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Trichopigmentation fades to nothing (baseline.)


Atown

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There are two types, permanent SMP which does not fade, and the ink that faded within a year or so. 


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2 hours ago, Atown said:

For those who have had Trichopigmentation, can you say for certain that the ink will eventually disappear COMPLETELY if it is not maintained or will SOME ink still remain on the scalp?

Tricopigmentation is the temporary version of SMP. Anyone who claims that it fades completely away in 2-3 years is not being honest. I had trico done over 5 years ago and, while the pigmentation has faded, it is still present and very much visible on my scalp. If you are considering the treatment, please know that there are risks involved. For one, as mentioned, the ink does not fade away in a few years. It could very much remain visible for many years. You could have a laser treatment to remove it but that also comes with a risk as lasers, if not done correctly, can damage the dermis and native hair. In addition, your skin type could react negatively to SMP. If you are fair skinned and prone to redness, you could develop Post-Inflammatory Erythema (PIE) in the areas that were treated. This leaves a red 'blush' due to the trauma of the treatment itself. That blush may never completely fade. I have been in contact with at least two other people who had SMP and developed PIE (including myself). The common factor was skin type. 

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On 9/28/2020 at 4:12 PM, kirkland said:

Tricopigmentation is the temporary version of SMP. Anyone who claims that it fades completely away in 2-3 years is not being honest. I had trico done over 5 years ago and, while the pigmentation has faded, it is still present and very much visible on my scalp. If you are considering the treatment, please know that there are risks involved. For one, as mentioned, the ink does not fade away in a few years. It could very much remain visible for many years. You could have a laser treatment to remove it but that also comes with a risk as lasers, if not done correctly, can damage the dermis and native hair. In addition, your skin type could react negatively to SMP. If you are fair skinned and prone to redness, you could develop Post-Inflammatory Erythema (PIE) in the areas that were treated. This leaves a red 'blush' due to the trauma of the treatment itself. That blush may never completely fade. I have been in contact with at least two other people who had SMP and developed PIE (including myself). The common factor was skin type. 

Thanks for the info!  If you don't mind my asking:

* Did the practicioner's needle go deeper than 0.5 mm?

* Did you have it done in the U.S.?

Thank you!

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6 hours ago, kirkland said:

The needle was set to a maximum of 0.5 mm and, yes, I did have the procedure done in the U.S. It was a Milena Lardi-trained system.

Thanks.  I would love to have this performed on my entire scalp but I am afraid.  I have fair skin.  Would you recommend this procedure?  Would you do it again? 

Thanks!

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The redness that doesn't fade -is it just in certain random parts or throughout the areas the SMP was done? And about how far outside of the smp dots does it extend?

 

Tried to google for pics but just finding facial acne and other random weird stuff. If anybody knows where any pics are of cases of this, or are willing to share that would be helpful.

Edited by ciaus
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I don't want to dissuade you from doing the treatment. For many, it seems they are satisfied with the results. All I can offer is a cautionary tale of my own experiences and why, if I could choose it all over again, I wouldn't go with SMP. I did it 5+ years ago but, ultimately, I both didn't like the upkeep (shaving every other day) and there was a persistent redness under the treatment that made me feel too conscious. I ended up wearing hats most of the time even though the treatment was meant to give me freedom from them. 2 years + ago, I had most of it removed by laser. I say 'most' because the SMP tech had inked into my native hair area to help create a better blend but the laser tech didn't want to treat that area for fear of damaging the native hair. After the laser treatment, instead of dark pigmented dots, there was now a scarlet-red blush in the shape of the treatment area. It's only been in the last few months that I feel comfortable going out without a hat. There is still a faint outline of the treatment visible but it is fading. The inked area that was not treated by laser is still pigmented but it, too, is fading. If you are prone to redness, you want to proceed with caution. SMP requires regular shaving in order to maintain the illusion so be prepared for the upkeep.

 

 

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12 minutes ago, kirkland said:

I don't want to dissuade you from doing the treatment. For many, it seems they are satisfied with the results. All I can offer is a cautionary tale of my own experiences and why, if I could choose it all over again, I wouldn't go with SMP. I did it 5+ years ago but, ultimately, I both didn't like the upkeep (shaving every other day) and there was a persistent redness under the treatment that made me feel too conscious. I ended up wearing hats most of the time even though the treatment was meant to give me freedom from them. 2 years + ago, I had most of it removed by laser. I say 'most' because the SMP tech had inked into my native hair area to help create a better blend but the laser tech didn't want to treat that area for fear of damaging the native hair. After the laser treatment, instead of dark pigmented dots, there was now a scarlet-red blush in the shape of the treatment area. It's only been in the last few months that I feel comfortable going out without a hat. There is still a faint outline of the treatment visible but it is fading. The inked area that was not treated by laser is still pigmented but it, too, is fading. If you are prone to redness, you want to proceed with caution. SMP requires regular shaving in order to maintain the illusion so be prepared for the upkeep.

Can you post some photos before and after ? Thanks 

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43 minutes ago, Niko1 said:

Can you post some photos before and after ? Thanks 

B1.thumb.jpg.696ca6960a43edc3b72e0b04b299eeda.jpgIMG-0176.thumb.JPG.e7f9656e16748caa378c3671bd9f9088.JPG

The top shot is the result right after being done. The second shot is a few weeks ago. Lighting is dark but you can still see the outline of the SMP in the hairline. Back towards the crown is where the SMP pigment still resides.

 

 

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Thanks for sharing the photos, about the PIE redness you experienced, I don't see it in the top right picture after the smp. Did the PIE redness start days or weeks later?

Edited by ciaus
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23 hours ago, kirkland said:

I would say yes but not on the timeline that SMP providers often suggest.

You've been a great resource whom I very much appreciate.  Regarding the safety of Trichopigmentation, are you aware of any data or scientific proof of how the pigment particles are supposed to be only 15 microns which is why it gets eaten by the macrophages and eventually expelled by the body?

I wish there were some verifiable data available to inquiring minds.😞

Thanks again.

Edited by Atown
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