If you searched the internet for ‘hair loss treatments’, probably you’ve seen scalp micropigmentation (SMP) as one of the proposed solutions. Sometimes patients ask us to compare SMP to hair transplant.
Although both SMP and hair transplant are hair loss solutions, they are actually quite different. In SMP, tiny, pigment-based dots are applied to the scalp using microneedles, mimicking the appearance of hair follicles. In this respect, it is similar to tattooing your scalp. It does not involve growth of real hair any way.
Advantages of SMP:
Results are immediate
Cheaper in most cases
There is not surgery of any kind
Disadvantages of SMP:
There’s no actual hair involved in the process. So, it is just a visual solution
It can be recognized easily. Thus, it looks quite artificial, especially in the front
It might fade away and require regular re-touch
In general, we don’t recommend SMP to patients looking for a permanent and natural-looking solution.
Do SMP when:
You need a solution of some kind immediately, and will consider a permanent one later
Hair loss is not at the front, but at the top or crown
There’s hair thinning but only limited totally bald area
You want to complement another hair loss solution for denser looks
Don’t do SMP when:
You want a natural-looking solution
Hair loss area is at the front
There’s total baldness in certain areas of scalp
Hair transplant and SMP can be combined into a single solution as well. You can have the transplant first, and after achieving hair growth (typically in 6 months after the transplant), you can consider having SMP. It can be used to bring a denser look to the top and crown area. This is a viable solution if the hair loss area is wide and transplant is performed mostly to the front area. (For example, there is not enough donor for full coverage - high density transplant).
If you are trying to decide between SMP and hair transplant, please inform us while we are assessing your case. We will guide you to the most appropriate hair loss solution for you.
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