tanner1987

I got it 7 years ago. At first I loved it; it helped my insecurities around my hair loss. I was in my late 20s at the time and I wasn’t ready to be bald. Then my scalp started suffering from razor burn from the constant shaving; I had a particularly bad case, and this was really unpleasant. I switched to an electric razor, which helped a lot, but it doesn’t keep the hair short enough for as long. The constant keeping it short thing became a hassle over time, and the anxiety of having to shave it every single day to avoid any contrast. Fast forward to now, I’m in my mid-30s and more than happy/ready to embrace my total baldness, so I am letting my SMP fade away - and fading away it is. I’m in a slightly awkward stage now where I have a visible horseshoe because I’m letting it fade away, but I need to keep my hair really really short because any contrast is more obvious. I am now considering laser, but I will probably just persist as it is for the time being. Having tried Rogaine, with bad side effects, and seriously considered HT, and having tried SMP, I would encourage anyone just to embrace their baldness and to spend the money on a personal trainer and good wardrobe instead. In my opinion it’s not worth the stress.

I’m not that technical on things, but they called it SMP despite it being “temporary”. It was The Look, they were on Church St, Richmond but I think they have since moved. The artist’s name was Alex and the manager’s name was David; happy to show somebody in person the finished product, albeit 4yrs old without touch-up.

Result looks fantastic! My advice would be to forget HT, at least until technology advances significantly, and stay with the SMP 👍

I’ve only ever had one person suspect mine, and that was a friend I was also working with at the time of procedure. Everyone else: none the wiser.

2016 SMP for me and been very happy with it. My biggest advice is to take your time to select a good clinician. I sat down with 3 before I was happy to continue; you want experience and evidence of results. I also wanted one that would naturally fade over time, so I kept the option to let it fade or touch it up. You definitely don’t want a permanent tattoo-type job IMO. Also, don’t get too greedy with a low hairline; I think less is more when is comes to SMP for a natural look. Getting it wet is absolutely no issue. Main issues are sun protection, and you do find your head (apparently) sweating more in the heat without hair to absorb it, but you will find it a dream compared to the maintenance and limitations of concealer. I can’t imagine any issues facilitating a HT per-se, but SMP has to be kept shaven to look right, although I often let it grow when I know I can wear a hat out. This could make the transition to HT quite awkward when you have to grow it out, making the SMP look wrong until you have hair to cover, but I wouldn’t let this hold you back. Take your time to pick a good clinic and go for it 👍

SMP here from 2016(Melbourne) and still very happy with it. Is definitely fading, by maybe only 10-15%, but entirely uniform with no bleeding etc whatsoever. I intend to let it fade much more before I contemplate a touch-up.

I used The Look in Melbourne and I was very happy with the the look, excuse the pun. I got a non-permanent procedure too, which is what I wanted, to keep options open in the future. Happy to meet anyone in person if they want to see the product. Located in Vic but often interstate for work.

IMO forget transplants and go SMP, at least until transplant technology has improved a lot.

I had SMP late 2016 and been very happy with the results. I went to The Look in Melbourne. It was $1000AU for each of 3 sessions. I haven't even been back for the 3rd session yet, which I'll just use as a touch up some time in the future. Not a single person has noticed(as far as I'm aware) that I have SMP. I get the old questions "why shave your head if you're not bald"? I suspect the reason for the lack of responses, as someone assumed, is because we've all moved on with our lives.... I rarely visit this site any more and only came here to check on a cure update, as a cure is still my ultimate goal.

Thanks for the recommendation Mikey - I wasn't aware of their company so I'll give them a go. So far I've had initials consultation with two Melbourne-based clinics: Face and Hair Clinic, Albert Park: They specialise in "temporary" SMP, which is what I'm after, so that pleased me. Also the consultation was with the doctor herself, and she seemed very honest and down to earth, so I liked my consultation with her. Their prices were also quite reasonable - $800 for the first two sessions and ~$500 for a third, if required. The only thing holding me back was the lack of previous results - she only had 2-3 examples of previous clients, with quite poor quality photos, poor lighting etc. and I'm not willing to take the "gamble" on that unfortunately. Vinci, also in Albert Park: They only do "permanent" SMP, which is really what I don't want, also they're quite expensive - $5,500. They have a heap of good results to show off however, which was very encouraging, including the gent himself giving the consultation! He also offered to show me SMP being undertaken which was fantastic. If I was after "permanent" SMP(which I'm not) I'd be quite keen to go ahead. I'll give your recommendation of 'SMP Adelaide' a go - it seems like an odd name, since they have a Melbourne office, and also another clinic I've found - "The Look", in Richmond. The Look seem to do temporary SMP so I hope they have some good results(and a good price too) to show off.

Has anyone here had SMP done in Melbourne? Where, and happy /not happy, recommendations etc? Anyone here happy to show me their results, even in person? I shave my head every morning now and so am ready to continue with SMP - I have a very good hairline still, minus my temples, so I assume I'd be quite a good candidate. Thanks

I liked using the caboki; it looked like I had a full head of hair with my natural hairline, since my hairline itself has not really been receeding. It's just not practical though unfortunately; you can't go for a swim at the beach and everything you rest your head against leaves the powder everywhere. The look itself though I thought was great. I'll just stick with the shaven look, up to 4-5 days growth. I have a good shaped head and I think I look particularly good with some beard, although work doesn't let me grow it. The main reason I wanted to try hair was that I'm still in my 20s, which I thought was a bit "abnormal" for balding, and the more practical aspects of always needing a hat in summer and beanie in winter! Alas everything can't be perfect and I can hardly complain with my 2nd best

I got my new hair system fitted last week. It took well over 10 weeks to arrive and get booked it despite the initial quote of 7 weeks. I'll be up front: I couldn't stand it. It felt so unnatural wearing it and it looked so not "me". I've had a very distinctive "V" in my hairline since the day I was born which I've always liked; I made it clear I wanted to keep it but the piece arrived with a very straight hair line. Going to sleep I could feel it move and the hair line for the hair piece sat a good centimetre above my natural hairline, so you could see my natural hairline beneath it -- is that normal?? It looked terrible and the only person I knew that I let see had an awful reaction. I'm glad I didn't let anyone else I knew see it because it was truly terrible IMO. I only had it about 24hrs and then decided to remove it myself, using a bond remover and some disinfectant from the supermarket; it was difficult but not impossible. $4,300AUD down the drain, which seemed very expensive in the first place. I've gone back to a shaven head, which doesn't look too bad. I had been growing it out using concealer(caboki) which I thought looked great. A lot of people just thought I was wearing hair dye and didn't really suspect I was badly thinning. I haven't decided which option I'll revert back to now, although I never really saw Caboki as a long-term solution, as much as I liked it. (Can't swim, people can't really touch it and so forth). That's just my disappointing story about hair systems. I sure others love them, but not me.

So I've taken the plunge and put down the 50% deposit to get a system. Paid more than I wanted, and was expecting, but that's not the point. The point is my clinic doesn't want me to cut my hair again :eek: I currently shave my head as I've said here before, which generally looks pretty good, but yes I'd like hair back, or at least to give it a try; So I can't bear the thought of growing out my horribly thinning hair for 7 weeks until the system is ready!! Does anyone have any advice for this poor chap who doesn't quite know how he's going to grow it out and maintain some sort of self image? Thanks in advance guys. I'm going for quite a short hair cut(at least initially). I've been slowly cutting my hair shorter and shorter for a few years now and have been shaving for about 2 years, so I figure a short haircut will be less of a shock to everyone(and myself), so I don't see the need to grow it for 7 weeks; I would have thought 2 weeks at max and then just start off with a very short back and sides....?

Anyone recommend any decent hair systems in Adelaide? I'm going off a HT and am leaning more and more towards a system. I've been quoted ~$2,500 by Transition Hair Group in North Adelaide, but I'm not sure what exactly that covers. Thanks.

I'm going off the idea of HT surgery and am leaning towards a system. I don't like the gamble with an FUT scar, particularly as I'd keep shaving my head until I was getting decent results. Also not real keen on thinning my donor hair through FUE(and punch hole scars), due to my large graft requirement (~3,500 quoted by Dr Path) I was originally very against a system, likening it to "hiding" baldness. My mindset is changing, in that it needn't be anything "hidden"(everyone knows I'm thinning, and I envisage being quite open about it to those that I know already), and is akin to a girl wearing makeup to look their best, despite being unnatural. I'm also considering it as a "temporary" solution before a proper "cure" is available

Thanks for the advice Gents. I'd look at maintaining my shaven head until new hairs are growing out properly, so 3-12 months post Op. I'm not keen on taking a gamble on the "scar" so I suppose FUT is out of the question for me. I find it odd that Dr Path recommended it, knowing that I shave my head. He tried to reassure me that the scar wouldn't be an issue. I might write back to him and give him 1 more chance to convince me of FUT.

Hi all! I'm looking at getting a HT. I'm 28 years old from Adelaide, Australia. I'm about a Norwood 5, and as such I shave my head! I don't mind the shaven look, thankfully I have a well-shaped head at least, however, i'd still like my hair back! I've been in contact with Dr Path from Bangkok who thinks I need about 3,500 grafts for my hair loss. I was planning on FUE, mainly because I currently shave my head, and I don't plan to grow it out until I start getting results. For the number of grafts I need however Dr Path recommends FUT. My main concern therefore is the scar with FUT. Dr Path claims that the scars are only 1-2mm thick and are barely seen these days. Does anyone have any experience with FUT scars they can share, and would it be suitable with a shaven head?(at least until I start getting growth). Thanks in advance for the help!

So I had my appointment in Adelaide last night. My first impression was that I'd gone back to the 90s; the decor, the binder of info he showed me, but more importantly the wall pictures spruiking their before & after pics of clients. My appointment went for about 2hrs which could have easily been covered in half the time. For this I paid $60, but I think only since I offered to pay something. The surgeon is probably late 50s; he was pushing "sensi-graft", the sort of wig you stick on your head. I'm sure they look good but it's definitely not for me. He does FUT but he definitely recommends sensi-graft. I don't think he even does FUE. Needless to say I'll keep looking for a surgeon that specialises more in surgery, specifically FUE. I'll probably visit Melbourne next and try Dr Knudsen which I've heard some good things about.

Thanks Kris! Anyone you'd recommend? I'm meeting an Adelaide surgeon in a fortnight but yeh as I said I won't be jumping into any surgery right away.

This forum seems to have gone quiet, but here's my story: I'm 27, started thinning about 4 years ago. I now shave my head, which doesn't look too bad, but yes i'd prefer my hair back, so I'm considering HT. I'm booked into a clinic in North Adelaide next week for a consultation. No, I won't be jumping into any procedures until I'm happy with my research. Any recommendations of surgeons? This forum seems to recommend Dr Knudsen in Melb or Dr Path in Bangkok. I'd rather a decent procedure rather then a cheap one, as I'm sure most would. I tried Rogaine a while ago but had bad side effects: swollen ears, dry skin on my face, face inflamed, basically my whole head was really, dry, hot and swollen! I've been too afraid of the side effects of Fin so have never bothered, and I think now i've left that too late anyways since I can't go more than about 3-4 days from shaving my head before my horse shoe becomes visible.