Anyone have SMP at Shapiro yet

[Cant decide]

Cant decide

I agree it does do wonders and i actually believe its best for the crown. Kasia with the supervion of Dr. Shapiro and Janna strategically avoided getting too close to the hairline, which I agreed. I will say that the 25% estimate I gave is just a shot in the dark I will try to post some pics of my current status, but I still can tell that the SMP does make a difference.

What i do need to say is that the effects in the picture from the SMP are a little more "fuller" due to the fact that I had some "gel" like substance and some ink from the actual procedure. The protocol did not allow me to wash my hair the first few days. As a result from the gel that Kasia used in conjunction with the ink from the SMP the actual hair looks fuller and thicker the first few days. Please don't get me wrong the thickening affect was achieved but I had to clarify that in the pick there is some "gunk" in my hair from the procedure.

 

Thanks Arrie - Would you say that it looks natural even under direct strong lighting? Do you think the average person would be able to tell that the ink has faded since March or is it something that only you or someone looking for it would notice and for the most part to the casual observer the thickening effect is the same?

[Arrie]

To be honest with you I would say it maybe even got more natural as it faded.. I know it sounds weird but when i first got the SMP done it looked good and was very hard to tell but if you were to sit and magnify my head you would be able to tell its just dots (no matter who did it). I do believe that it faded somewhat quickly but I have to post some pics for your guys to decide how much, 25% is just my "guestimate". I believe some will take this treatment and use it regularly in their arsenal, for me I think its a great procedure to buy some time in between HTs. These are just my opinions hope this helps the masses....

[Spanker]

To be honest with you I would say it maybe even got more natural as it faded.. I know it sounds weird but when i first got the SMP done it looked good and was very hard to tell but if you were to sit and magnify my head you would be able to tell its just dots (no matter who did it). I do believe that it faded somewhat quickly but I have to post some pics for your guys to decide how much, 25% is just my "guestimate". I believe some will take this treatment and use it regularly in their arsenal, for me I think its a great procedure to buy some time in between HTs. These are just my opinions hope this helps the masses....

 

Arrie, was your last HT in 07?

[Arrie]

Spanker

Yes my last HT was in August of 2007.

 

Heres the link

http://www.hairtransplantnetwork.com/blog/home-page.asp?WebID=398

Edited September 13, 2013 by Arrie
added blog

[Spanker]

Spanker

Yes my last HT was in August of 2007.

 

Heres the link

Hair Restoration Site for Arries

 

 

That is great. It has held up well.

[dakota3]

Thanks for addressing our concerns Janna :-)

[fueonly]

janna i think you are confused i was not refered to H and w nor zering.

kasia said on phone about someone in illinois i am not sure.

kasia was very good in speaking and she has thorough knowledge of smp.

I would say she was very optimistic initially then may be because of pregnancy i will give benfit of doubt she back out.

I nevr meant to offend you janna.

I already mentioned shapiro clinic is known for HT

if you see my all posting everywhere i mention shapiro for hairline

so janna as shapiro has tackle that shortcoming of fading sooner then later by new machine.

Is it that shapiro clinc is now doing smp on day to day basis.

arrie please post your recent pic and i will appreciate it.

[Arrie]

Ok guys have some patience I will try to post my pics from my comp SMP from SMG.... This was taken at the hotel right before my SMP. It was dark and taken from a camera phone I apologize its not the best documentation, but I tried. (Please note I have changed my hair style to a shorter stye now.

[Arrie]

Ok before you guys say anything I know its not the best lighting :eek:, but there is a noticeable difference in the "illusion of density" (I took pics in the same room at my house post op). Had a family event that day and was actually complimented on my hair that day. In the pics please note the left sided difference. (I have hairspray in these pictures)

[Arrie]

Once again not the best lighting but you can tell the illusion of density is still mostly there, but note the left side where I believe it began to already fade (you guys be the judge).

[fueonly]

errie

did you got it done on entire scalp i mean hairline,midscalp and vertex

all three post recently with pic u posted were taken after howmany days after u did smp can u please

and i think last post with pic where you have ask to users to judge is how old

please can u reply

[Arrie]

Ok guy I took some pics today in the same room which I will post first, then I took pics in different lighting and I was able to snap a pic outside before the neighbors caught me and thought I was crazy . I will say that i believe the SMP is still there and I think I was able to capture that in the pictures, especially the "different lighting" pics. Looking back at my status I am very pleased at how my HT is standing the test of time (7 years ago). I have lost all native hair in the front third of my head, so all that you see is what Dr. Shapiro transplanted. Like I said before I believe I have about 25% of the SMP still on my head and its pretty hard to pick up where it is, but if you look close enough you can see it. I am excited that this can be a tool to use in the hairloss battle, and I once again would like to thank SMG for doing this procedure at NO CHARGE. I understood before i underwent this procedure this would be a learning process for both patient and clinic. Now I hope the community can learn from this.

[Arrie]

Sorry forgot I took this pic outside. I wet my hair and I think you can see the left side either appears to be faded or it may just look that way.

[Arrie]

FUEonly,

the dates and months are listed in the header of each of my replies in bold.

[Cant decide]

Thanks so much Arrie. This was all very valuable. I agree SMP is a very interesting concept and I have only recently started to take note of it. It just seems like a no brainer if you can afford it and as long as one can get say 8-12 months before needing a touch up. Especially for the crown area. Its a good way to look like you have had an extra 1500 grafts in the crown for example without having to chew up more grafts. They can be saved for future more critical needs. Plus, not having to go through the dreaded post op which we all know is harsh.

 

What is the "Post op" like in SMP?

 

Again, thanks.

[Arrie]

Fueonly,

I had SMP don in the front 1/3 of my head.

 

Cantdecide,

I would say the post op from SMP is minimal, the only thing i ddnt like is not being able to wash your hair for like 6 days or so. You have to apply this gel like substance to your scalp, i think twice a day, and you are not able to wash it off for the fist week. Its really not that big of a deal and in reality you can comb your hair after it dries and noon would probably notice it. I may be off on my post op ranges (i.e days not showering, gel application), but I am pretty sure its was about a week, maybe Janna can correct me. Anyways like I said before and I will say again, SMG went above and beyond in their Post Op patient care as they always do and answered every single phone call and question.

[Janna]

Fueonly,

 

I may be off on my post op ranges (i.e days not showering, gel application), but I am pretty sure its was about a week

 

 

The ink needs to set for 24 hours before shampooing - So it's really 3 days total where you don't shampoo - day 1 & day 2 of treatment days then 24 hours later. I suppose when you have extra ink in your hair for few days it seems like a week.

[Janna]

janna i think you are confused i was not refered to H and w nor zering.

kasia said on phone about someone in illinois i am not sure.

 

I nevr meant to offend you janna.

 

 

 

A clinic in Illinois??? Kasia doesn't know any smp clinics in Illinois because there aren't any that we're aware of. I'm not confused by what she told me. H&W and ZM in Beverly Hills are the only temporary clinics we know in all of USA. Out of the two I'd say H&W have more experience. Perhaps one of those clinics referred you to someone in Illinois.

 

You didn't offend me.

 

We feel more hopeful that the new machine will address the fading issue and the ink is going in slightly deeper but aside from that, we are making sure our patients are aware that its a definite possibility that the ink may fade sooner than 8-12 months. We don't guarantee that it'll last a certain amount of time because how fast it fades depends on each person.

 

We are still not doing smp treatments everyday until we get more feedback and results.

Edited September 16, 2013 by Janna

[fueonly]

janna good job

you guys are not doing everyday but you guys do smp once a week

unless you get more feedback what you mean janna

so it is still in trial and error phase correct

[Janna]

It means we're going slowly until we know more about how the temporary ink works.

 

Have you contacted other smp clinics?

[fueonly]

janna i am not that guy u r talking about

I dont know any clinic i just know you and H and w

what is zm

[fixstrip]

Arrie got his for FREE??? for being one of the first patients? I was also one of the first SMP patients there only I was only supposed to be charged $500, but then a few days before I went in Janna told me it would now be $800, and the procedure was still a massive failure! Whats going on here?

[Janna]

I apologize if that's the case. I don't recall changing the price on anyone if you were quoted certain price you should have gotten the original price. Can you email me so that we set things right?

 

Did you have just the scar done? Did you have the treatment the 14th of October? If you had it done on the 14th, it's too soon to deem the treatment a massive failure. You have another treatment 6 weeks after the initial treatment. The scars are much tougher to do than non scar tissue. It can take just as long as a the whole top of the head. Arrie just had the frontal 1/3rd done and his was in conjunction with a scar revision.

Edited November 13, 2013 by Janna

[BaldKen2]

I've been reading up on this temporary SMP procedure and I guess I just cannot understand why someone would pay so much money for "results" that will disappear in 18-24 months. The word solution implies a permanent fix to a problem, but if the hair loss "solution" is only temporary, I would define this temporary SMP as a very temporary improvement. I understand that the needle is only inserted into the epidermal layer, but if a man has this procedure done every 18 months, couldn't there be some scarring and long-term scalp/skin issues. I know that a person is not supposed to undergo repeated tattoo procedures over the same area for these reasons.

[wylie]

I've been reading up on this temporary SMP procedure and I guess I just cannot understand why someone would pay so much money for "results" that will disappear in 18-24 months. The word solution implies a permanent fix to a problem, but if the hair loss "solution" is only temporary, I would define this temporary SMP as a very temporary improvement.

 

You would be correct that it is a temporary solution, but the implication of a "permanent" solution using permanent ink that is likely to fade and change color over time (and, even more importantly, that bluish color will really look funny against a background of grey hair) which gives the recipient the peace of mind of knowing nothing is permanent, that over time you will revert to your natural state. A permanent solution often morphs into a permanent problem.

 

Living in a state of anxiety over whether or not your pigment will change colors is no solution. There really is no permanent solution at this point so the next best option is using ink developed by Milena Lardi that will fade over time. I think your timeline is off, if the ink lasts 18-24 months it would be from subsequent sessions, not the initial session. I believe your body initially rejects the temp. ink much faster when first introduced, but over time I think the ink lasts longer as your body becomes more used to it and your natural defenses lessen. And since the needle only goes around 0.5 to 0.75 mm deep, and the ink is temporary, I don't believe any health related issues will occur.

 

Your first treatment is likely more of a 12 month lifespan, with the sessions administered around 4-6 weeks apart from each other (each treatment consists of three sessions, with the last of these being a touch up, if needed)