Long term SMP experience

[David20]

Hello, I thought it was about time I made a post on here after lurking for so long! I’m planning on going for SMP treatment later in the year and I’m wondering if there’s anyone that’s had it for a number of years? It looks great in pictures when it’s first done but I’m really curious to know how it ages? Also how often a top us required and if after each top up it goes back to looking as good as when it was first done.
 

I know who carries out the procedure has a lot to do with how these questions could be answered but it’d be good to get various real life reviews. 
 

Thank you! 

[RTC]

Sun will make it fade

Probably lots of sweating too although this is just speculation

Mine seemed to fade after about a year, and I wore caps and sunblock always (it was still there, just didn't seem as strong)

[ciaus]

@Gatsby has had it for a number of years and did a touchup after I think about 5 years. His results have looked great. He's had quite the journey, from botched hair transplants when he was very young, to wearing a hair piece for many years. The SMP was the best his head has looked since before his hairloss nightmare started. But he's never  given up on the dream, still loves hair more than ink. He recently had a hair transplant done at a top clinic that should finally give him a great result, and the SMP should still help adding a density effect to the transplanted hairs.

[David20]

On 4/29/2022 at 2:47 PM, Aslitarcan sucks said:

Sun will make it fade

Probably lots of sweating too although this is just speculation

Mine seemed to fade after about a year, and I wore caps and sunblock always (it was still there, just didn't seem as strong)

Did you go for a top up after a year? One of the artists I spoke with told me that a top up is required every 1-2 years. I’m just a little concerned that after a while it could end up looking like Lego hair! 
 

 

On 4/29/2022 at 3:11 PM, ciaus said:

@Gatsby has had it for a number of years and did a touchup after I think about 5 years. His results have looked great. He's had quite the journey, from botched hair transplants when he was very young, to wearing a hair piece for many years. The SMP was the best his head has looked since before his hairloss nightmare started. But he's never  given up on the dream, still loves hair more than ink. He recently had a hair transplant done at a top clinic that should finally give him a great result, and the SMP should still help adding a density effect to the transplanted hairs.

A touch up after 5 years seems really reasonable. I’ve thought of going down the transplant route but I don’t think I’d be a great candidate for it, plus I think I would always still be worrying about my hair. SMP seems like a great solution but I’m only in my early 30s and I’m worried that over time and various top ups that it could lose it’s realistic look. 

[RTC]

3 hours ago, David20 said:

Did you go for a top up after a year? One of the artists I spoke with told me that a top up is required every 1-2 years. I’m just a little concerned that after a while it could end up looking like Lego hair! 
 

 

A touch up after 5 years seems really reasonable. I’ve thought of going down the transplant route but I don’t think I’d be a great candidate for it, plus I think I would always still be worrying about my hair. SMP seems like a great solution but I’m only in my early 30s and I’m worried that over time and various top ups that it could lose it’s realistic look. 

I didn't do a top-up tbh, I decided to just get another HT instead and grow my hair a bit longer

I may get it to bolster my donor area but I still don't like the idea of constant top-ups etc, very expensive business

 

[copingbaldy]

I had mine done 9 years ago, and a top up around the crown about a year in. Nothing since then. It has held up, and I don't really go out of my way to use sunscreen unless it's extremely sunny or I know I'll be out for a long period of time. I actually tried to deliberately fade the edge of my hairline (I always felt the dots are slightly too big there) by wearing a specially shaped kitchen foil helmet that only exposed about 5mm of hairline inside a sunbed. I did this several times a couple of years ago and I don't think it made any difference although I am going to try again this week and try tilting my head different ways. I ended up dealing with my hairline concerns by using concealer. I think if a treatment is going to fade it will happen within the first few months. I got my top up because that first year I was out all the time in the summer, wearing a trucker cap that was only mesh at the back, and I noticed crown fading. But after that top up I didn't do anything different and it hasn't faded. The cases I've seen with bad fading have all happened very soon after the treatment and the poor guys have had to go back over and over. It's normal for both dot size and darkness to fade maybe 30% in the weeks after a treatment and it makes it look more realistic, but it shouldn't fade more than that long term unless you are just a bad candidate.

[HairLineInk-79]

On 4/28/2022 at 2:37 PM, David20 said:

Hello, I thought it was about time I made a post on here after lurking for so long! I’m planning on going for SMP treatment later in the year and I’m wondering if there’s anyone that’s had it for a number of years? It looks great in pictures when it’s first done but I’m really curious to know how it ages? Also how often a top us required and if after each top up it goes back to looking as good as when it was first done.
 

I know who carries out the procedure has a lot to do with how these questions could be answered but it’d be good to get various real life reviews. 
 

Thank you! 

I’ve had it for 14 years 

[Gatsby]

On 4/29/2022 at 4:37 AM, David20 said:

Hello, I thought it was about time I made a post on here after lurking for so long! I’m planning on going for SMP treatment later in the year and I’m wondering if there’s anyone that’s had it for a number of years? It looks great in pictures when it’s first done but I’m really curious to know how it ages? Also how often a top us required and if after each top up it goes back to looking as good as when it was first done.
 

I know who carries out the procedure has a lot to do with how these questions could be answered but it’d be good to get various real life reviews. 
 

Thank you! 

The problem is that almost all of the work you see promoted is straight after the last session when it is first performed. so the dots are very defined and sharp. Over time it does soften and fade if you don't cover your scalp from the sun. Your liver is constantly attempting to break the ink down so a touch up every five years generally is required. Still for many people this is a great solution. I had it performed about seven years ago at least but I had a hair transplant two years ago and another almost one year ago. All the best!

[Lenzman]

I’ve been tempted to shave it all off rather than go the surgical route. SMP does look more hassle free with shaving hair and periodic touch ups. I’d only be fearful of having a painted head look. Does it really look that natural in person? 

[diegoyrenny]

The one with the black shirt is 1 yr after smp 

The one in red is 3 yrs after i had it done with the best at gerow hair in nyc

It does fade wit time so touch up will be needed every 4 to 5 yrs 

Now i have a hair transplant and it helps with the look in density

This one at the gym pic is me 4 months post hair transplant 

The last one is before smp

Edited February 24 by diegoyrenny

[bigmistake]

On 4/29/2022 at 7:17 PM, RTC said:

Sun will make it fade

Probably lots of sweating too although this is just speculation

Mine seemed to fade after about a year, and I wore caps and sunblock always (it was still there, just didn't seem as strong)

Do you mean SMP in the scar tissue ?