Shaven Head Effect SMP

There are two types of pigment used to perform SMP, one which is shorter term and one which is longer lasting. The pigment for both remains in the skin indefinitely but the colour fades and changes over time.

Shorter term pigments last an average of 9-12 months before it needs a colour refresh or ‘top-up’ and will become increasingly less visible over a period of time. Longer lasting pigments require a ‘top-up’ on average every 2-5 years. The reason for the varying time is down to differing skin types (oily/dry) and how these respond to environmental and individual factors such as exposure to UV and/or sun damage, age, products used upon the area and your general health.

We value our clients and are always happy to keep in touch to review your treatment once it is complete and offer top-up treatments as and when required. We will work with you to ensure your treatment plan is the right one for you and your treatment always looks its best.  

When the pigment is implanted correctly, with the correct colour tone used and aftercare followed, the risk of dis-colouration is minimal. As with all pigment implanted into the skin it is subject to external factors which will affect the pigment over time.

The ‘blue’ tone typically associated with SMP is thankfully seen less and less, thanks to the evolution of materials used and also to enhanced educational and implantation protocols. We will ensure we work with you to determine the correct colour for you to achieve the most natural result possible. 

Whether it is recommended to shave your hair or not will depend on the type of treatment you are looking for and what we can achieve with your existing hair. For example, if you are looking for density boosting treatments and have sufficient hair to ‘add’ density to then no you do not need to shave your hair. If you are looking to lower, re-define or augment a hair line then the hair must be worn shaven for a natural result.

If we can work with the hair you have at your desired length then we will do so, if however, we feel that the only way to achieve a natural result is for the hair to be worn at shaved length then we will advise this at the consultation stage and discuss all options with you. 

In order for us to assess the treatment area and potential outcome we always conduct a consultation, either in-person or virtually with one of our friendly technicians, before booking your first session in. We will cover everything you need to know at this stage but there are a few important pieces of advice it is worth knowing.

As we are breaking the skin to implant our pigment, we want to give it the best possible chance to ‘retain’ and heal as anticipated therefore the skin being in treatment worthy condition is very important. It is advisable to gently exfoliate and moisturise the scalp in the weeks prior to treatment and continue to keep it nourished and moisturised until the day of treatment. Any exfoliation should stop at least seven days before SMP.

We advise patients to avoid drinking alcohol the day before and the day of treatment, firstly it thins the blood and can affect our ability to get a consistent result and secondly as we legally cannot treat anyone, we feel may have consumed alcohol on the day.

We will discuss your colouring, cutting and styling with you during your consultation and advise timings and recommendations for this with you. It is worth noting that any skin conditions must be treated and stable before any SMP can be undertaken, if you have any concerns regarding this, we will be happy to discuss during consultation. 

Wash your hair and scalp on the day of your treatment and ensure any products are rinsed clean.

Ensure the area is dry and you leave plenty of time to get to your appointment.

Avoid large amounts of caffeine prior to the appointment.

An initial treatment plan is an average of three sessions, each spaced between 2 and 4 weeks apart, depending on the pigment used, and the results achieved after each session. Each session will take approx. 2-4 hours depending on the area to be treated, which will be ascertained during consultation. Once the desired effect is accomplished, we will advise you on your future treatment plan for colour boost top-ups.