“Although both fall under the category of micropigmentation, [microblading and micropigmentation] are very different methods of implanting pigment, ” explains Michal Cohen, a Los Angeles-based makeup artist and SMP practitioner.
While microblading is typically done with a manual blade, micropigmentation is performed using an electric tattoo device. This is because more power is needed to penetrate the skin on your scalp, which is thicker than the skin under your eyebrows.
The goal of SMP isn’t to create hairlike lines as you would when microblading eyebrows, but instead to use tiny, layered dots in different hues of black to replicate the look of a shadow on your scalp. This style, referred to as pointillism, is done to create natural-looking depth and definition.
Alopecia Areata: Student Who Lost His Hair From Gcse Stress Reveals The Hair Loss Treatment That Brought His Confidence Back
A skilled practitioner will work to ensure the dots look like a natural hair follicle and blend in seamlessly with your complexion.
Before the procedure, your SMP practitioner will apply a topical numbing agent to your scalp. That said, it’s good to keep in mind that there may still be some discomfort. However, how much discomfort largely depends on your pain tolerance.
People with scalp acne or other skin sensitives like psoriasis should avoid getting SMP during a breakout or flare-up, as it will be difficult to apply pigment to the inflamed areas. If you’re prone to developing keloids, which are more common in darker skin, you may also not be a good candidate for SMP.
Scalp Micropigmentation For Women
Once you’ve done your research and sought out a responsible and skilled SMP artist (more on how to do this below), you’ll likely have an initial consultation. During this meeting, your practitioner will prep you for what to expect and how you should prepare beforehand.
In the weeks between treatments, don’t go swimming, use steam or sauna rooms, or take extremely hot showers that may cause a steam storm.
Avoid exposing your scalp to the sun for the first four days (wearing a hat is fine). On the fifth day after treatment, you can expose the treated skin to sun for one hour, or 45 minutes if you have very fair skin.
Scalp Tattoo For Women
The price of SMP varies depending on how much of your scalp needs to be covered. Cohen says each treatment typically between runs between $400 and $1, 000.
Micropigmentation is considered semipermanent. While the effects may last up to eight years, the treated area will fade over time since all skin naturally exfoliates itself.
That said, if you have very dry skin, fading is likely to happen more quickly. As the skin tends to flake with dry skin, this can inadvertently exfoliate the pigment off at a quicker rate.
Can You Wear Floral On Your Buzz Cut?
While micropigmentation isn’t technically considered a tattoo — tattoo ink goes much deeper into the skin and is injected with a thicker needle — services like SMP and other permanent makeup do carry
However, the most important thing to be aware of is that no formal training is required to become an SMP artist (the same goes for microblading). It’s for this reason that it really is vital that you do your due diligence when searching for a reliable practitioner.
Before you decide on an SMP practitioner, it’s crucial to do your homework. Make sure to visit the office where the service will be performed.
Things To Know About Scalp Micropigmentation
When it comes to licensing and the general regulation of SMP, it varies by state. For example, in California, the process for practicing tattooing, branding, body piercing, or permanent makeup (SMP is included in this) is licensed and regulated the exact same way. That said, a licensed tattoo artist can often make the shift to SMP with
Cohen explains that tattoo parlors or artists shouldn’t be offering these types of services. “If you see any tattoo parlor or artist offering a similar service, run the other direction, ” she says.
Warns, “Consumers should be aware of the risks involved [with tattoos and permanent makeup] in order to make an informed decision, ” especially as the FDA hasn’t traditionally regulated tattoo inks or the pigments used in them.
Scalp Micropigmentation Regrets And How To Avoid Them
Cohen, who was formally trained specifically in SMP by expert Zang Miah of Zang SMP, says that results can be disastrous if done by an inexperienced practitioner.
If you feel any hesitation toward the practitioner, Cohen warns that this is a sign that the environment isn’t the best fit for you. Simply put, trust your gut.
Next, be sure to ask the artist how many appointments they schedule each day. This kind of service is time-consuming and requires an intense amount of focus. So, if a person is seeing more than four or five clients per day for SMP, that’s typically a red flag. It may indicate the practitioner isn’t giving each client the attention and time they deserve.
Tattoo Aftercare: A Derm's Guide To Tattoo Skin Care
You’ll also want to find out more about the practitioner’s background, such as who trained them, length of their training, and seeing their portfolio (Instagram is often a good way to do this). It may also help to speak with a few of the practitioner’s former clients about their experiences.
Ultimately, it’s essential to remember that SMP is an investment. But if done correctly by a qualified and trained artist, SMP can be a truly confidence-boosting procedure with no downtime.
Grace Gallagher is a writer living in Portland, Oregon. Her words have appeared in Brit + Co, Greatist, The Sunday Edit, and BARE Magazine. All of her work can be found at
Vaccines Could Mean Tattoo For Sru President
Has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical associations. We avoid using tertiary references. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.Scalp micropigmentation for women is a rapidly-growing service. Most of us will not look at a bald man twice if he passes us in the street unless he is “The Rock.” If it was a woman, then it becomes a damn near spectacle. Globally and in the US, hair loss is widely accepted in men, even though women account for 40% of all hair loss victims in the latter. According to Harvard Medical School, about a third of hair loss in women experience hair loss (alopecia) at some point in their lives; for postmenopausal women, as many as two-thirds suffer from thinning hair or bald spots. Almost thirty million in the United States are going through some form of hair loss. Indubitably, hair loss in women has a more considerable impact than in men because it’s not a socially acceptable occurrence. Female hair loss can be detrimental to a woman’s emotional health and subsequent quality of life.
Scalp micropigmentation is a procedure that deploys a stippling pattern tattoo that imitates hair follicles cut close to the scalp. As a relatively novel technique, scalp micropigmentation can substantially address the cosmetic issues that arise from the hair loss conditions mentioned at the outset. The tattoo industry has undergone a cultural augmentation since 2008, which made scalp micropigmentation (SMP) an increasingly socially acceptable hair loss solution for tackling apropos scalp and hair challenges.
If you are going through hair loss at a much faster rate than usual, then alas, my friend, you have your bloodline to growl and shake your fist at, indeed. Your hair filaments have a DNA blueprint, i.e., if your dad (and grandfather, etc.) has suffered from hair loss, the math says that you are likely to go through it.
Instead Of A Scar, I Had A Piece Of Art': Women On Their Post Mastectomy Tattoos
Men that are susceptible to hair possess hair follicles that are predisposed to DHT hypersensitivity, which tends to shrink the hair follicles. Finally, the thinning hair continues, becoming finer until hair growth stops.
As we turn revolutions upon this earth, the rate at which our hair grows becomes slower. It’s practically Einsteinian, remember from the General and Special Relativity class that you never took.
Female hair loss, as in men, arises from androgenetic alopecia, or female (or male) pattern hair loss. Distinctly, hair loss typically starts above the temples in men. The receding hairline finally becomes a distinguishing “M” shape; there is thinning hair on the crown also, eventually progressing into baldness. In women, androgenetic alopecia initiates with slow thinning hair at the part line, pursued by widespread hair loss from the crown. That said, women rarely have receding hairlines, and they hardly go bald.
Tattooing And Mental Health: Exploring The Connection Between Tattoos And Self Expression || Book Ink
Scientifically, clinicians deploy the Ludwig Classification to lend a description to female pattern hair loss. Type I is minimal thinning hair that hairstyling techniques can disguise. Type II causes diminished volume and a noticeable expansion of the mid-line part. Type III causes diffused thinning hair, with a see-through countenance of the crown. Hair loss in women can be because of medical conditions (alopecia areata and alopecia totalis), medications, and physical or emotional stress. Should you notice atypical hair loss of any kind, make sure to consult your primary caregiver or a dermatologist to determine the cause and hair loss treatment. You may also want to ask your physician about a therapist or women support group to address any emotional challenges. While hair loss in women is frustrating, neoteric years have seen an increase in resources for dealing with the difficulties.
One such resource is scalp micropigmentation (SMP) or tattooing hair. Americans are always on the constant lookout for treatments like SMP for alopecia.
Scalp micropigmentation treatment uses microneedles
Derek Ramsay Gets Hyper Realistic Scalp Tattoo
