SMP/Trico Concerns

[youngn]

I have been around the hair loss communities for upwards of 20 years, and I have yet to see a video of someone with SMP or trico walking around in different lightings with close ups. Direct light, indirect light, sun light, indoor light, etc. This seems like it would be killer for advertising if it really did look as good as these companies say. The only reason I can think that no company has done this video is that these services actually don't look as good as in pictures. 

As a NW7 without any access to look at people who have had SMP done in person - this may seal the deal for me getting trico if the video actually looked good. Without seeing it in person - I feel like any type of shine on the scalp would totally make SMP look fake.

[ciaus]

Video can be manipulated too with lighting, distance etc, and is usually going to be 'optimized' if we are talking about advertising purposes.

And think about the ratio of pictures to videos out on the internet when it comes to hair transplants -pictures are much more common because hair loss is a sensitive topic for guys and videos make it alot more easy to identify the person.

 

Have you tried searching on youtube? I just did using "scalp micropigmentation results" and one of the first results is here:

 

 

[ciaus]

Here's different lightings, indoor, outdoor

 

[ciaus]

Here's some indoor/outdoor, after a year

 

 

[youngn]

Video is much more difficult to manipulate than pictures. I have seen the first video you posted before. It shows the results shortly in one type of lighting. I want to see different circumstances. What does a sweaty head look like? What about direct light under a fluorescent light?

The 2nd video the guy has alot of hair still. I am talking about a shaved look specifically. 3rd video shows no before comparison. Guys with even sparse amounts of hair on top can still achieve a 3d look with what they have left involved.

[ciaus]

5 minutes ago, youngn said:

Video is much more difficult to manipulate than pictures.

Those versed in video editing software probably have plenty of tricks up their sleeves making it less difficult then the rest of us would think.

 

Anyway, I didn't put much effort into my searches, here's two more with shaved heads in different lightings. Ultimately seeing someone in person is going to be much more accurate and helpful than looking at pictures or even videos.

You should narrow down a list of reputable clinics and ask for patients nearest to you willing to meet in person, see if they'll play a game of racquetball or wrestling so you can inspect their sweaty domes.

Would be a better use of time than complaining on hair loss forums and searching through online videos for 20 years.

 

 

 

 

 

[youngn]

Obviously I haven't been searching for videos for 20 years. I only said that to state that I am not a newbie on the subject. I also don't see myself paying to fly to New York, and staying for days to try and meet multiple people who had it done in the most expensive place in the country.

[ciaus]

3 minutes ago, youngn said:

I also don't see myself paying to fly to New York, and staying for days to try and meet multiple people who had it done in the most expensive place in the country.

 

That's a small price in money and time to pay for something that is going to have a dramatic effect on how you are going to look for the rest of your life. If that kind of effort is beyond what you are willing to do then its probably a good thing that you don't do SMP in the first place.

[kirkland]

2 hours ago, youngn said:

I have been around the hair loss communities for upwards of 20 years, and I have yet to see a video of someone with SMP or trico walking around in different lightings with close ups. Direct light, indirect light, sun light, indoor light, etc. This seems like it would be killer for advertising if it really did look as good as these companies say. The only reason I can think that no company has done this video is that these services actually don't look as good as in pictures. 

As a NW7 without any access to look at people who have had SMP done in person - this may seal the deal for me getting trico if the video actually looked good. Without seeing it in person - I feel like any type of shine on the scalp would totally make SMP look fake.

You're right - a video like that showing SMP in all conditions would be helpful, especially if it was a NW7. I'm a NW6 and had trico but there was no way I was going to expose the result in public because I was too self-conscious that it didn't look natural enough. I suspect the same goes for most higher NW's with SMP. In fact, the light conditions played a big role in how it looked. In bright sunlight, it looked the most fake. In a darker, more cozy-lit room, it looked good. If you do end up getting it, perhaps consider doing a video showing off the results in all conditions. It would help the curious to make a better informed decision.

[youngn]

6 minutes ago, kirkland said:

You're right - a video like that showing SMP in all conditions would be helpful, especially if it was a NW7. I'm a NW6 and had trico but there was no way I was going to expose the result in public because I was too self-conscious that it didn't look natural enough. I suspect the same goes for most higher NW's with SMP. In fact, the light conditions played a big role in how it looked. In bright sunlight, it looked the most fake. In a darker, more cozy-lit room, it looked good. If you do end up getting it, perhaps consider doing a video showing off the results in all conditions. It would help the curious to make a better informed decision.

Can you talk a little bit more about the lighting where you didn't feel it looked natural? Always curious to hear from someone who has had trico. I am a NW7 and am mostly OK with having a shaved head because I have done it for 15 years, but trico always seemed like a nice option. I feel like it's too good to be true though. There must be some lighting where it doesn't look right. I would not wanna upgrade my paranoia in those circumstances.

[kirkland]

Definitely bright lighting which creates high contrasts. If the native hair is about one days' growth or more, you will see the demarcation between the native hair and the trico. For those circumstances, it looks best when newly shaved. Any dimmer lighting situation, or under tungsten (warmer) lighting is more favorable to the illusion. If you shave your head every day, then you already have the routine needed for trico. If you go more than two days without shaving, it really stands out.

I know it is easier said than done but it really is best to see a real live model with SMP - one that has similar hairloss pattern. I didn't take the time to do this, had the SMP (regretted it and ended up having most of it removed) and then a couple of years ago, I had a consultation with a HT rep who had SMP with similar hairloss. It did not look good but he did have a couple of days growth. It was under bright fluorescent lighting.

[kirkland]

I should also give my two cents: if you are paranoid now that it won't look natural enough, you will likely feel that way when  you get it done. Most of the time, I say SMP is really good for certain people; generally, darker skin with lower contrast between hair color and skin. But it is also good for those who don't obsess over their hairloss too much. I think you have to have a certain level of confidence to feel comfortable with SMP. If you don't think you could handle a hairpiece, SMP is likely not for you. That is my two cents. 

[youngn]

23 minutes ago, kirkland said:

I should also give my two cents: if you are paranoid now that it won't look natural enough, you will likely feel that way when  you get it done. Most of the time, I say SMP is really good for certain people; generally, darker skin with lower contrast between hair color and skin. But it is also good for those who don't obsess over their hairloss too much. I think you have to have a certain level of confidence to feel comfortable with SMP. If you don't think you could handle a hairpiece, SMP is likely not for you. That is my two cents. 

Good feedback. Thanks for being honest.

[kirkland]

No problem. I know the frustration when you want to do SOMETHING but have limited options. I thought SMP was a good choice for me but it wasn't. If I could do it all over again, I would have passed and saved some money and more. 

[Gatsby]

3 hours ago, kirkland said:

I should also give my two cents: if you are paranoid now that it won't look natural enough, you will likely feel that way when  you get it done. Most of the time, I say SMP is really good for certain people; generally, darker skin with lower contrast between hair color and skin. But it is also good for those who don't obsess over their hairloss too much. I think you have to have a certain level of confidence to feel comfortable with SMP. If you don't think you could handle a hairpiece, SMP is likely not for you. That is my two cents. 

That advice is gold. To begin with nothing is perfect and we are our own worst enemies. To be able feel happy having tricho or SMP performed then you have to accept it's limitations (as you do with a hair transplant). I have a lot of scars on the back donor region of my scalp and also an FUT like scar along the top of my hairline. For me then obviously anything is better than walking around with a butchered scalp! I wore a hair piece for many years and I felt confident because it hid my scars, probably more so than hiding my baldness as well. There are some great artists around (and a lot of dodgy ones - no different to hair transplant surgeons). But at the end of the day if you wish to undergo tricho or SMP then you must be prepared for the reality that it is not replacing your hair and it is not 3D. Having said that, I think it really does have a huge role in helping those with scars get back into life and also for people who can't stand the idea of being horse shoe bald. Also remember that if people aren't looking for something then they often don't recognize it. All the best!

[AB2000]

21 hours ago, ciaus said:

Video can be manipulated too with lighting, distance etc, and is usually going to be 'optimized' if we are talking about advertising purposes.

And think about the ratio of pictures to videos out on the internet when it comes to hair transplants -pictures are much more common because hair loss is a sensitive topic for guys and videos make it alot more easy to identify the person.

 

Have you tried searching on youtube? I just did using "scalp micropigmentation results" and one of the first results is here:

 

 

I've seen this video result before.  Off topic to the question at hand, but I wanted to put out there that this looks overdone.  If this was meant to sell me on the SMP procedure I would pass because it looks too unrealistic.  The hard density makes me look twice and question it.  If I were to go for this it would have to be more moderate.

The results that I have been interested in tracking are "long hair SMP" if you look on Google's image results.  That shows what it can look like if you get inked within areas of existing hairs to camouflage it better.  Shaving the head down and going with a zero balding look is hard to pull off, especially for older men.

Here's a before and after when using SMP with real hair:

[anker21]

SMP def does seem like a great option. It does frame the face and I feel does not look bad at all. Add some facial hair and beard to that and the look is golden.

[dobler]

I think SMP mixed with real buzzed hair is great option, if you can be sure that the real buzzed hair will not be lost over the years, cause then it will look like crap.

SMP alone doesn't look so real IMO, especially when it fades after multiple years (or even less).

I really want to do SMP mixed with my native hairs on top, and on crown, but I am afraid I will lose more of my native hair in the upcoming years, and will end up looking bad and unnatural.

I am also really concerned about the long term fade of the pigment - when the dots start to blur and get bigger. It is really a problem to me.

Also - the material itself - if it has any chance to cause health issues in the long term. I have heard something about that it can enter the blood stream, and that the materials are cancerous. But I have not yet read any proof about it, nor a research.

So I still haven't decided yet. More opinions would be very helpful.

Edited December 27, 2020 by dobler