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I've had quite a few people ask me about this very approach lately, but there are some issues you should consider. Firstly, you will be PERMANENTLY scarring your scalp. And not just the donor zone. You will create scar tissue in the recipient area too, which can sometimes cause issues with the pigment (retention mostly). I know FUE is being aggressively marketed as "scar-free" or "scar-less" surgery--this is simply not true--as is evidenced here on this forum. The followup I get is, "Well you can then fix the scars." But why create a problem that needs fixing? SMP can definitely help conceal the scars, but it's not perfect. Secondly, while current transplant technology/methods (FUT and FUE) do produce ultra-refined grafts, they will NEVER be as natural as your native hair. And what I most commonly see is ridging along the hairline when the grafts are shaved down. Like everything else in life, you must weigh the risk versus the reward of this approach. In my opinion, if you're going for a shaved/buzzed look (zero guard), forgo the surgery and just do SMP.

This client was lucky to consult with a few ethical hair transplant surgeons who told him he was not a good candidate for surgery due to signs of diffusion in his donor zone. He instead opted to restore his hairline and full density with three sessions of SMP. Thanks for looking!

I recommend posting some pictures to get a better idea of your situation.

My SMP protocol requires you to have 2 sessions on consecutive days and then you return between 2-6 weeks for a third session. Feel free to email me pictures aheadink@gmail.com for a consultation.

That is still the case. Shaved Look and Scar procedures only.

I have also seen FUE scarring that was quite undetectable. But there has been an influx of cases where the extraction pattern is very defined because the grafts aren’t spread over the entire donor zone. Also many of the clients I see with visible scarring are being over harvested.

It's crazy lately how many guys are telling me they want to do a shaved head look but are considering having FUE surgery first because they want some real hair in the frontal zones before doing the SMP. When I point out they will be PERMANENTLY scarring their donor zone they reply "You can fix it though, right?" An explanation I often get for this approach is it seems they are worried that if someone runs their hands over their head it won't be realistic without some stubble. They also don't get that even if the smallest surgical punch is used the FU will still have some tissue which can lead to ridging in the front (especially when done by anyone other than a top HT doc). Even though it is a source of income, I'd rather see guys not get this done to them. But thanks all for the positive feedback.

Here is the finished product. We added some more pigment to areas around the extraction pattern plus to the client's crown.

SMP should be deposited in the upper layer of the dermis (my machine deposits at .5mm). This is nowhere near deep enough as to damage hair follicles.

Instagram marketing can be quite deceptive. Spend the extra $3k for peace of mind. Also I'd leave the crown alone, it looks strong to me for now.

Gatsby has given you sound advice. I had similar hair loss as you that started at age 28. I stopped taking Fin at 30 years old because I was trying to start a family. 20 years and approximately 9 hair transplants later I have a pretty full looking head of hair. The crown is still a bit thin but I cover it with proper styling and hair length. The majority of my surgeries were strip. I doubt I could have achieved the same with just FUE. Just know that once you start down the rabbit hole there's no turning back so make informed decisions and consider the what ifs.

My man you have ZERO hairloss. You even had a top HT surgeon tell you so. However, if you're attempting to control every aspect of your life you might start causing your hair to fall out from the stress!

It's possible but very difficult to tell by just seeing pictures. A hair transplant surgeon or a trichologist could probably tell you if those hairs are miniaturizing but honestly I would not worry about this now.

Looks totally normal to me. Might have some minor signs of thinning but nowhere near enough to waste time on this forum. Go enjoy life and that nice head of hair.

Thanks for the mention.....FYI My web site is terribly outdated. My Instagram and Facebook have more recent results. The stigma men face with balding is troubling to me. Whereas everything else is considered "body shaming" a bald guy is still fair game for making fun of. Something genetic and out of our hands? It makes no sense to me.

Thank you

FYI That’s not my (Ahead Ink) work you linked to it’s a different company.

Update: Here is the featured client fully healed. We did another session today to blend a bit more. I'll update with more pictures from today’s session in a few weeks when he returns for a checkup .....

For this particular client I used a 3-point needle. I also have single point needles that I use. Sometimes I mix the two. Bigger dots can sometimes mean the artist injected deeper.

Sorry to see you went through all that. I have witnessed an increasing number of guys going to Turkey only to come back with crazy low hairlines, pluggy work, and highly visibly scarring. I suppose the lure of cheap pricing and promises of zero-visibility scarring are great. That being said I've also seen some quality HT work from Turkey. Be careful out there guys!

From my experience FUE treatment clients tend to get more mileage out of the SMP than shaved look clients. On average three, sometimes 4 years, before requiring any type of touchup. There are rarely issues with color change/perception in FUE treatments. Strip scars are a different story. Ideal strip scars for SMP are flat and white. This is sometimes not the case with strip scars as they can be stretched or keloid. To mitigate color issues I use medium brown strictly as my base color. Then we can tone up or down with an agar that is mixed in to the product. But I will explore options with strip scar clients to improve the overall scar when and if possible. This includes scar excision/reclosure, laser treatment, topical treatments, and grafting into the scar.

Yes I require a zero guard shave for all procedures. I am located in Fort Lee, New Jersey.

Here’s a recent client pictured after 2 sessions of SMP. He will return for one more session to blend the crown and nape areas a bit more.

Ciaus is correct I no longer offer thickening. I do have a colleague in New Jersey I am sending clients to who require this service. He was not trained by me though and does not use Beauty Medical like I do.

I hope everyone is doing well! Here are some recent clients. Thanks for looking!