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I have a client who successfully removed his FUE work using a combination of laser and electrolysis. Be careful though and only go to someone who is highly experienced as they can cause scarring or permanent redness.

This client was more concerned with density on top and covering the strip[ scars. He was not as bothered by the FUE and had a strict budget so we didn't concentrate on them.

You should not have a lingering red/brownish area. Let’s hope this is just some temporary post-SMP inflammation.

Gotcha. So firstly, I would NEVER send a client out of my clinic with that much excess pigment on their scalp--that's poor/sloppy protocol. There are clearly some retention issues here. Whether it's your skin type or technician error is tough to say. One thing is clear, this is not an acceptable result. I would probably seek a second opinion from another SMP clinic or just proceed with laser removal (where are you located?). Just be very careful with both because a bad decision could make matters worse.

What’s going on in those session 4 pictures? Is that excess pigment?

The dermis on your scalp cannot hold lines like this. When it heals it will slowly start to look awful. Terrible idea.

Texting has made it very convenient to do business and to communicate, but it also opens you up to clients/patients being able to contact you 24/7 and expect an answer. I use a Business Line App from GoDaddy called Smartline that allows me to set business hours and has a Do Not Disturb function. At any rate, glad this was resolved quickly.

Very nice and natural

They bought HIS Hair, one of the first SMP clinics and first to become a globalized brand.

And there's even more SMP artists who think every hairline needs to be a straight line drawn across a client's head (and many can't draw a straight line!). When I started out I studied how some of the top HT docs were designing hairlines (Alexander, Feller, Arocha, Shapiro, Cooley, etc.). I applied this to my SMP designs and I believe it's made a huge difference.

If you came to my clinic I would recommend laser removal. You'll probably need at least 2 sessions, maybe three. I would just zap the entire job and start over.

Thank you. Yes breaking up the line does help to make it look more natural.

This client is pictured post 3-sessions. Happy New Year's to all and thanks for looking!

"Also, consider this. You can't take back/reverse SMP..." This is actually not true. You can remove most SMP with a laser. If it's light and deposited correctly (upper dermis) it's not too difficult to remove. There is discomfort involved, though. I haven't had a chance to read this entire thread, but luckily you found this forum before doing any thing and can learn from the many knowledgeable, kind-hearted members. I'm 49 and have had nine transplants starting in my early 30s. I have three strip scars and FUE. My hair looks full and the scars aren't noticeable with my hair long. That being said, it was a lot of time, money and physical and emotional trauma. When I first started really noticing the Norwood pattern I simply shaved my head. This wasn't as fashionable or acceptable a choice 15 years ago. Now I wish I could go back in time and just do that. Anyway, that would be my advice before doing anything else. Shave it off, keep the facial hair, get physically fit, and invest in a stylish wardrobe. Hasty decisions with cosmetic procedures, especially with hair, are often poor and costly.

Sure although I feel like I’ve shared this particular client in this forum. I’ll have to dig for his pictures as it was a few years ago. He went to Dr. Umar I believe for the repair work.

Sorry I only have clients who have mixed beard hair in with scalp. Everyone I’ve seen has used beard only when the scalp is depleted. These are typically extreme repair cases. (I have a client that even used pubic hair!). You should keep in mind too that everyone has differing hair types so some beard hair will be less coarse than others. In other words, your mileage may vary…

Yes it would create scarring in the recipient area which could complicate matters with pigment retention. Also I've seen tons of beard and body hair grafts up close....I would only use these for filling in areas when the donor is depleted, repairs, and maybe strip scar.

I assumed that my result would look like my friend's but it doesn't, at least not to my eyes. But my friend went in for a shaved look whereas I went in for density, so perhaps my expectations were incorrect. I'm seeking validation on that. Shave with a zero guard on a clipper (I like the Wahl Peanut) and it will look fine.

I'd agree the problem here isn't your SMP job but your hair transplant and the hair length/style. You need to either grow it longer or shaved down with a zero guard so the SMP blends properly with the hair. I turn clients away if I think the expectations are unrealistic or if I feel there are other better options for them. Did your technician mention to you that you were better suited for a Shaved Look procedure? When clients come to me for a procedure I'm always very thorough and explain the realties of what we can accomplish. It's very important to explain proper hair lengths and to manage expectations. I also have clients come in with a few days of growth and then I'll shave them and show proper techniques as well as discuss a game plan for on-going hair maintenance. This includes choosing the right type of shaver or clipper. Regarding pictures: SMP can be tricky to capture accurately due to light reflection off of the scalp. Phone cameras also have a way of bumping up or washing out contrast.

Your hair looks great in my opinion. I don't think SMP will make that big a difference. I'd hold off and save money for future HT work.

Yes, but I get where he is coming from. He went through a lot for the transplants (long distance travel, time, money, physical and emotional trauma). It might take him some time to just let it go and accept the Shaved look.

They usually take the beard grafts from under the chin so while apparent if you search for them, they’re not readily visible. No I haven’t treated any beard hair FUE.

Claudia looks like she does very good work. I’d also check out Foli Sim.

This is with shaved look after first 2 sessions. I was limited with hairline design because I knew his intention was to grow the hair long. Otherwise I could have given him an even better and more aesthetic hair line. And believe me, I did my best to persuade him to maintain the shaved look.

This client came in after having 2 strip surgeries and an FUE surgery. The goal was to give density overall as well as conceal the scars. He agreed to shave down for the procedure and we treated him as a Shaved Look client. He is pictured with hair on top grown out after 3 sessions of SMP.