for alopecia

What is alopecia?

SMP for scars

Scars be gone!

How much is SMP?

$250 - $850

$850 - $1500

$1500 - $2500

What is
SMP?

Let's look at the
process of getting

"I may have lost my hair, but I have
not lost my inner badass"
-Bald Brothers