Scalp Micropigmentation (SMP) VS Hair Plugs and Implants

Aging is a fact of all life that is unavoidable. As we age, we also gain and lose some very key things.? Age isn?t all bad, it brings about knowledge, experience, and the memories that come with the days that pass by surrounded by loved ones.? Unfortunately, age also takes as much as it gives. As we reach the middle of our lives, we find ourselves trying to hold on to our youth in any way we possibly can.? For most males and many females, hair loss is one of the major mid-life concerns. 70% of men in America suffer from androgenic alopecia (male pattern baldness) which leaves their self-confidence crippled and their head covered with a hat any time they are in public.? Females who have significant hair loss have it worse. Not able to conform to the standards of the female image in our society, they have to hide behind bandanas and wigs. Thankfully, new technological advancements give us a fighting chance against hair loss. The two newest advances in medicine and cosmetics to combat hair loss are hair transplants (hair plugs) and Scalp Micropigmentation (SMP) and you have to make an informed decision about which one is going to work for your needs.

Hair Plugs and Implants (Hair Transplant Surgery)

We always have to keep in mind that there is no substitute for real hair that you can grow, comb, and style to your liking.? Hair transplant surgery is an amazing procedure that can give you the fuller look that one is trying to achieve. Having said that, there are some major setbacks that you have to look at before proceeding with transplants. Let’s cover some of the important issues.

Pricing

The thing that keeps most from moving forward with hair transplant surgery is the price.? With doctors charging between $4-$6 per hair that gets implanted and the average necessity of 3000 hairs, you can easily see why the price is beyond the reach of most.

Downtime

Downtime is another major issue with transplant surgery.? The possibility of infection is real as your head begins to heal and accept the new follicles.? This keeps you from social gatherings and work for weeks before you can resume your normal life.?

Area of coverage necessary

There are two forms of harvesting done to get the hair from the back of your head for implantation on the top, FUE and FUT methods. The FUT method is the barbaric method of removing a strip of skin from the back of the head to harvest your hair. ? This method also leaves that well-known scar on the back of transplant patients heads where the hair was harvested. The FUE method is the newer and less invasive method of harvesting hairs with a circular small tool that digs out follicles individually? (much like a biopsy tool). The FUE method does not leave a noticeable scar on the back of your head and is preferred by most doctors these days. Now that we have the methods out of the way, I want to open your mind to a very important matter, area of coverage necessary.

The area of coverage necessary is the most important aspect of whether or not you should move forward with hair transplants. We have something called the Norwood scale, which is a scientifically accepted scale from 1-7 which categorizes the level of balding you are experiencing.

When you look at the image above, any level after Norwood 4 is not viable for transplant surgery because there isn?t enough hair on the back of the head that can be harvested to give you enough coverage on top.? This is the number one reason why post hair transplant clients end up on my chair!??

In conclusion, if you have the money, can spare the downtime, and fall into the Norwood 2-4 categories in the image above, you are very likely a great candidate for hair transplant surgery.

Scalp Micropigmentation

Aa a permanent and non-surgical solution for hair loss, scalp micropigmentation uses pigment to simulate follicles.? Scalp micropigmentation artists can meticulously restore any area of balding with density. The results are a thicker, more youthful-looking head of hair.? So how do you choose between SMP and hair plugs? Let’s look at a few facts about SMP

Pricing

Scalp micropigmentation is a fraction of the cost of hair transplant surgery.? The average cost of SMP vs transplant is less than 1/5th!

Downtime

There virtually is no downtime with SMP.? Most artists ask that you do not put water on the head for 24 hours and do not put any product on it for 3 days while following common-sense guidelines like no pool, gym, sauna, sweating, etc. as your head heals over 3-4 days.?

Area of coverage

The area of coverage does not affect treatment viability whatsoever. SMP treats full alopecia Universalis sufferers that do not have a single hair on their head.

We hope that this article has been useful in your quest to regain your hairline and your confidence.

Scalp King Scalp Micropigmentation (SMP) is a full-service hair restoration clinic serving the Las Vegas and Henderson areas.