smp Got my first SMP session last Tuesday

[justgotsmpd]

Hi,

I got my first SMP done over 6 days ago from the only place in my country that actually had videos and reviews of the Scalp Micropigmentation procedure.

The process overall was nice and comfortable. The procedure was done by a hair transplant surgeon and his team. There are no tattoo parlors in my country so only cosmetic clinics and hospitals perform such procedures. I healed pretty quick and washed on day 3 post procedure after asking the doctor.

I’ve attached a picture of what it looks like. I’ve no idea what to think. I told them it was dark and some dots were too large and the hairline needs some work. They said yes, all that can be done and that the darker areas will fade don’t worry.

I feel pretty lost here. Should I wait it out and hope it gets better or get it lasered? Second appointment is scheduled for this Saturday (2nd Jan 2021). Any input would be appreciated.

Traveling abroad to get it done wasn’t an option, and I went through with it because I wasn’t going to fret over being a norwood 6-7 in my mid twenties and do nothing about it. I decided to go through with it fully accepting that it might go bad.

[Britanium]

@Gatsbywill hopefully chime in here, I don’t have any SMP experience. It does not look right to my eyes... 

[justgotsmpd]

Thank you for the quick reply. Yes, looks pretty terrible the longer I keep looking at it. Hoping against hope that it would just fade dramatically in a few days.

[Britanium]

I have seen a lot of SMP results but this work looks poor to my eyes. How do you feel about getting another session done? Who is the company that is doing it? 
 

[justgotsmpd]

About the second session, they said they would “align” it more and add softer texture to lower the hairline and blend the color better. That’s why I’ve no idea what to think about it. I want it to get better and I could get it lasered if it still doesn’t, but is it even worth going for it at this point? And would the laser be more difficult if I get a second one?

The place is a hospital, that I don’t have an issue naming (or even the doctor) but just not sure if I should? I mean it’s my first time posting so I don’t know the finer forum rules. And I don’t even know if it’s an ok/redeemable job or just plain garbage on fire. Is it cool to just drop names in?

[Britanium]

You can mention the name yes. What you have mentioned is exactly what I would be concerned about, will it really look any better ? Really hope others with SMP experience will also comment. 
@Melvin-Moderatorwhat are your thoughts ? 

Edited December 28, 2020 by JohnAC71

[justgotsmpd]

The place is called cosmesurge international hospital. I’m torn because they didn’t give any obvious red flags. Told me what the treatment was and wasn’t and basically everything else I’d read on various places and watched videos of over the last 1.5 years. Doctor was present and performed the hairline and temples himself along with some other work.

I was concerned that some of their results looked darker, but they said that they fade and it’s to create the base for the (middle eastern) skin tone.

The color mis-match wasn’t as obvious (but still noticeable at a foot away depending on lighting) at a distance before I shaved a few hours before taking the post picture.

Here’s pre-shaving:

[DenverBuff1989]

Hair transplants are a risky procedure. SMP is even riskier. Getting SMP on anywhere but the crown is very risky. In my opinion the only thing that really stands out is the dark smudge in the middle - I don't have enough knowledge in SMP to predict if that will fade or not. 

It may be unnoticeable to most people, bc most people are not looking at you from where your camera is angled. 

I would start doing consultations with other SMP artists to get a 2nd, qualified opinion. Its hard to trust the operating surgeon (or SMP artist) - also with hair transplants - because you never know if they are giving you an honest answer or are just trying to make an excuse for a mistake on their end. 

[ciaus]

I agree it looks too dark and the dots are pretty big, I see your note about not being able to travel abroad, but like @DenverBuff1989 said you should still try to reach out to some reputable clinics abroad and have them take a look at these pics and what you are being told.

 

There's a member here that operates an SMP clinic and posts results occasionally in this section, and they are pretty impressive. He's in the US near New York City, but maybe he can still give you an opinion about whether you should proceed or stop based on what they are telling you.

His member profile indicates he was last online over the weekend, you could try to send him a private message or call the clinic number, details for him are below

@hairthere

(201) 482-4529

https://www.aheadink.com

 

Edited December 28, 2020 by ciaus

[hairthere]

JustGotSMPD,

Sorry to say this a botched procedure. Any qualified SMP artist will tell you this. Do not have any more work done by them. You should remove with a laser. (Make certain to thank Ciaus for adding me to this thread by the way, he saved you from getting into even deeper trouble.)

Edited December 28, 2020 by hairthere

[DenverBuff1989]

@hairthere Hi, I am not the original poster lol, I am just a commenter just like you. I agree with your assessment tho. 

[hairthere]

Thanks Denver, made the correction! And good looking out by you as well! And to answer your question, while this will certainly fade on its own over time/lessen in color saturation, it will likely not disappear completely on its own so laser removal is his only recourse.

Edited December 28, 2020 by hairthere

[Britanium]

8 minutes ago, hairthere said:

Thanks Denver, made the correction! And good looking out by you as well! And to answer your question, while this will certainly fade on its own over time/lessen in color saturation, it will likely not disappear completely on its own so laser removal is his only recourse.

This is what i feared, and I’m pleased someone chimed in. Cancel the 2nd session dude ASAP. 

[Gatsby]

@justgotsmpd I'm so sorry to say this but that is a terrible result (but can be removed so don't stress). As I have always said on this forum and to others, treat having SMP like you would a hair transplant. Research is a must! Did you view any prior SMP clients by this surgeon? How many photos in their folio did they have to show you of their work? If you can't travel to have SMP then seriously wait until you can. Demand a refund and cancel any further work. They need to cover the cost of laser to have it removed. The first session of SMP is just a light layering of how the final result will appear and to see how your skin reacts. If you follow through with just one more session you will end up looking like you have a blue helmet tattooed on your scalp. The wrong ink has been used and the dots are too large and have migrated and converged.

I would contact other SMP artists and show them this result and tell them who did the work. You may find that an ethical SMP artist might be willing to help you or at the very least advice you on where you can go to have it lasered off. My apologies if I seem to come across harsh as it's not my intention. I'm just angry at the person who performed this plus I've been butchered by a surgeon with hair transplants at a very young age. You will be able to get rid of this and it will pass. What country are you in?

[justgotsmpd]

6 hours ago, DenverBuff1989 said:

Hair transplants are a risky procedure. SMP is even riskier. Getting SMP on anywhere but the crown is very risky. In my opinion the only thing that really stands out is the dark smudge in the middle - I don't have enough knowledge in SMP to predict if that will fade or not. 

It may be unnoticeable to most people, bc most people are not looking at you from where your camera is angled. 

I would start doing consultations with other SMP artists to get a 2nd, qualified opinion. Its hard to trust the operating surgeon (or SMP artist) - also with hair transplants - because you never know if they are giving you an honest answer or are just trying to make an excuse for a mistake on their end. 

I definitely agree. My decision was very far from smart and driven by a lack of real alternatives available to me.

Yes that large misshaped stain is what is weirding me out too, like, what even is that? It does make me hope (wish!) that with some fading and the normal viewing angles it might look not horrible...

Thank you for your advice, I think I should start mailing other smp people with my pictures and see if I get a solution. Not too hopeful though as there isn’t a single video of any other place doing these procedures here.

[justgotsmpd]

6 hours ago, ciaus said:

I agree it looks too dark and the dots are pretty big, I see your note about not being able to travel abroad, but like @DenverBuff1989 said you should still try to reach out to some reputable clinics abroad and have them take a look at these pics and what you are being told.

 

There's a member here that operates an SMP clinic and posts results occasionally in this section, and they are pretty impressive. He's in the US near New York City, but maybe he can still give you an opinion about whether you should proceed or stop based on what they are telling you.

His member profile indicates he was last online over the weekend, you could try to send him a private message or call the clinic number, details for him are below

@hairthere

(201) 482-4529

https://www.aheadink.com

 

Thank you for this, appreciate it a lot! Originally, from watching all the videos, I had decided that NYC would be the best place for this procedure. But realistically, with the pandemic and my current life/work situation traveling just becomes impossible.

Even if I could travel I couldn’t stay abroad more than a week due to family and work, so my sessions would get super spaced out.

I will definitely get in touch though and see what my options are, thanks again!

[justgotsmpd]

@hairthere Thank you for your input and honest assessment. To get a word in on from a practitioner is very valuable.

Could you please let me know what the dark smudges are on my head? And why the dots appear to be so many different sizes and shades? What other things would you say I should point out to the doctor who performed this?

I’m going to have a good long talk with the hospital that did this and I would like to be able to point out everything wrong with the smp to them. It would be good to be able to have that talk with input given about my procedure from an actual practitioner and not just my own assessment and words.

Also, would you say waiting a month to let it fade and then getting it laser removed would be easier? Or should I go for it asap?

[justgotsmpd]

@JohnAC71 Yeah, tbh it feels pretty relieving hearing it honestly from other people. Before I wasn’t sure if it was just in my head and that was making me paranoid.

Thank you so much for tagging people in and getting this topic going and getting me help. I’m definitely not getting another session, but I will go back and have a long talk with the doctor.

[hairthere]

It looks to me like they probably injected far too deep into your dermis-beyond the upper dermis-which can result in dots bleeding into each other and an overall unnatural look. This is likely from lack of experience and possibly using equipment not intended for scalp micro pigmentation. SMP is a highly specialized practice and should use proper equipment and techniques. Neither of these appear to have been used on you. 

As far as removal, make sure you find a good laser technician (maybe a cosmetic dermatologist). This is worth traveling for if you don't have one in your immediate area. Laser if not done properly can end up scarring you. Best of luck

[justgotsmpd]

3 hours ago, Gatsby said:

@justgotsmpd I'm so sorry to say this but that is a terrible result (but can be removed so don't stress). As I have always said on this forum and to others, treat having SMP like you would a hair transplant. Research is a must! Did you view any prior SMP clients by this surgeon? How many photos in their folio did they have to show you of their work? If you can't travel to have SMP then seriously wait until you can. Demand a refund and cancel any further work. They need to cover the cost of laser to have it removed. The first session of SMP is just a light layering of how the final result will appear and to see how your skin reacts. If you follow through with just one more session you will end up looking like you have a blue helmet tattooed on your scalp. The wrong ink has been used and the dots are too large and have migrated and converged.

I would contact other SMP artists and show them this result and tell them who did the work. You may find that an ethical SMP artist might be willing to help you or at the very least advice you on where you can go to have it lasered off. My apologies if I seem to come across harsh as it's not my intention. I'm just angry at the person who performed this plus I've been butchered by a surgeon with hair transplants at a very young age. You will be able to get rid of this and it will pass. What country are you in?

@Gatsby Thank you for your response. Yes, I did see some work from them and they were the only institution that shared videos of the procedure. The doctor also showed me some of his works during consultation.

Their work did look a bit dark but they said it’s due to my darker skin tone and because these lighten a lot.

I suppose seeing my inability to travel abroad for a procedure is why I felt like I had no choice. I’ve been balding all my twenties and I just couldn’t bear to go through with that. I’m fortunate enough to have a good income and a very supportive family, but, though money was never a concern, I also can’t leave my family and work for over a week. I’ve never taken a vacation longer than 7 calendar days in my life.

You don’t sound harsh at all! Thank you for giving your input I’m very glad that you joined in. I’m currently in Pakistan, and I went with Cosmesurge International Hospital. I went to the Rawalpindi branch since the doctor, Yasir Alla Qudre, is one of the more famous doctors (13 years exp, whatever that’s worth) in the region.

Oh, and tattoo parlors are not mainstream (maybe illegal?) in the country.

[justgotsmpd]

9 minutes ago, hairthere said:

It looks to me like they probably injected far too deep into your dermis-beyond the upper dermis-which can result in dots bleeding into each other and an overall unnatural look. This is likely from lack of experience and possibly using equipment not intended for scalp micro pigmentation. SMP is a highly specialized practice and should use proper equipment and techniques. Neither of these appear to have been used on you. 

As far as removal, make sure you find a good laser technician (maybe a cosmetic dermatologist). This is worth traveling for if you don't have one in your immediate area. Laser if not done properly can end up scarring you. Best of luck

I understand. Thank you so much for taking the time to go over this, I will be patient and find the best laser technician that I can find, and not rush it like I did with the SMP.

[pkipling]

I'm not sure if it's any consolation, but given how most of us users in this forum are more well-versed and knowledgeable about Hair Transplants than SMP, this is honestly a huge learning opportunity for a lot of guys who I'm sure will stumble across this post at some point looking for SMP advice. You seem to have a really good head on your shoulders and are taking this in stride... And it's great that this isn't permanent and can indeed be fixed. 

I'm glad Hairthere and Gatsby were able to come through with this mini crash course of the "Dos and Don'ts of SMP" and have pointed you in the right direction. Best of luck - and I look forward to seeing a happy ending to this in the future. 

[Britanium]

Totally agree! I am not experienced in SMP apart from viewing decent results. This one stood out as being very poor work, and I was pleased to see experts chiming in. 

[DenverBuff1989]

1 hour ago, pkipling said:

I'm not sure if it's any consolation, but given how most of us users in this forum are more well-versed and knowledgeable about Hair Transplants than SMP, this is honestly a huge learning opportunity for a lot of guys who I'm sure will stumble across this post at some point looking for SMP advice. You seem to have a really good head on your shoulders and are taking this in stride... And it's great that this isn't permanent and can indeed be fixed. 

I'm glad Hairthere and Gatsby were able to come through with this mini crash course of the "Dos and Don'ts of SMP" and have pointed you in the right direction. Best of luck - and I look forward to seeing a happy ending to this in the future. 

I briefly considered SMP on my crown, and visited an SMP guy to investigate further The most important thing I learned is that the only "safe" place to get SMP is on the crown. Its a huge gamble getting it done on the hairline and midscalp. 

And even in the best cases, you have to do touchups every 4 years or so bc the tattoo fades. And SMP has a tendency to "shine" in certain lighting conditions. 

I totally understand there are valid use cases for SMP on the hairline/mid-scalp. But IMO if one is going for the non-balding buzz cut look (the only suitable look for frontal SMP), one might as well save the drama and risk and just shave your head and be naturally bald. 

Edited December 29, 2020 by DenverBuff1989

[Chances101]

On 12/28/2020 at 3:47 PM, DenverBuff1989 said:

Hair transplants are a risky procedure. SMP is even riskier. Getting SMP on anywhere but the crown is very risky. In my opinion the only thing that really stands out is the dark smudge in the middle - I don't have enough knowledge in SMP to predict if that will fade or not. 

It may be unnoticeable to most people, bc most people are not looking at you from where your camera is angled. 

I would start doing consultations with other SMP artists to get a 2nd, qualified opinion. Its hard to trust the operating surgeon (or SMP artist) - also with hair transplants - because you never know if they are giving you an honest answer or are just trying to make an excuse for a mistake on their end. 

Why do you say anywhere but the crown ? What makes the crown less risky?