NicH0le007

Congrats! We will be excited to hear and see how it goes for you!

Do they have photo's you can view of patients that have healed procedures? How long will it before you can expect any fading? What degree of fading do they anticipate? How often will it need to be touched up? How much do the touch-ups cost? What will they do to help you, if you would happen to experience any type of dissatisfaction? What if you lose more hair? can adjustments be made? And, how? Is the pigment laser able? How will the hairline be placed?

Could you post a photo? That roller makes me very nervous (understatement). In fact, as a practitioner, I can't see how they could possibly have any accuracy or control with that tool. Did they tell you that you would have more of a shaded look or that the dots were going to be defined? Is the hairline too straight? I'm not so worried for you about lines as I am that it's all going to fade together...

Hi Ken, I do feel like Permanent SMP can be a viable option if done by a reputable clinic! Temp SMP (tricopigmentation) is a great advancement in the permanent SMP procedure exactly for the reason you stated above - because it offers another option for patients. I like to stay away from any permanent vs. temporary SMP debates because they both have their own lists of pro's and con's. Always, the most important thing first is "Do no harm" followed by "What is best for this patient". Both are great procedures in the right hands but neither procedure is "the perfect solution" for every patient. It's nice to be able to offer options. Many patients are not ready psychologically (for a variety of reasons) to make a decision to do any permanent procedures so this offers another way for them to "test the waters" knowing it will fade and disappear compared to needing laser removal treatments should they want to make changes (or life hands them changes) in the future. Nicole

I'm not sure if you are interested in pursuing temporary SMP at all...But, beauty medical by far has the smallest needle size using a 1 prong micro needle as compared to a 3 prong round needle that the majority of permanent companies are using. (1 needle vs 3)

Hey Darren, The members will prob be able to help you best if you tell them.. Where do you live? Are you willing or do you want to travel? Are you looking at permanent SMP vs. temporary SMP? Have you previously had a transplant or are you planning one in the future? Are you looking to go with a shaved look or just add density to your existing hair? This way they can help you sort through all their personal experiences. Best of luck, Nicole

I think you are ready to start a phone consult process and have a sit down with a rep. so they can answer all your questions for you more in depth. Have you checked out any virtual tools on a few different SMP sights that you can photo shop yourself with an SMP to see how you like it? Some of the sights let you play with hairlines, etc.! Best of luck!

I like the andis professional 04603 outliner (the grey one). Honestly, it gets very close and will leave you very smooth. Maybe if you want just a tad bit of stubble try the wahl t-edger (maroon colored) it leaves you just slightly more stubble (we are talking maybe a mm more) but less than the clipper. The key with the t-edger is that their engines are not as strong as the regular clipper, so just keep them oiled and don't let your hair get too long between shaves but otherwise the blades are thinner and sharper so you can get a closer shave and with less work. As far as wet shaving goes, for temp SMP I would never recommend it. Because, although the pigment is implanted in the upper dermal layer it is designed to fade by process of cell renewal so wet shaving does speed up that process by virtue of increased exfoliation and more rapid cell renewal.

The T-edger will most defiantly be sharper than a regular clipper because they were designed to make outlines. I have also found the andies to be the sharpest. Don't press too hard. Let the clipper do the work for you. Also, keep it clean!!! I have had patients struggle with folliculitis because they do not clean their clippers between use and then friction + germs = yuck. You should be able to buy a sanitizing spray wherever you purchase from. If you struggle with cutting yourself with the andies my next suggestion is the wahl t-edger just keep it oiled. IMO, don't buy anything without a cord.

This just went up today 10/13 and it says it was posted on 10/2, weird? Thank you so much haircut! I love being wife approved And, I honestly couldn't be happier that this procedure has been able to provide you with some day to day ease. The pigment has taken very well for you, and really in most cases if a patient meets the proper criteria it will take great, if the proper technique is used. With scar tissue, IMO it's most important to implement slowly and watch how the procedure heals before adding more. It does require multiple sessions (and the hassle and pain of travel) but in the end I have found that practicing patience in the beginning of the procedure results in better long term satisfaction. I would much rather the have you travel and experience the hassle of getting it right to begin with than the hassle to correct it. Thank you, again

Minoxidil (Rogaine) has been shown to speed up the fading process in SMP but not enough that we would recommend stopping use. The benefits of the minoxidil (Rogaine) far outweigh the effect it has on overall fading in our opinion. I recommend my patients to just discontinue use for first 30 days of healing. You might want to ask one of the physicians this question. You have other options. Good luck.

I can see the appeal of "one and done". Wouldn't it be so nice to just end the hassle of all this hair loss trauma with just one procedure and then not have to think about it anymore.... It's so dreamy sounding....but, unfortunately that's about all it is - a dream. A dream that can easily turn into a nightmare by virtue of a permanent blue solid colored head, or a hairline lower than Eddie Munster's or straighter than this week's most popular rapper. I always like to remind my patients that while travel and multiple sessions can be a bit more of a hassle - repair work is a HUGE hassle. It's always easier to add more pigment than it is to subtract it. Start with your hairline slightly higher than you ideally would like and your tone slightly lighter...leave a little room to wiggle. For many of us this will be the first time we see ourselves in this "style" we don't know exactly what will look best. You should have some "touch-up" sessions built into your initial session fee for these corrections.

I am the SMP practitioner for Shapiro Medical Group. I have seen work done by all and yes, all are good. It is absolutely important to know something about the establishment you are getting your procedure done at. I as well am familiar with many SMP horror stories. Often times, there are many factors that come into play not just the "practitioner". From a patients perspective that was the easiest and most obvious variable to pick out. If you feel more comfortable having one technician do all your work though than by all means this is the route you should go with. I'm simply pointing out that both ways have advantages and disadvantages from a technical standpoint.

SMP can be a great solution for people with scars, but not everyone scarred or unscarred is a candidate for SMP. But, everyone should understand that scar tissue is very unpredictable. No guarantees should ever be made. If someone tells you that every patient they have ever worked with is happy they are LYING! SMP has a huge learning curve. It personally took me hundreds of procedures with hand holding before I was ready to go on my own. Even now, obviously, still learning to do. Temporary SMP has been a relatively new procedure to the world of SMP (which is a baby itself) in the last few years. The thing to keep in mind about temporary is that IT WILL FADE. If it is left unmaintained it will disappear. This is a great game changer for those people who want to test the SMP waters before diving into permanent. Another thing to ask your SMP clinic provider is what their policies are for unsatisfied customers...What if it turns blue? What if it migrates? What if?????? Know what they are going to do to help you if you dislike the result. SMP is art + science. Nothing is exact.

Thank you! Yes, we did! On another note, HIS does great work as well. From an artistic standpoint having multiple technicians work on you can yield an outstanding result because each artist has a fresh eye for something different. Remember, the sessions build on each other. So, session two will be better than session one not because of the technician but because needling of the skin from session 1 has prepared the skin for session two.. so on and so forth... Best of luck! Hope this makes sense!

I think we should use the words "impossible" and "never" very carefully. This is science and art in combination. It's not exact. I love HIS work and follow them very closely. So, please do not take that as an installation of mistrust. Just being honest with you from a technical standpoint.

I have seen work from both clinics on patients who are coming to our clinic for transplants. You know, I think they both do great work!! Have you done your consultation with both of them? What are your long term goals? The only advantage I can see with Vinci is that they have physicians on staff to help you with long term planning and discuss a range of strategic options with you. I believe both offer temporary solutions as well, safe way to "get your feet wet" so to speak. I'm excited for you!

Those white spots sound suspiciously a bit like folliculitis and could be an infection. You should contact the clinic you had your transplant done at to discuss this with the physician. You want to have that cleared up and your scalp in great condition before you do any SMP.

In my opinion, the people on the forums couldn't ask for a more honest person to seek experience from than you. You my friend, have been through it all. Partially why it's so frustrating to me that SMP wasn't successful for you -- is that I truly want you to be able to experience the feeling of "true freedom" that comes from being able to move on from this long repair battle. You deserve that. And, It will come. We will just have to go back to the drawing board. I appreciate you writing up your experience. We still do have a lot to learn. I'm going to change the treatment schedule protocol for people that have had multiple transplants on top to the same schedule as I would treat a strip scar. 3 one day sessions. All six weeks apart. Slow it down and watch it some more. I call it "The Wylie Schedule" <--another bad joke. I joke and have bad and sometimes extreme analogies only because I believe we need laughter and smiles during times of frustration. Hope cannot be lost. While more SMP is not in your future for the recipient. I look forward to continuing to work with you on your donor area. And, Dr.Ron has a few ideas up his sleeve we can chat about to get you closer to the end of this battle. Nicole

forgiven. I just wanted to clarify for you!

Scar 5 had permanent SMP with a different company.

"pooled" pigment is in fact pigment migration. Same concept as if I touched a white fabric sheet with a black marker. It bleeds because the fibers of the sheet cannot hold all the ink that was deposited and it has to move somewhere. (This is just an example: insert any colored sheets, any type or colored markers, any type of fabric, lets not get into satin vs. cotton) <--bad joke In my experience, SMP will always fade unevenly because of the differing layers of the tissue. As a pt. this should honestly be expected. This is why you should have a touch-up included in your initial treatment package. And, you should have a plan for one in place that is discussed before you begin. What makes it tricky from an operator standpoint is that the "dots" look perfect and appear to be inserted all evenly during procedure and even the first few days post procedure and it's not until it has healed that the unevenness is revealed.(I use 7x magnification and have a special tool that allows me to look at pigment insertion depths under the skin). We should also remember that our "canvases" during procedure are not picture perfect. They are red, swollen, perhaps blanched from adrenaline, raised and patchy, have pigments smears that lay in pores, and blood and body fluids are present. Then add, some people have hair that we are working around. I think you make so many great points. All issues, I myself personally as an operator am happy I can control (not everyone can control their work schedule). These are also issues I am also always passionately advocating. "SMP mega sessions should not be an option, "one and done" is not smart, your hand and eyes will and do get tired, etc. ect. etc." That is why, I think, the real issue to be discussed is the "treatment timetable". SMP is a great tool in the battle against hair loss if it is administered responsibly. We have had a great deal of success overall with a slow moving treatment schedule. Watching the healing before moving forward makes it much easier for overall safe strategy building. Another talkable point, from an operator standpoint, is that it's the patients we usually have to slow down. Most people do not want the inconvenience of a multi-session procedure, more travel + hotel costs, etc. They want it as dark as possible and as fast as possible. Sticking to our protocols is important no matter how convincing or demanding people are. I talk with many SMP operators weekly, many of these people are my friends, the thing with this is...protocols are new. In the past, operators would let pts tell them what they wanted and if it went against their recommendations the pt just signed a waiver. That was a terrible idea. (lets discuss one issue IE:the low hairline) Many of these weird hairlines we have viewed and shook our heads at were someone's "desire"--"deepest desire" --"all they ever wanted, again", "I just want to feel young again" etc. Then when they hated it -- online they came to complain. But,the whole story was never revealed and the mention of "their deepest desire" was gone. I can't tell you how many people I refuse to work with because I will not use the color black or will not make their heads one solid color, nor go infront of existing hairlines, etc. "But Nicole, I can still see some flesh color on my scalp", "But Nicole, when I use dermatch/toppik I can't see my scalp, lets make it darker" "But Nicole, I want to do this so bad but I can't afford to travel that much let's just get it all done in one day" "Nicole, this hairline is still too high, when I was 21 it was so much lower, and I liked it so much better" ..... Protocols, these are all things that are changing to make SMP safer for the future. As far as transparency is concerned, companies should start to become more comfortable discussing pigment brands. Many laser technicians are wanting more specific information before they will do removals. They may not give you that information right away, but, I think your persistence will pay off.