Does Temporary SMP Really Fade 100%???

[BaldKen2]

I have been skeptical of this Tricopigmentation /Temporary SMP stuff for a while now. The more I read about it, the more skeptical I become. I have yet to see any case studies or even video evidence that displays a man's scalp after the pigmentation has "supposedly" faded completely. I think an important (maybe the most important) photo comparison would be a photo (or video) displaying the client's scalp before the treatment right next to a photo of the client's scalp after the pigmentation has faded completely. Still, even this would not show the stages of the fading and the severity of the uneven tones on the scalp as it does so. Who can accurately predict when, and more importantly how, the dots will fade and where they will fade first? It just spells a recipe for disaster.

After some reading online I found a couple of informative articles discussing the flaws in this process, and I feel they raise some important questions and make some valid points. Definitely worth a read if you are someone interested in this "Temporary" method of SMP. I am sure the Shills and Salesmen of Tricopigmentation will not like this but they are welcome to chime in.

 

Semi-Permanent Tattoos Myth Debunked

Edited May 21, 2015 by BaldKen2

[BaldKen2]

http://tattoo.about.com/cs/beginners/a/aa032103a.htm

Truth or Myth: Semi-permanent tattoos that fade away and disapear on their own

I’m guessing you’ve probably heard of the “semi-permanent” tattoo – the one that only lasts 6 months. Or was that 6 years? No one seems to know, because it can’t be done. However, the rumors are real – there are even some tattooers claiming they can do it – some of them say the tattoo will last six months to a year. Some say 3 to 5 years. The 3-5 year ones are actually smarter - I mean, who's going to even be able to find them in 3-5 years to tell them they were wrong?

 

Why do people want a semi-permanent tattoo anyway? Why is this idea so popular? Because they don’t like commitment! Over 40% of American marriages end in divorce – and sometimes you have to live with a tattoo longer than your spouse! So, it is easy to see why the idea of a tattoo with a short commitment would be appealing to many. Change your mind? No problem! In a few months it’ll be gone anyway!

NOT!

The fact is, when you insert tattoo ink under the skin, it's there to stay. It may fade over time, but it won't just disappear. There is no magical ink that fades completely away after a predetermined length of time.

Some of them will say that they tattoo the ink so lightly that it doesn't become permanent - that somehow it's only embedded in a temporary layer of skin that will wash it away. This is also impossible. There are 3 main layers of epidermis - most tattoos go into the second layer. But if you only go into the first layer (which would require surgical if not magical precision) the ink may very well fade - but not evenly and not completely. What you'd be left with is a really crappy half-tattoo with splotches of ink here and there.

Klicks Tattoo quotes an article from The Times where Dr. Arthur Morris, a plastic surgeon, says, "A tattoo only lasts if it goes into the dermis [the layer of cells below the epidermis]. In other words, there is no possible middle ground." In the same article, Lal Hardy, a secretery for the A.P.T., is quoted as saying, "Professional tattoo studios won't go near these so-called temporary tattoos. It is hairdressers and market stalls who are doing them. The people doing it may even believe the tattoos are temporary, but those getting them are guinea pigs."So, basically, this is nothing but a scam. Stick-on tattoos are temporary (3-7 days) and henna art is temporary (2-4 weeks) and tattoos are permanent. Those are the only real choices you have. If you are not prepared to keep your tattoo for the rest of your life, you'd be best off not to get one at all.

Edited May 21, 2015 by BaldKen2

[BaldKen2]

Tricopigmentation versus scalp micropigmentation - Trico....what? - SMPGuru.com

 

No idea what tricopigmentation is? You’re not alone, so read on.

 

Without wishing to sound like a proper old-timer, I remember when the world of scalp micropigmentation was young and a handful of players in the market were just getting established. They all shared a common problem – they saw the potential of the process, but they didn’t know what the hell to call it.

 

No-one wanted to call it a tattoo, because the process is so much more complex than that name would give it credit for. That said, how else do you describe a process that uses a needle to deposit pigment under the skin? All manner of names were created. As the first SMP company and innovator of the technique, HIS Hair Clinic took the lead with MHT (Micro Hair Tattoo, later renamed as Micro Hair Technique). Some of their early competitors came up with their own names like ACHM (Artistry Concepts Hybrid Method) and CTHR (Cosmetic Transdermal Hair Replication), and the end result was mass confusion as no-one understood what the process actually involved.

 

When the Americans started to name this process under the generic banner of scalp micropigmentation (or scalp pigmentation in some cases), HIS Hair Clinic decided to simplify the message and use the former scalp micropigmentation descriptive. Most other providers quickly followed suit and the term (along with the abbreviation of SMP) became the standard terminology, although many providers also use their own brand names for their technique. As HIS developed the technique, they registered the term “SMP” as a trademark.

 

Some alternative terminology survived however, of which tricopigmentation is a good example. The term originated in Europe, Italy more specifically, and described permanent SMP at first. However as time progressed the term ‘tricopigmentation’ was most commonly given to a temporary alternative – basically the same process but using pigment that was designed to fade much more quickly, typically after 6-24 months.

 

The problems with tricopigmentation

*The availability of a temporary option definitely encourages more people to resolve their hair loss issues because tricopigmentation is less permanent, and in that regard, less daunting for those who are yet to be convinced that SMP is the right solution for their needs. It basically means that if they later realise they have made a terrible mistake, it isn’t so bad because it will soon fade out anyway.

 

*People sometimes perceive tricopigmentation as a safer option, and an opportunity to test drive their new look and maintenance regimen before committing to a long term lifestyle choice, however the so-called ‘safe’ option is not as straightforward as it first appears.

 

There are no less than five major concerns I have regarding tricopigmentation that I feel should be taken into consideration:

 

1)Fading is entirely unpredictable. Neither you (or your practitioner) has any way of knowing if your treatment will start to fade in 6 months, 12 or 24.

2)The interim period is challenging to say the least. Temporary pigments fade in a much less even pattern than permanent pigments do, so your scalp is likely to look a little odd for a few months

 

3)Compounding the issue above, temporary pigments cannot be lasered off like permanent pigments can. Attempting to remove them via laser simply heats up the pigment deposits and can cause burns or scarring in some cases.

 

4)If you plan to overcome the issues above by re-applying a new treatment every 12-18 months, this also creates problems. Constant addition of pigment will eventually lead to non-existent dot definition, replaced instead with a solid block of shade. The interim period is simply too long to expect old pigments to fade quickly enough to keep pace with the fresh treatments you’ll inevitably need.

5)A temporary tricopigmentation treatment costs about the same as a permanent scalp micropigmentation treatment. The only difference is that permanent treatments only require a short touch-up session every 4-6 years or so, usually costing ?500 (GBP) or less. That’s a lot less expensive than paying for a whole new treatment every 12-24 months.

 

Don’t believe everything you read

It’s easy to watch the video above and get really carried away, but watch again and pause it at about 45 seconds. Despite the fact that Milena Lardi is widely regarded as the best in the world at tricopigmentation, I don’t think the result shown in this marketing video is particularly good. There is no individual dot definition, in fact it looks smudged and even slightly BLUE. For sure, if HIS Hair Clinic produced a result like this and it was published in the HIS forum, we’d have a mutiny on our hands.

 

There is this crazy rumour going around that temporary tricopigmentation produces results that are more realistic than permanent SMP. Whilst there are some great examples of temporary SMP out there, the idea that tricopigmentation treatments generally look better than their permanent counterparts is nothing more than marketing bullshit.

 

***A quality result comes down to three things:

1)The right needles, pigments and technique

2)The skill of the practitioner

3)The condition of your scalp

These factors do not change, just because a temporary ink is used. The bottom line is that there are some very skilled tricopigmentation technicians out there, and some very bad scalp micropigmentation technicians. When comparing the two, as tricopigmentation clinics inevitably do, of course they’ll paint a more positive picture of their own solution. Who wouldn’t?

 

So which is best?

There’s no right answer to this question. Tricopigmentation definitely has its place and is an ideal option for some people, however one thing is for sure – the wrong approach is to have multiple temporary treatments, one after another. That’s a really bad idea for many different reasons.

 

To be honest I believe a permanent SMP treatment is safer, more cost effective and easier to live with. However if you really feel that a temporary solution is the right one for you then use it as a test, and when your treatment starts to fade, get it done permanently and properly.

Edited May 21, 2015 by BaldKen2

[BaldKen2]

After reading these articles I really feel that temporary SMP is a bad idea! It seems that ,ironically, tricopigmentation may be more RISKY than permanent SMP, with more dire consequences.

If anyone who is an ACTUAL CLIENT,and not a BOTTOM FEEDER SALESMAN, has any legit before and after treatment photos, as well as photos that show scalp after the pigments have faded, I think it would be greatly appreciated by members considering this temp method if you could please post them. Thanks!

[hairthere]

The first "article" is written about temporary TATTOO by a tattoo artist, which as I already pointed out is not the same as temporary SMP at all. The equipment is different, the techniques are different, the training is different, and the pigments, etc. are different. The second "article" is written by the moderator of HIS Hair clinic's forum, a PERMANENT SMP clinic. You claim you don't want to hear from any bottom feeder salesman yet this--let's call it what it really is--blog, seemed to convince you?

Edited May 25, 2015 by hairthere

[JoeTillman]

Hi Baldken,

 

I've personally seen how tricopigmentation fades to nothing. If it weren't true I wouldn't endorse it. When I first visited Beauty Medical in 2012 I took photos of the patient below and posted them on this forum under my old username. Unfortunately those photos are not longer accessible and while I might still have them somewhere I have no idea where they may be so if I find them at some point I'll share them. The photos I took were at one year or later (I don't remember exactly) and the distribution was even enough so that the fading was not odd looking.

 

Below is before at 2 months and then after at two years.

 

 

[HARIRI]

All what I can add to help is that temporary SMP does not really fade in scars. I had mine done back in 2013 and now after 2 years the ink is still there although the ink was imported from Beauty Medicals and used at ASMED clinic Istanbul officially with by a technician trained by Milena Lardi.

 

To me its an advantage of course however I don't know how will it work on a normal scalp. I was told by the clinic that the ink will fade in 6 months-1 year in my scar area but surprisingly it lasted 2 years and its still there, Joe took pictures of my scar removed and will post it soon.

[JoeTillman]

The issue is always different with scar tissue, which wasn't really what is being discussed as far as I know, but that is why it is a part of the Beauty Medical protocol to do a test procedure in scar tissue as has always been discussed openly. If the test is not favorable then a procedure is not performed and it takes a few weeks to see if the test works or not.

 

Harriri,

 

Your donor scar tricopigmentation did in fact fade, quite a bit actually, but not completely. How long it would take to fully fade 100% is not known since scar tissue is so different from healthy skin tissue. Was a test patch actually performed before you had the full procedure?

[BaldKen2]

The first "article" is written about temporary TATTOO by a tattoo artist, which as I already pointed out is not the same as temporary SMP at all. The equipment is different, the techniques are different, the training is different, and the pigments, etc. are different. The second "article" is written by the moderator of HIS Hair clinic's forum, a PERMANENT SMP clinic. You claim you don't want to hear from any bottom feeder salesman yet this--let's call it what it really is--blog, seemed to convince you?

 

Thank you for your reply. Do you not have any photos?

Yes you are correct, the second article or blog, is written by Damien Porter the HIS forum moderator. Although he is not completely unbiased in his views on SMP, I feel that if Tricopigmentation was a good option, then certainly a company of HIS' size (the largest SMP provider and most locations world wide) would be offering Temporary SMP as an option for their clients. The only reasonable explanation as to why HIS Hair does not offer this temporary method as an option to their clients is that it is not a good method for a hair loss solution.

Secondly, you did not address or refute even one point or concern about Tricopigmentation that was discussed in the above articles.

Can you honestly explain how you can accurately predict how well the pigmentation will fade, and more importantly, when and where? In other words, is it feasible that 6-9 months after treatment that the client could have spots of existing pigmentation, or blotches, and then bald scalp in other areas??

How many years have you been practicing Tricopigmentation? Must have been at least 10 years for you to be so confident in this method and its results.

Have you personally received Tricopigmentation?

Have you any photos that show the stages of the fading?

Edited May 26, 2015 by BaldKen2

[BaldKen2]

Hi Baldken,

 

I've personally seen how tricopigmentation fades to nothing. If it weren't true I wouldn't endorse it. When I first visited Beauty Medical in 2012 I took photos of the patient below and posted them on this forum under my old username. Unfortunately those photos are not longer accessible and while I might still have them somewhere I have no idea where they may be so if I find them at some point I'll share them. The photos I took were at one year or later (I don't remember exactly) and the distribution was even enough so that the fading was not odd looking.

 

Below is before at 2 months and then after at two years.

 

 

 

Thank you Joe for your response. Your photos look good and are helpful in this discussion. If you have any that show the different stages of the fading process they would be greatly appreciated.

[BaldKen2]

All what I can add to help is that temporary SMP does not really fade in scars. I had mine done back in 2013 and now after 2 years the ink is still there although the ink was imported from Beauty Medicals and used at ASMED clinic Istanbul officially with by a technician trained by Milena Lardi.

 

To me its an advantage of course however I don't know how will it work on a normal scalp. I was told by the clinic that the ink will fade in 6 months-1 year in my scar area but surprisingly it lasted 2 years and its still there, Joe took pictures of my scar removed and will post it soon.

 

Sorry to hear about that Hariri. But unfortunately, scar tissue is much different and more unpredictable to deal with when performing any type of SMP on the area. I would say that most of the complaints I have seen, heard, and read are from guys with Strip scars or FUE 'holes'. It seems hit or miss with thick scar tissue. Some work out great, and others just do not.

[JoeTillman]

Hi Baldken,

 

You said that if temporary SMP had any merit to it then HIS would be performing it. In response to the popularity of tricopigmentation HIS started offering a temporary solution as well so that pretty much answers your question about that. As far as the rate of fading, I've seen it fading on multiple patients when the company I used to work for offered trico. It fades nicely in healthy scalp but as any procedure would be, it is unpredictable in scar tissue. That is why it is absolutely imperative for anyone having any sort of SMP, trico or non-trico, have a test patch done. I'm in Milan at Beauty Medical as I write this and I'll see if I can get some progression photos to share.

 

 

You mentioned that HIS is the largest provider of SMP. This is not true. HIS has, I believe 19 locations. Beauty Medical, while not actual "Beauty Medical" locations, has their procedure embedded in about 35 hair restoration clinics worldwide so they are in fact the largest provider in the world. They've been performing tricopigmenation for almost ten years and only started to really train clinics a year and a half ago so the growth is very fast compared to any other SMP company. Very few hair transplant clinics offer permanent SMP at all.

[BaldKen2]

Hi Baldken,

 

You said that if temporary SMP had any merit to it then HIS would be performing it. In response to the popularity of tricopigmentation HIS started offering a temporary solution as well so that pretty much answers your question about that. As far as the rate of fading, I've seen it fading on multiple patients when the company I used to work for offered trico. It fades nicely in healthy scalp but as any procedure would be, it is unpredictable in scar tissue. That is why it is absolutely imperative for anyone having any sort of SMP, trico or non-trico, have a test patch done. I'm in Milan at Beauty Medical as I write this and I'll see if I can get some progression photos to share.

 

 

You mentioned that HIS is the largest provider of SMP. This is not true. HIS has, I believe 19 locations. Beauty Medical, while not actual "Beauty Medical" locations, has their procedure embedded in about 35 hair restoration clinics worldwide so they are in fact the largest provider in the world. They've been performing tricopigmenation for almost ten years and only started to really train clinics a year and a half ago so the growth is very fast compared to any other SMP company. Very few hair transplant clinics offer permanent SMP at all.

 

Hey Joe, thank you for your response and for the great info regarding HIS Hair and Trico that they offer. I stand corrected. I remembered reading on their forum a couple of years ago or so that they were considering offering Trico, and I knew they had tried it, but was not aware that they were still offering it. That is good to know.

 

You are, however, incorrect on a couple of points. You say that Bella Medical (Beauty Medical) is the largest provider of SMP in the world. To be honest, I feel that to attempt to qualify the clinics, that have briefly learned under Milena Lardi, as Beauty Medical Clinics is more than just a stretch. It is simply not true. Not only are these not the same company as Beauty Medical, but also just because a clinic's practioner(s) takes a brief tutorial from someone, this does not make them as good of an SMP technician as Milena or her staff, and certainly not as knowledgeable.

You mentioned the 10 + years Milena has been practicing tricopigmentation. I don't mean to sound harsh, but how is that relevant, or in any way a reflection upon a clinic who takes a quick tutorial from her?? Do they inherit her 10 years of experience as well? You seem to know enough about SMP to know that there are many factors involved, and one cannot minimize a practitioner's experience, or lack thereof. Simply taking a tennis lesson from Roger Federer does not make a person play tennis like Roger Federer;). I am sure she makes good money with the training though, and also by allowing Providers to use her name. In all fairness, the same can be said for HIS Hair. When you have multiple locations spread across continents, you also have many different practitioners, and quality control may become an issue. But at least with HIS, they are the same company and have a reputation to uphold.

You also mentioned that she has only been training Clinics to emulate her method for one and a half years. Dr. Shapiro of Shapiro Medical in Minneapolis started taking trips to Italy for extensive training with Milena Lardi back in 2009, I believe it was. He also trained with her in New York during that time frame. Honestly, if I were someone interested in Tricopigmentation, Shapiro Medical is the place I would go. (unless of course I could make it to Italy lol )

I'm not against this temporary SMP method, I am just skeptical about the fact that their is not a lot of proof out their that it works. I just feel if this method is worth the money it costs, there should be some time frame videos and photos displaying the progression of the fading.

[JoeTillman]

Hey Joe, thank you for your response and for the great info regarding HIS Hair and Trico that they offer. I stand corrected. I remembered reading on their forum a couple of years ago or so that they were considering offering Trico, and I knew they had tried it, but was not aware that they were still offering it. That is good to know.

 

You are, however, incorrect on a couple of points. You say that Bella Medical (Beauty Medical) is the largest provider of SMP in the world. To be honest, I feel that to attempt to qualify the clinics, that have briefly learned under Milena Lardi, as Beauty Medical Clinics is more than just a stretch. It is simply not true. Not only are these not the same company as Beauty Medical, but also just because a clinic's practioner(s) takes a brief tutorial from someone, this does not make them as good of an SMP technician as Milena or her staff, and certainly not as knowledgeable.

You mentioned the 10 + years Milena has been practicing tricopigmentation. I don't mean to sound harsh, but how is that relevant, or in any way a reflection upon a clinic who takes a quick tutorial from her?? Do they inherit her 10 years of experience as well? You seem to know enough about SMP to know that there are many factors involved, and one cannot minimize a practitioner's experience, or lack thereof. Simply taking a tennis lesson from Roger Federer does not make a person play tennis like Roger Federer;). I am sure she makes good money with the training though, and also by allowing Providers to use her name. In all fairness, the same can be said for HIS Hair. When you have multiple locations spread across continents, you also have many different practitioners, and quality control may become an issue. But at least with HIS, they are the same company and have a reputation to uphold.

You also mentioned that she has only been training Clinics to emulate her method for one and a half years. Dr. Shapiro of Shapiro Medical in Minneapolis started taking trips to Italy for extensive training with Milena Lardi back in 2009, I believe it was. He also trained with her in New York during that time frame. Honestly, if I were someone interested in Tricopigmentation, Shapiro Medical is the place I would go. (unless of course I could make it to Italy lol )

I'm not against this temporary SMP method, I am just skeptical about the fact that their is not a lot of proof out their that it works. I just feel if this method is worth the money it costs, their should be some time frame videos and photos displaying the progression of the fading.

 

Good points about the number of clinics so I'll revise the statement as Beauty Medical having the largest market penetration as that would indeed be more accurate. I may be wrong, I admit, but this is what I've seen thus far. And to be clear, I don't know what HIS is offering with regards to temporary SMP but I do know what it is not, and that it is tricopigmentation. Tricopigmentation is not just temporary SMP, it is a system that includes the needles, the pigments, the machine and the software that controls it, all working together.

 

The majority of the clinics that have trained with Beauty Medical have done so in the past year and a half, which was my point. This was told to me by Beauty Medical directly yesterday. I wasn't saying that no clinics trained before mid 2013 as several have. Dr. Shapiro trained in November 2012 when Milena traveled to his clinic. Dr. Shapiro was not in New York for her trip in September, 2012 either. You are thinking of Dr. Feller and Dr. Lindsay and there were a few others before then as well. I mentioned Milena's experience because it is relevant to her degree of knowledge, not just with performing trico but also in how to train technicians to use it. Of course no one is going to come out performing trico like she does but they know the core fundamentals to get started and there is a program being put together for continuing education and support. I agree, one company with multiple locations spread throughout various countries would potentially have problems with quality control but I don't see how being under one company name would change this.

 

With regards to the number of cases to view, there are a lot to find on the Italian forums, which I don't think I can link to here. It's easy to find with Google. And yes, Shapiro Medical is very good with trico with their technician Nicole. She used to work with permanent SMP and she says that trico is much better, for the pigments and the tools used to apply them. I just shot a video documenting the work of a trico clinic in Belgium as well which I'll be sharing soon.

[BaldKen2]

Good points about the number of clinics so I'll revise the statement as Beauty Medical having the largest market penetration as that would indeed be more accurate. I may be wrong, I admit, but this is what I've seen thus far. And to be clear, I don't know what HIS is offering with regards to temporary SMP but I do know what it is not, and that it is tricopigmentation. Tricopigmentation is not just temporary SMP, it is a system that includes the needles, the pigments, the machine and the software that controls it, all working together.

 

The majority of the clinics that have trained with Beauty Medical have done so in the past year and a half, which was my point. This was told to me by Beauty Medical directly yesterday. I wasn't saying that no clinics trained before mid 2013 as several have. Dr. Shapiro trained in November 2012 when Milena traveled to his clinic. Dr. Shapiro was not in New York for her trip in September, 2012 either. You are thinking of Dr. Feller and Dr. Lindsay and there were a few others before then as well. I mentioned Milena's experience because it is relevant to her degree of knowledge, not just with performing trico but also in how to train technicians to use it. Of course no one is going to come out performing trico like she does but they know the core fundamentals to get started and there is a program being put together for continuing education and support. I agree, one company with multiple locations spread throughout various countries would potentially have problems with quality control but I don't see how being under one company name would change this.

 

With regards to the number of cases to view, there are a lot to find on the Italian forums, which I don't think I can link to here. It's easy to find with Google. And yes, Shapiro Medical is very good with trico with their technician Nicole. She used to work with permanent SMP and she says that trico is much better, for the pigments and the tools used to apply them. I just shot a video documenting the work of a trico clinic in Belgium as well which I'll be sharing soon.

 

I appreciate your input Joe, some really good information in your posts regarding Tricopigmentation. I look forward to seeing your video, and I will definitely check out those forums with the case studies, thanks.

I feel that Tricopigmentation would be a great option if the cost was between $300-$500 and the pigmentation lasted 1 and a half to 2 years before beginning to fade. Any more than $500 and I just do not see this as a smart purchase as a consumer. To pay more than that for something that will disappear in the very near future does not seem wise to me. I think this is an ongoing process in that the client must continue to get treated and the money spent on this over the course of say 10-15 years just does not make sense financially for most of us. For wealthy people in which money is not a limitation, this could work. I am very skeptical of the consequences of repeating implantation to the scalp, and the potential damage it could cause.

[JoeTillman]

I appreciate your input Joe, some really good information in your posts regarding Tricopigmentation. I look forward to seeing your video, and I will definitely check out those forums with the case studies, thanks.

I feel that Tricopigmentation would be a great option if the cost was between $300-$500 and the pigmentation lasted 1 and a half to 2 years before beginning to fade. Any more than $500 and I just do not see this as a smart purchase as a consumer. To pay more than that for something that will disappear in the very near future does not seem wise to me. I think this is an ongoing process in that the client must continue to get treated and the money spent on this over the course of say 10-15 years just does not make sense financially for most of us. For wealthy people in which money is not a limitation, this could work. I am very skeptical of the consequences of repeating implantation to the scalp, and the potential damage it could cause.

 

Hi BaldKen,

 

You are entitled to your opinion, and I respect it, but you should be sure you are forming your opinion based on facts and not marketing. On the flip side, I would never have permanent SMP due to the documented issues that can arise. To date, there is not a single complaint of a tricopigmentation case gone bad. Not enough density? Sure. Not lasting long enough? Of course, but these are not issues of naturalness, just shortcomings of not being enough of one or the other which is easily remedied. The point of tricopigmentation is that one does not have to feel like they made a big mistake that they are stuck with or need to deal with costly, painful and potentially scarring laser treatments to turn around.

 

There are some good results with permanent SMP. I saw one in Milan actually where the dots were really well done with regards to size, but there were two issues. One, the dots were too close together in some areas so the density was inconsistent, which is of course remedied with more work, but the dots were turning green and the work was only a few months old. The solution was either laser or augment with trico. The patient chose the latter which is obviously why I was able to meet him.

 

I want to be clear about my position on SMP in general. I do not believe it is appropriate for everyone and anyone that says otherwise is just looking for money. I'm talking about trico or permanent smp. It doesn't matter because pigment injection doesn't work consistently in donor scar tissue nor does it work consistently in transplant recipient site scarring tissue. SMP of both types works best in healthy skin tissue. The difference is that with tricopigmentation people aren't locked into their decision. If someone opts for permanent SMP then I wish them all the best and I won't question nor criticize their decision because as long as they are informed and are not given false information then they have made a decision that they feel is best for them. My issue is with the information being presented and I want to do what I can to help separate fact from fiction.

 

And to be transparent, I accepted a position with Beauty Medical. This was made official as of May 27th, 2015. I do not work FOR them but I do with with them. The reason I took this position is because I believe in their product and I believe in how they are trying to conduct good business with patient care in mind.

[haircut]

Joe,

 

Great SMP write-up. Perhaps one day there will be a good permanent SMP solution. As of 2015, such a solution does not exist.

 

I have been elated with my Beauty Medical SMP. I have been seeing Nicole at Shapiro Medical Group for temporary SMP for a little over a year.

 

Honestly, Beauty Medical SMP has changed my life!

[BaldKen2]

Ok. Well, how much Money do you, and/or Bella Medical charge for your temporary smp treatment? And how long do these results typically last? The answers to these questions are the FACTS I base my opinion on, regarding tricopigmentation. And the quality of the results and fading process of course. I feel that any wise person/potential client would make their decision based on these FACTS as well.

PS: according to Dr Shapiro he did start training with Milena back in '09 or '10, unless he was lying. He blogged about his experience in Milan but I can't seem to find it now.

[JoeTillman]

The fee is €600.00 to €1000.00 depending on the size of the area to be addressed and this includes three passes to ensure refinement and density is to the patient's liking. As far as how long it lasts, I think it is fair to say that a touchup is necessary once a year at half the cost of the intitial investment.

 

Your profile says you have had SMP but you are still searching for a solution. Are you satisfied with your SMP? I read some of your posts where you said you were going to go to a tattoo artist to add density. How did that turn out? Would you mind sharing some photos?

 

I feel that any wise person/potential client would make their decision based on these FACTS as well.

 

I absolutely agree, which is why I think research is so important.

[haircut]

Joe,

 

I believe that your assessment of temp SMP is 100% accurate. I have been doing temp SMP (Beauty Medical) for approx 18 months.

 

IMHO, the key to success with temp SMP is to stay on top of the touchups.

[Cant decide]

Joe,

 

I believe that your assessment of temp SMP is 100% accurate. I have been doing temp SMP (Beauty Medical) for approx 18 months.

 

IMHO, the key to success with temp SMP is to stay on top of the touchups.

 

Haircut - How often do you get touch ups and how many "Passes" are your touch ups?

[haircut]

Hi CD,

 

I normally get a one pass touchup every 6 - 8 months. Could probably go longer if I wanted.

 

Hope this helps.

[Cant decide]

Hi CD,

 

I normally get a one pass touchup every 6 - 8 months. Could probably go longer if I wanted.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Thanks. I am hoping to get the full 4-5 passes done every 12 months if it can last that long.

[haircut]

Hi CD,

 

Well, as you know, temp SMP uptake and duration varies by individual. Not sure that you would really need 4-5 passes a year. I have found that a full pass every six months or so is fine.

 

Like I said though, everyone is different.

[BaldKen2]

Joe,

 

Great SMP write-up. Perhaps one day there will be a good permanent SMP solution. As of 2015, such a solution does not exist.

 

I have been elated with my Beauty Medical SMP. I have been seeing Nicole at Shapiro Medical Group for temporary SMP for a little over a year.

 

Honestly, Beauty Medical SMP has changed my life!

 

Lol, incorrect sport! GREAT Permanent SMP solutions exist, you obviously just did not actually take the time to view some results in person to see for yourself and instead opted to buy hook line and sinker a trico sales pitch... I'm sure they saw u coming a mile away with the word "MARK" written across your forehead LOL. While you flush thousands down the toilet over the course of the next ten years, my SMP results remain in tact, and if I ever need a touch up it is very cheap. But I'm glad Beauty Medical has TEMPORARILY changed your life- that is, until your expensive dots fade and it is time to spend another couple Grand to not be bald again lol.