hi all! first post. long time reader, finally reaching my most desperate hour. struggling to find the funds to afford an HT, so as a backup that would enable me to save money and regain confidence, i'm considering SMP. need some input please!

my hair has thinned on top noticeably, and on the crown there is two nickel-ish sized spots that is pretty much barren. the front is consistent yet "see-through" if that makes sense, and towrds the middle is pretty much regular density. i've been uncomfortably getting by with dermmatch, and nobody has noticed i dont think, nor does anyone say its super noticeable when i make them check my head for me! but i still feel like i get "the look"

question being: with enough hair to get by using dermmatch (hair is shaved probably down to 1/4 of an inch), would it be realistic to get SMP done with good results/blending? also, down the road when i do hopefully get an HT, would having SMP already done complicate the surgery?

i dont want shave my hair down any more than where it's at, but i think that if i had some pseudo-stubble it would at least give it illusion enough to not have to apply anymore concealers. i'm also trying to avoid that "tint" look, i just need some hefty dots in the right places.

thanks!

It is possible, but I would highly recommend proceeding carefully and probably researching a company that uses temporary ink.

SMP is really ideally suited for a very slim sub-sect of patients: individuals with diffuse thinning who are willing to increase the perceived density with SMP and leave the head shaved very closely. Although this is my own personal opinion (and others may highly disagree), from the cases I've seen, this is really where it works the best.

If your hair is cropped close enough (1/4 inch may be a bit long, but it may work with the "stubble" created by the SMP), you could be a good candidate. However, I highly recommend researching it thoroughly beforehand. Additionally, what color is your hair?

Finally, are you currently taking any hair loss medications? A regimen of Propecia (finasteride) and Rogaine (minoxidil) with your shortly cropped hair may go a lot further than an SMP treatment.

Look forward to back from you.

__________________
Blake (Future_HT_Doc)

Forum Co-Moderator and Editorial Assistant for the Hair Transplant Network, the Hair Loss Learning Center, the Hair Loss Q&A Blog, and the Hair Restoration Forum

All opinions are my own and my advice should not constitute as medical advice.

thanks for the reply!

i figured since im already using concealers with my short hair, the SMP would act the same way, but permanent and with less of a solid "tint" when hit with certain light. i dread the day i'm without something to cover my head in seattle's rainy weather

when i dare let the top grow out a bit (maybe half an inch), part of the crown is uneven but with dermmatch i can pass it by (again, unless light hits it just right). was hoping with SMP i could just blame it on a bad haircut if anyone were to notice.

my hair is medium brown and i try to keep a good tan going, because it seems to blend everything together better, and who doesn't like being tan? also the "medium brown" dermmatch has a red tint so having a subtle whole body red tint is helpful.

and yup, been taking finasteride for years. on and off with the minoxidil, however i've started up about two or so months ago, and i only put it on in the morning as it's too much of a hassle at night.

just ordered some nizoral 1%, hoping this might help turn the tides a bit.

You may be a good candidate, but, again, I still suggest proceeding very carefully.

Have you researched any particular clinics yet?

Here are some examples of SMP on patients without thinly cropped hair from Dr. Rassman (one of our Coalition physicians and an SMP pioneer).

__________________
Blake (Future_HT_Doc)

Forum Co-Moderator and Editorial Assistant for the Hair Transplant Network, the Hair Loss Learning Center, the Hair Loss Q&A Blog, and the Hair Restoration Forum

All opinions are my own and my advice should not constitute as medical advice.

i was looking at HIS hair clinic because one opened downtown recently and also they offer removal if i end up not being satisfied, so that's always a good fallback! gonna try to schedule a consultation soon.

those pictures look great! granted their hair is much longer. even with a buzzed hair yet not quite shaved, i feel like having that extra look of "density" would be perfect, long as i don't get over zealous and grow my hair out too long.

Glad you were able to look them over. Would you be willing to consult with NHI? I'm not sure where you live, but it may be worth traveling to have a SMP procedure with a trusted organization (like Dr. Rassman and NHI).

__________________
Blake (Future_HT_Doc)

Forum Co-Moderator and Editorial Assistant for the Hair Transplant Network, the Hair Loss Learning Center, the Hair Loss Q&A Blog, and the Hair Restoration Forum

All opinions are my own and my advice should not constitute as medical advice.

I had a SMP procedure done into thinning areas. Check the results out here....

http://www.hairrestorationnetwork.co...-smp-pics.html

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HT #1: Karamikian Unknown # of grafts Sept.2006

HT#2 Nov.23rd, 2007
Dr.Feller
Almost 3200 grafts via strip

HT#3 April 2010
Fue 200/side into temple points

HT#4 February 2011

My Hair Loss Website - Hair Transplant with Dr. Feller

i live in WA, so i would have to take a flight or a very long drive. even so, they say the procedure would have to be done 2-3 times over a period of time, so heading to LA even more than once is pretty unrealistic with my schedule unfortunately.

i dont like the hairlines for HIS but i don't intent on them creating me a new one, just filling in what i have with density. otherwise, the rest of their pictures look pretty good.

i actually saw your pictures and they look great! it really does add that extra bit of density. how does it look up close in person?

Undetectable.

__________________
HT #1: Karamikian Unknown # of grafts Sept.2006

HT#2 Nov.23rd, 2007
Dr.Feller
Almost 3200 grafts via strip

HT#3 April 2010
Fue 200/side into temple points

HT#4 February 2011

My Hair Loss Website - Hair Transplant with Dr. Feller