SMP Practitioners & Results Years Out

[Nick33]

So I have read a ton of things on SMP, and it seems like HIS Hair Clinic is the one that comes up the most. I don't know, however, if HIS is just similar to Bosley for HT's because they market better than everybody else. I've watched videos of folks that have had it done, and it looks good. However, I don't ever see much after a year or two or three.

 

So what I am wondering, is does anybody have any experience, or can point me in the right direction to find some of the top SMP practitioners that have results that are shown to last (at least as long as a few years)? I realize the procedure is still somewhat new, but I am very interested and I am sure this information would help many others.

 

Also, one last thing, I have read that the SMP will usually fade over the course of a couple years (even though some tout it as permanent) but is there anybody with experience with touch ups? In my mind, I could see the ink becoming more and more dispersed and potentially looking really messy. Again, maybe there are practitioners that have found a way to keep the look looking tight, but any guidance would be most appreciated.

 

Thanks for everything!

[scar5]

Nick,

 

The hardest question.

 

Good SMP practitioners are good at giving you the answer to suit their needs.

 

The only way to touch up is to keep putting more ink on it or/and use laser to erase trouble spots or trim nasty edges.

 

Both of these have the potential to do harm, but apart from the fact that dots spread and that new dots mean you will have an untextured veneer of silver/blue/grey , I think that is the best approach.

 

You could opt for temporary, aiming for good texture and appropriate color, but for all the pain and expense you are rolling down a ramp so fast you've hardly got time to appraise it before it has gone. Just for how many weeks was it right?

 

Mine was "permanent."

It is monochrome, no color (meaning it was diluted with lots of carrier I suppose)

 

Three years later and it has faded. How much I can't be sure because I grow my hair. I can see that there are blotches of darkness that were there from the beginning but have faded in proportion to the rest.

 

The color isn't natural on my fair skin. The dots are not visible to the average eye- just a veneer. The design of the hairline is butt ugly but it isn't the fault of the SMP guy, because he had to follow my hairline and that is another story.

[BUSA]

So I have read a ton of things on SMP, and it seems like HIS Hair Clinic is the one that comes up the most. I don't know, however, if HIS is just similar to Bosley for HT's because they market better than everybody else.

the funny thing about Bosley is if u polled a 100 ppl off the street and asked them who they wud get a HT from if they needed one and cud afford it 80% wud probably say Bosley lol. and they wud be the very LAST clinic I wud send anyone to.

 

in fact, my buddy needs a HT and said that he might go check out Bosley. I LOL and of course I had to set him str8 but nonetheless ur exactly right about advertising.

 

I too wonder about SMP after a year or two. its just far too expensive to go the temporary route. I wud think the price wud be the same considering its the same amount of work.

[BaldKen2]

So I have read a ton of things on SMP, and it seems like HIS Hair Clinic is the one that comes up the most. I don't know, however, if HIS is just similar to Bosley for HT's because they market better than everybody else. I've watched videos of folks that have had it done, and it looks good. However, I don't ever see much after a year or two or three.

 

So what I am wondering, is does anybody have any experience, or can point me in the right direction to find some of the top SMP practitioners that have results that are shown to last (at least as long as a few years)? I realize the procedure is still somewhat new, but I am very interested and I am sure this information would help many others.

 

Also, one last thing, I have read that the SMP will usually fade over the course of a couple years (even though some tout it as permanent) but is there anybody with experience with touch ups? In my mind, I could see the ink becoming more and more dispersed and potentially looking really messy. Again, maybe there are practitioners that have found a way to keep the look looking tight, but any guidance would be most appreciated.

 

Thanks for everything!

 

Hey Nick, I had SMP treatment over 3 years ago at a top US clinic, and it has not faded one bit, and I have not experienced any of the issues that Scar5 has mentioned. I know this for a fact b/c i have taken hundreds of photos of my scalp, under various lighting, from the day I had the SMP and over the course of these last 3 years up until today. Maybe a bit OCD of me, but this is the only way to track how well the ink is holding up. Also keep in mind, the longevity of your SMP is highly dependent on how well you take care of it, mainly avoiding direct sun exposure to your scalp, and if you do expose your scalp to UV rays you must be sure to always use sunscreen. There are some other basic maintenance responsibilities but Sun exposure is the main thing to avoid- Hats are good:). I did have a 'touchup' over a year after my initial treatment, not due to fading, but b/c I wanted a little more density than most people prefer, but it was no problem, the clinic did it for free as most will for your first 'touchup' or 'enhancement' if you prefer.

As far as finding the best SMP place, it can be tough. Mostly b/c SMP is just now becoming semi-mainstream over these last 6 or 7 years. Most providers use this to their advantage. Lack of information (other than advertising videos and pics for a provider) and lack of LEGITIMATE clients willing to share their experience and/or photos, makes it really hard to separate facts from fiction. It's very easy to find Shills on these forums; not so easy to find actual unbiased and UNPAID smp recipients. Part of this is due to the fact that after most clients receive a successful SMP they no longer feel it necessary to come on these forums.

There is just a lot of sales pitch and BS you have to sift through to get the answers you want. For example, if you consult with 'Clinic A', they will tell you that you should not go to 'Clinic B', b/c they have had dozens of 'Clinic B's' clients come to them and they have had to repair "terrible work" done by 'Clinic B'. And if you then go and speak to 'Clinic B', they will tell you the exact same thing about 'Clinic A'. When I was searching for a provider, at least 6 providers used the "we've had to fix their horrible SMP work" sales tactic when speaking of their competitors. This seems to be the main scare tactic providers utilize, although im sure some of these claims are true. And this is very typical in the cosmetic industry.

You mentioned HIS Hair Clinic above. When I first learned of SMP a few years ago, HIS was the first provider I looked into. Although they have been offering SMP since 2002, they have so many locations with so many different technicians, quality control may be an issue. Also, the method they use seems to be somewhat temporary and fades significantly between 1 and 3 years. (If I can find a link for an example of this on the HIS forum I will post it). This means the client needs to continue going back and PAYING for additional sessions every year or so. Seems like they are geared for customers to keep coming back and spending more money. I am definitely no expert, but I believe that continuous smp treatments to the scalp can cause some issues to the skin, maybe scarring. If you want, PM me and I can give you some more specific information regarding the clinic I who did my SMP and some other good clinics based on my research.

[pigmentalia-uk]

Hi Nick,

 

The permanent SMP treatments all use traditional tattoo ink, this is the only product that can remain visible after many years but this comes with a BIG disadvantage. If you think of old tattoos you can see that they start to blur and turn lightly blue-ish.

 

In SMP this can mean that the dots will expand and start to connect leaving a shade of grey-blue, this will not look natural after a few years.

 

The most natural looking solution is to opt for semi-permanent. These treatments are carried out using pigments rather than inks but not all of them are very good. I understand it can be very difficult to find the right technician and how to know what products and techniques they use.

 

Pigmentalia (partners of Milena Lardi) use pigments which will fade within 2 years. Allthough this might not sound ideal, we feel its the only to avoid risking big blue dots in the future and also with yearly touch-ups we can keep the result looking fresh and natural.

 

Hope this info helps, feel free to message me any time if you want more information about SMP in general.

 

Kind Regards,

Jasper Scholtes

[BaldKen2]

Hi Nick,

 

The permanent SMP treatments all use traditional tattoo ink, this is the only product that can remain visible after many years but this comes with a BIG disadvantage. If you think of old tattoos you can see that they start to blur and turn lightly blue-ish.

 

In SMP this can mean that the dots will expand and start to connect leaving a shade of grey-blue, this will not look natural after a few years.

 

The most natural looking solution is to opt for semi-permanent. These treatments are carried out using pigments rather than inks but not all of them are very good. I understand it can be very difficult to find the right technician and how to know what products and techniques they use.

 

Pigmentalia (partners of Milena Lardi) use pigments which will fade within 2 years. Allthough this might not sound ideal, we feel its the only to avoid risking big blue dots in the future and also with yearly touch-ups we can keep the result looking fresh and natural.

 

Hope this info helps, feel free to message me any time if you want more information about SMP in general.

 

Kind Regards,

Jasper Scholtes

 

ABSOLUTELY AND COMPLETELY FALSE! PERMANENT SMP DOES NOT USE TRADITIONAL TATTOO INK!

Do your research Nick, don't listen to yahoos like this salesman!!!

[pigmentalia-uk]

Wow, no need to shout Baldken2 ;-)

 

Any permanent ink or pigment will blur and fade, change colour over time. This is not a sales pitch but a fact. Our skin constanly changes and therefor whatever you put in the skin will change...this is not something anyone can prevent...including ourselves.

 

My point is simply permanent scalp micropigmentation will not look natural after several years.

 

The pigmemts used in micropigmentation (cosmetic, medical or scalp) will not last and are not meant to last exactly for this reason.

 

I was simply trying to provide Nick with my views on the longevity of SMP, fact is many SMP practioners that offer permanent SMP use tattoo ink like products. Permanent SMP in my opinion is something that most will regret after 5-10 years.

 

Kind Regards,

Jasper Scholtes

[BaldKen2]

Lol, you skipped over quite a few aspects of cosmetic ink, and paired cosmetic and tattoo ink as onewow lol. I could list all of the facts that u neglected to mention regarding inks,needles, insertion depths etc. but I've learned not to feed the Shills

I won't hold your ignorance against you cheers mate!

[BaldKen2]

My apologies for the question marks btw, I was trying to use my phones smiley faces but it didn't convert. Best of luck using Milena Lardi's name to make money

[BaldKen2]

Last thing, sorry, but you said after a few years perm smp won't look natural and will look bluish. My smp is over 3 years old and looks as real today as the day I received my first treatment. Can you please explain why this is? Am I the one exception??

So much bs and misinformation out there, what a joke Lol

[thebottomend29]

Hey nick

 

i was like you and really was anxious and confused about where to get this done, since there is so much misinformation and competing companies. Im about to post my story as i just had this done in New York. If your read my post and have any questions just ask, i know how this shit goes and you obviously don't want to make a mistake with your head.

 

best of luck with whomever you decide

[BUSA]

Last thing, sorry, but you said after a few years perm smp won't look natural and will look bluish. My smp is over 3 years old and looks as real today as the day I received my first treatment. Can you please explain why this is? Am I the one exception??

So much bs and misinformation out there, what a joke Lol

looks like you got ur panties in a knot wen it was pointed out that in several years it will fade and bleed and most likely give that blu-green look that tattoos giv ppl after many years.

 

which is why the temporary method is preferred to keep it looking fresh year in and year out. like many cosmetic procedures they require MAINTENANCE! seems more like you got duped into thinking the permanent type ink is the way to go and now feel offended wen that has been pointed out to u.

 

u said 3 years uve had it. well, 3 years isn't a long time wen it comes to ink. there is no exception with u. maybe u shud re-read wat he said. he said in 5-10 years NOT 3 years. or are you the only one that will not be subject to this phenomenon....:rolleyes:

 

ur confusing PERMANENT ink with PERMANENTLY looking GOOD. just because somthn is permanent like the ink they used with you doesn't mean its gonna giv one a desired look after many years. and if the color changes and you start looking like a SMURF ull be singing a different tune won't u?

[pigmentalia-uk]

My apologies for the question marks btw, I was trying to use my phones smiley faces but it didn't convert. Best of luck using Milena Lardi's name to make money

 

Pigmentalia was founded by Milena Lardi so not sure how that is me making money of her name since we work for the same company?

 

We do our best every day to provide high quality treatments and do not make promises to clients we cant keep. We have our system we adhere to and permanent SMP is not part of it for reasons given before.

 

Regards,

Jasper Scholtes

[scar5]

Hey BaldKen,

 

i was just about to ask you about your views about ink.

 

I don't know jack about ink, but even a cursory glance at tattoo ink on the web reveals that there are two families of it.

 

(and by the way, this has been discussed on this website before - try 2010,11)

 

Family One

Organics

 

Family Two

Iron Oxides

 

Organic sounds nice and healthy. Oxides sounds like something out of the 'Love Canal' (To all guys under 50, that means toxic)

 

But in reality, iron oxides naturally occur and cause few problems. Organics (think food dyes) are synthetic.

 

Iron Oxides are more stable.

Organics are inconsistent.

But Iron Oxides may have traces of foreign matter with them, so synthetic versions have been developed.

 

Now then,

 

1) Which is your SMP?

2) Which responds to laser favotably?

3)Which fades faster?

[pigmentalia-uk]

Hi Scar5,

 

Iron Oxides have a good track record of very very few allergic reactions (if in compliance with the legislation). All pigments in Europe are regulated and have to adhere to the ReSap2008 which sets out the limits of what it can, cannot or can maximum contain. Simply google ReSap2008 and you will find the document with all the info.

 

Organics or Inorganics each have their own properties and behaviours and one isnt neccesarily better or worst than the other.

 

Within the pigment industry for micropigmentation you will also find mixtures of the 2 together.

 

Organics respond far better to laser removal since there are many "bridges" between the molecules so easier to break down. The Inorganics are more "solid" and need more treatments in general with a laser to breakdown

 

Organics tend to fade a bit faster in general than inorganics.

 

Hope this helps?

 

Kind Regards,

Jasper Scholtes

[scar5]

Nice work there Jasper,

 

While you are in the area,

 

You said that you'll find a fix or organic/iron oxides within the industry.

 

Could I ask you to agree/disagree with these comments? I think that would be really helpful.

 

a) Most SMP inks are in practice, a mixture (or oxides/organics),

 

b) Some SMP places exclusively use one, some use the other

 

c) All places use both, but what is chosen for you could be either or both depending on what the tech decides.

 

d) There is no point asking your SMP provider about ink at a meaningful level because they won't give away the ingredients for commercial tactical or proprietorial reasons.

[BaldKen2]

looks like you got ur panties in a knot wen it was pointed out that in several years it will fade and bleed and most likely give that blu-green look that tattoos giv ppl after many years.

 

which is why the temporary method is preferred to keep it looking fresh year in and year out. like many cosmetic procedures they require MAINTENANCE! seems more like you got duped into thinking the permanent type ink is the way to go and now feel offended wen that has been pointed out to u.

 

u said 3 years uve had it. well, 3 years isn't a long time wen it comes to ink. there is no exception with u. maybe u shud re-read wat he said. he said in 5-10 years NOT 3 years. or are you the only one that will not be subject to this phenomenon....:rolleyes:

 

ur confusing PERMANENT ink with PERMANENTLY looking GOOD. just because somthn is permanent like the ink they used with you doesn't mean its gonna giv one a desired look after many years. and if the color changes and you start looking like a SMURF ull be singing a different tune won't u?

 

LOL! Nope, didn't get "my panties in a wad", and that is the most sissy expression I have heard in a while,guy. I honestly do not have the time to look at your post history to learn if you are pro-temp smp or pro HT or just a little girl weakling, but I will say that I know quite a bit about permanent smp and even more about Physiology and the Anatomy of the scalp- Macrophages, Collagen Matrix, Migrating/traveling cells which have ingested ink etc etc. More importantly, I know about a dozen men who have received permanent smp between 8-12 years ago, and most of their heads look exactly as good as they did when they received the smp initially. 2 of the men's have faded b/c of sun exposure, but even those 2 men's heads have not turned blue/green or "smurf Head" as you put it. some of their dots have simply vanished!

If you are honestly and seriously attempting to Equate Micropigmentation Pigments to Tattoo Pigments, then with all due respect, you are an ignorant fool who does not know how to read and knows Zero about the micropigmentation industry.

I never said that Temporary SMP is a bad thing. I think it is great for men who do not want to commit and dont mind spending a couple grand every year and a half.

[BaldKen2]

seems more like you got duped into thinking the permanent type ink is the way to go and now feel offended wen that has been pointed out to u.

 

u said 3 years uve had it. well, 3 years isn't a long time wen it comes to ink. there is no exception with u. maybe u shud re-read wat he said. he said in 5-10 years NOT 3 years. or are you the only one that will not be subject to this phenomenon....:rolleyes:

 

Man what is it with Bald Guys With Plugs Why are they so Angry?

 

1) I was never duped, I did tons of research and then some and chose the provider best for me. The poor men getting duped are the ones opting to spend thousands upon thousands of dollars on Hair Transplants only to have Huge Scars or FUE holes, puny pathetic hairs on their head, and be laughed at behind their backs everywhere they go;)

 

2)LOL definitely not offended at all bud! The reason I was annoyed is b/c I get frustrated when SALESMEN pop up on here and attempt to twist the facts in order to serve their own selfish purposes! My point of posting was not self-serving, I know my Treatment is Awesome and Quite Frankly do not need conformation or positive feedback from strangers on a forum to confirm this fact. Do you see me posting any pics? I know the facts, not just the silly fairytales that salesmen try and tell on these forums in order to sell their product. As far as my SMP, I get great feedback from just about everyone I encounter, and it is impossible to tell that I have SMP. Usually people will ask me why I shave my head b/c I appear to have full head of hair, or they'll comment that I am a guy who shaves but doesnt have to, or they'll ask me if Im in the marines or military. Many just say "you look really good with a shaved head."

 

3) Maybe you should re-read the Pigmentalia Salesman's post, he said:

"In SMP this can mean that the dots will expand and start to connect leaving a shade of grey-blue, this will not look natural after a few years." A FEW, Moron! Not ten!

Well it has been more than a few years since my treatment and it looks flawless. Ten years down the line? Dude, I have lots of black and grey tattoos, had them for 20 plus years, none have blurred or turned blue green or purple or orange. I avoid sun exposure to the tats and if I am exposed I use sunscreen every time. You do understand the body's immune response to sunburn and how this affects tattoos, Right? But I do understand that regular tattoos will blur over time and take on a slight blue hue, and I know the physiological reasons for this. Do You?? That being said, Micropigmentation pigments and tattoo pigments are completely different. If you believe they are not, I have a sandbox in Florida Id like to sell you for a very generous price

 

The bottom line is this: I look in the mirror and I am happy with what I see, and apparently SMP suits me b/c I get compliments all the time. Granted I have a great face, have a healthy diet, and work out and run daily keeping my body in good physical shape and quite honestly, I just look good anyway-Hair or no Hair. But the point is I received a top notch product and only come on here to help others with information that I was not given when I was searching for a provider. I am not searching for answers or a Hair Transplant Doc or a miracle drug.

Most of us on here are just legitimate men who know the emotional stress of losing our hair, and for SOME OF US, that creates the desire to help others that were in our same position when we started searching for a solution-we are not just simply looking at members and seeing Dollar Signs attempting to get their MONEY.

It's a real shame that people like you have to start crap with guys like me who are only trying to offer the knowledge and experience with SMP I have to guys asking specifically for it.

Now Im sure you'll sit in your little Office Cubicle or at the Starbucks with your Tablet and try and think of another smart ass sarcastic comment to shoot my way, but at the end of the day I know the truth about SMP and am Extremely Happy I had it done. I honestly hope you are as happy with your appearance as I am with mine. Cheers

[BaldKen2]

Pigmentalia was founded by Milena Lardi so not sure how that is me making money of her name since we work for the same company?

 

We do our best every day to provide high quality treatments and do not make promises to clients we cant keep. We have our system we adhere to and permanent SMP is not part of it for reasons given before.

 

Regards,

Jasper Scholtes

 

LOL....yea ok.... best of luck sport, looks like you are doing great so far

[BaldKen2]

Hey BaldKen,

 

i was just about to ask you about your views about ink.

 

I don't know jack about ink, but even a cursory glance at tattoo ink on the web reveals that there are two families of it.

 

(and by the way, this has been discussed on this website before - try 2010,11)

 

Family One

Organics

 

Family Two

Iron Oxides

 

Organic sounds nice and healthy. Oxides sounds like something out of the 'Love Canal' (To all guys under 50, that means toxic)

 

But in reality, iron oxides naturally occur and cause few problems. Organics (think food dyes) are synthetic.

 

Iron Oxides are more stable.

Organics are inconsistent.

But Iron Oxides may have traces of foreign matter with them, so synthetic versions have been developed.

 

Now then,

 

1) Which is your SMP?

2) Which responds to laser favotably?

3)Which fades faster?

 

Good questions, and this is some of the basic stuff I know about pigments:

 

Pigments can only be made out of certain things and in certain ways.

Certain things - there are your organic and inorganic - iron oxides and

certain ways - mixing them with certain vehicles which are water glycerin and alcohol

which are combined in many ways by many different manufactures.

-Iron Oxides are Inorganic and Organic are your Lakes

And Apparently,contrary to what you may have been told, 95% of Cosmetic Pigment Manufacturers use BOTH organic and inorganic colorants in their pigments- insoluble opaque oxides, lakes, and iron oxide pigments

 

(Inorganic)IRON OXIDES- Most widely used b/c they are more stable. They are NON-TOXIC, inert, safe/harmless, and non-reactive. Their have been no allergic reactions reported that I am aware of.

 

ORGANIC- many organic pigments are vegetable and fruit based, and some are classified as organic simply b/c they contain a Carbon Molecule. These have been known to cause allergic reactions, and this is just one of the reasons that most every clinic uses inorganic.

 

There are many other factors including Pigment Particle Sizes, but I just don't have time to get into all of that right now.

The main thing to remember is that every single SMP provider gets their Pigments from a Manufacturer, they do not make these pigments themselves in some 'Special Lab'. More importantly, upon receiving the pigments, each provider mixes and dilutes the pigments differently and with varying consistencies. There is just simply no way to know exactly what a provider is using, and you know that they will not give you a sample to take home and have tested yourself LOL. There is a lot of marketing spin they will put in the description of the pigments they use, but no way to know for sure what is being used.

 

You asked about which fades faster. Fading has more to do with the insertion depth of the pigment, the individual's care for their scalp-mainly avoiding UV ray exposure, and also the individual's Immune system aggression level- which is different in everyone. **Important to remember, ink particles are viewed as foreign material by your phagocytic cells (cells that ingest foreign particles).

[pigmentalia-uk]

ORGANIC- many organic pigments are vegetable and fruit based, and some are classified as organic simply b/c they contain a Carbon Molecule. These have been known to cause allergic reactions, and this is just one of the reasons that most every clinic uses inorganic.

 

 

Organic pigments are NOT allowed as you describe them...the organic pigments we refer to in micropigmentation are organic synthetics!

 

The organics as you describe as vegetable and fruit based will cause reactions thats why they are not allowed. The organic synthetics actually have a pretty good track record if produced in compliance with ReSap2008.

[hairthere]

"I think it is great for men who do not want to commit and dont mind spending a couple grand every year and a half."

 

Baldken2, As far as I know, Beauty Medical Clinics are the only ones using a true Temporary system. As for pricing, I can't speak for what other clinics charge, but even an initial treatment with my clinic won't cost you $2k and our pricing is in line with Milena Lardi's.

[BaldKen2]

ORGANIC- many organic pigments are vegetable and fruit based, and some are classified as organic simply b/c they contain a Carbon Molecule. These have been known to cause allergic reactions, and this is just one of the reasons that most every clinic uses inorganic.

Organic pigments are NOT allowed as you describe them...the organic pigments we refer to in micropigmentation are organic synthetics!

 

The organics as you describe as vegetable and fruit based will cause reactions thats why they are not allowed. The organic synthetics actually have a pretty good track record if produced in compliance with ReSap2008.

 

Quite right, quite right! My apologies my good chap, I neglected to expand on the organics section and mention the synthetic organics. It was late and had a long day, what can I say? lol

I suppose my main point however (if you caught it) was that the consumer or client does not and cannot ever really know what type of pigment is being used. After all, you are not going to give him or her a sample to have tested before the treatment, right? You could call your pigments "The Magical Rainbow Bright Super Duper 3.0", and tell the client that you obtained them from the same guy who sold Jack his Beanstalk Beans, and there is no way to disprove this. There is a ton of marketing B.S. spin you guys put on your inks and needles and machines to make them seem one of a kind(by you guys I am speaking of the majority of the smp industry), but the truth is, the only thing that matters is the end result.

You say that the Synthetic Organics are more easily lasered. How do you know this? Have you seen this first-hand? Have you had to laser any of your client's smp?

Given your vast amount of knowledge on pigments and temp smp, you must have been practicing for many years. After all, this is the only way you can know for sure how well your pigments fade and what the time frame (a range) is for the complete breakdown or exfoliation of the pigments.

I see plenty of before and after photos advertised by Temporary SMP providers, but could you please show a case study, or even just photos, that display the client's scalp immediately following the treatment, and photos that display his/her scalp after the pigmentation has faded completely? I feel this is the most important aspect of Temporary SMP since the whole reason the client opts for the temporary method in the first place is due to the notion that the pigments will fade COMPLETELY.

Again, I am not saying that temporary SMP is a bad thing, I think it is ok for a 'test run' for clients to see if they like the look without having to commit, as long as the treatment fades 100% without need of laser removal, as you claim.

[SickofDHT]

Hey Nick, I had SMP treatment over 3 years ago at a top US clinic, and it has not faded one bit, and I have not experienced any of the issues that Scar5 has mentioned. I know this for a fact b/c i have taken hundreds of photos of my scalp, under various lighting, from the day I had the SMP and over the course of these last 3 years up until today. Maybe a bit OCD of me, but this is the only way to track how well the ink is holding up. Also keep in mind, the longevity of your SMP is highly dependent on how well you take care of it, mainly avoiding direct sun exposure to your scalp, and if you do expose your scalp to UV rays you must be sure to always use sunscreen. There are some other basic maintenance responsibilities but Sun exposure is the main thing to avoid- Hats are good:). I did have a 'touchup' over a year after my initial treatment, not due to fading, but b/c I wanted a little more density than most people prefer, but it was no problem, the clinic did it for free as most will for your first 'touchup' or 'enhancement' if you prefer.

As far as finding the best SMP place, it can be tough. Mostly b/c SMP is just now becoming semi-mainstream over these last 6 or 7 years. Most providers use this to their advantage. Lack of information (other than advertising videos and pics for a provider) and lack of LEGITIMATE clients willing to share their experience and/or photos, makes it really hard to separate facts from fiction. It's very easy to find Shills on these forums; not so easy to find actual unbiased and UNPAID smp recipients. Part of this is due to the fact that after most clients receive a successful SMP they no longer feel it necessary to come on these forums.

There is just a lot of sales pitch and BS you have to sift through to get the answers you want. For example, if you consult with 'Clinic A', they will tell you that you should not go to 'Clinic B', b/c they have had dozens of 'Clinic B's' clients come to them and they have had to repair "terrible work" done by 'Clinic B'. And if you then go and speak to 'Clinic B', they will tell you the exact same thing about 'Clinic A'. When I was searching for a provider, at least 6 providers used the "we've had to fix their horrible SMP work" sales tactic when speaking of their competitors. This seems to be the main scare tactic providers utilize, although im sure some of these claims are true. And this is very typical in the cosmetic industry.

You mentioned HIS Hair Clinic above. When I first learned of SMP a few years ago, HIS was the first provider I looked into. Although they have been offering SMP since 2002, they have so many locations with so many different technicians, quality control may be an issue. Also, the method they use seems to be somewhat temporary and fades significantly between 1 and 3 years. (If I can find a link for an example of this on the HIS forum I will post it). This means the client needs to continue going back and PAYING for additional sessions every year or so. Seems like they are geared for customers to keep coming back and spending more money. I am definitely no expert, but I believe that continuous smp treatments to the scalp can cause some issues to the skin, maybe scarring. If you want, PM me and I can give you some more specific information regarding the clinic I who did my SMP and some other good clinics based on my research.

 

 

Hi Ken, can you please private message me with the info on where you got your treatment? I'd appreciate it thank you