Hair transplant over SMP - help!

[MaximumMM]

Hi there,

I'd love to hear from anyone who's had a transplant over existing SMP. I currently have SMP and am booked in for a transplant soon.

My SMP hairline is good but a little lower than I'd want to have an implanted hairline. This is mainly so that as I age it continues to look natural.

I hadn't previously understood the length of time required to laser the hairline back (I've been advised by a laser/SMP specialist that this should be done at least 4 months before the transplant - two procedures 8 weeks apart, with recovery time afterwards). I was also advised at the time of booking the appointment by the clinic and another consultant that it didn't really matter which way around this was done - i.e. whether the hairline adjustment was done before or after the transplant. However I now have been advised by the same laser specialist that it would be wise to wait at least 18 months before doing any lasering.

This leaves me with a problem and few good options. My hair transplant is booked in about a month. So I can either try and move the booking, with all the hassle and possible financial cost that involves. Or I can go ahead and be stuck with an SMP hairline which is lower than my implanted hairline for 18 months or more. I don't know how bad that would look really. Or, I could just go with an implanted hairline which follows my current SMP hairline. Again, I'm struggling to imagine how this might look in ten, fifteen or twenty years.

I've attached some pictures as well, and would appreciate any opinions or experiences from others, especially those who might have dealt with the same thing. My questions include: Did your SMP hairline look weird alongside your implanted hairline? Where was it placed in relation to it (i.e. just behind it or precisely on it?)? Do you think I could 'get away' with going with my current hairline? And finally, I'm looking at 2 procedures, as my crown is very thinned out currently. Will my round 1 results, once grown out, look weird/bad with an SMP crown?

Any advice on any of that would be greatly appreciated.

Edited March 7, 2023 by MaximumMM

[mrmane85]

One of the goats of this forum, @Gatsbyhas had a HT over his previous SMP. I'm not sure of anyone else specifically but I'm sure there are many out there. 

[Gatsby]

@MaximumMM I was in the same boat as you. I had SMP before my first surgery just over a year ago. What I did do was have the hairline lasered back by at least 1cm so that the SMP would not be left showing in front of the newly transplanted grafts. This is what I would recommend. All the best!

[Dillpickle123]

How bad is your hairloss? Why can’t you transplant where your smp is right now that isn’t terribly low and I think frames your face great 

[MaximumMM]

5 hours ago, Gatsby said:

@MaximumMM I was in the same boat as you. I had SMP before my first surgery just over a year ago. What I did do was have the hairline lasered back by at least 1cm so that the SMP would not be left showing in front of the newly transplanted grafts. This is what I would recommend. All the best!

Thanks. Was your SMP hairline similar to mine or lower? And was it mainly future-proofing the hairline that made you want to do that?

And can I ask how advanced your hairloss was? Were you left with exposed SMP in an area with no other growth, i.e. the crown? Did it look weird?

Edited March 8, 2023 by MaximumMM

[MaximumMM]

Advanced - I'm a Norwood 5/6, hence the two procedures planned. I could have it implanted on the SMP hairline, yes. That's partly why I posted the pictures to get any opinions on whether that's a good idea. I like the hairline now, but I'm not sure if an SMP hairline is more subtle than actual hair, and also in fifteen years I'm worried that'll be an unrealistically youthful hairline. I'm not sure though.

[Gatsby]

15 minutes ago, MaximumMM said:

Thanks. Was your SMP hairline similar to mine or lower? And was it mainly future-proofing the hairline that made you want to do that?

And can I ask how advanced your hairloss was? Were you left with exposed SMP in an area with no other growth, i.e. the crown? Did it look weird?

 

Edited March 8, 2023 by Gatsby

[MaximumMM]

27 minutes ago, Gatsby said:

 

Thanks. I had a good read there - looks like quite the transformation, congratulations! I couldn't see anything addressing why you chose to take the hairline up from your SMP, apologies if I missed it. 

[Gatsby]

The first pic is of the SMP hairline which was low to cover a scar from old punch grafts that were removed via strip over several session years ago. The second pic is after the SMP was lasered back prior to my first repair surgery with Eugenix. It meant that the SMP would not show in front of the new hairline.

[MaximumMM]

22 minutes ago, Gatsby said:

The first pic is of the SMP hairline which was low to cover a scar from old punch grafts that were removed via strip over several session years ago. The second pic is after the SMP was lasered back prior to my first repair surgery with Eugenix. It meant that the SMP would not show in front of the new hairline.

Right, thanks. And did you do that because you thought the old hairline would look too 'young'?

[Gatsby]

1 hour ago, MaximumMM said:

Right, thanks. And did you do that because you thought the old hairline would look too 'young'?

Yes. I wasn't sure how low/high the new transplanted hairline would be so I thought it would be best to stay on the side of caution and move the SMP hairline back. I'm glad I made this choice because as a result the SMP cannot be detected and yet it also gives the illusion of added density when indoors. Hope this helps with your decision. All the best!

[MaximumMM]

24 minutes ago, Gatsby said:

Yes. I wasn't sure how low/high the new transplanted hairline would be so I thought it would be best to stay on the side of caution and move the SMP hairline back. I'm glad I made this choice because as a result the SMP cannot be detected and yet it also gives the illusion of added density when indoors. Hope this helps with your decision. All the best!

Thank you!

[A_4_Archan]

Yeh you should conceal your smp hairline and make a new hairline a bit lower to the smp hairline...actually your smp will benefit you to create an illusion of density ....i have seen one more case other thn gatsby whn i was looking for results for a particular clinic (hdc) ...bt unfortunately i forgotten who was the patient ...so you may ask @Doron Harati abt it...if he would remember thn he may present you the case...

Edited lines 

Bdw you look cool in this bald look imho....this really suits you and your face..😊

Edited March 8, 2023 by Archan

[Doron Harati]

SMP can assist to low density results, not necessarily for high density HT results.

It will be wise you'll have hairline measurements and determine which height is natural and correct for you, we can't understand what is your hairline natural height from the SMP, unlike a tattoo the SMP will fade away.

This is example one a paitent we had with SMP that still was on after the final HT result, hope it helps:

 

Edited March 8, 2023 by Doron Harati

[MaximumMM]

Thanks both, that's really helpful.

[madhup16]

 

Hair transplant and Scalp Micropigmentation (SMP) are two different procedures that are used to address hair loss, but they work in different ways and produce different results.

Hair transplant involves harvesting healthy hair follicles from a donor site, typically the back or sides of the scalp, and transplanting them to the recipient site, which is typically the top of the scalp where hair loss has occurred. The transplanted hair follicles will continue to grow in their new location, creating a more natural-looking head of hair.

SMP, on the other hand, is a cosmetic tattooing procedure that involves depositing tiny dots of pigment into the scalp to simulate the appearance of hair follicles. SMP can be used to create the look of a closely shaved head or to add density to thinning hair.

Hair transplant and SMP are both effective solutions for hair loss, but they are not interchangeable. Hair transplant is a surgical procedure that requires some downtime for recovery and produces a more permanent solution to hair loss, while SMP is a non-surgical cosmetic procedure that requires minimal downtime and may need touch-ups over time.

Ultimately, the choice between hair transplant and SMP depends on the individual's specific needs and goals. A consultation with a qualified hair restoration specialist can help determine the best course of action.

[MaximumMM]

Hi there. A bit of an update here. I had the procedure with Dr Turan in March (4.4k grafts more or less) and am now at about 6.5 months. The procedure was fine, with quite bad shock loss that seems to have recovered.

I am keeping it shaved down as I don't plan to grow it out until after my second transplant to fill the crown, due in April. As I don't want to have partial coverage with a mostly empty crown, and am used to wearing it shaved that's by far the most comfortable option for me.

I am letting it grow for a week or a bit more occasionally to keep track on growth, which is what these pictures are. I realised that makes it a little harder to evaluate!

I've also included a picture of how I usually wear it with it cut right down. If the transplant doesn't grow out well I guess I'll just keep it like that, which I definitely don't mind. It would still be worth it for me to have actual hair rather than just SMP (you can see how it used to look at the start of this thread). But obviously I very much hope it's a success and I can grow it out to something like a fullish head of hair. I have realistic expectations though given that I gave a large area to cover.

I am also noticing for the first time a bit of residual patchiness at the bottom of my hair on the above and alongside my ear on the left hand side, which isn't there on the other side.

How do you think it's looking in general? I know it will look better grown out, but hard to tell exactly how it will look. 

And do you think that area of patchiness is cause for concern? I'm not sure if it's residual shock loss, overharvesting (seems unlikely based on the clinic's reputation), shedding from finasteride which I've recently started, retrograde alopecia (no sign of this when I saw a specialist earlier this year before the procedure), or nothing in particular. Maybe it will look fine once it's grown out.

Thanks very much for any opinions.

Edited November 10, 2023 by MaximumMM

[TakeAction]

I'm in a similar situation, have SMP a little lower than I'd like and getting a procedure in a few months.

Your hair looks amazing with a buzz, no one would think you have hair loss from the frontal view.

Did you find that the SMP allowed you to "avoid" the ugly duckling phase? Saw another guy say that. 

2000 grafts in the crown should help a lot and the SMP will increase the visual density even further.

[Eli_Avdikian]

Your transplanted hair in the front looks quite good. Maybe growing it out is worth the shot. The thinning around your ear and above the sideburn looks like retrograde alopecia to me. However there are some signs of slight overharvesting in your parietal donor area. 

[MaximumMM]

On 1/12/2024 at 9:13 PM, TakeAction said:

I'm in a similar situation, have SMP a little lower than I'd like and getting a procedure in a few months.

Your hair looks amazing with a buzz, no one would think you have hair loss from the frontal view.

Did you find that the SMP allowed you to "avoid" the ugly duckling phase? Saw another guy say that. 

2000 grafts in the crown should help a lot and the SMP will increase the visual density even further.

Sorry, I just saw this. Yes, the I basically just kept my smp look after the transplant so that was fine, shock loss and recovery aside. I have just had my second and plan to do the same again.

[Silent123]

Hey man, it looks to be growing in well at this stage. Looking forward to seeing how this turns out for you near the 1 year mark 👍