Primary Care and Clinical Dermatology 2019: Scalp Micropigmentation as an Alternative to Hair Transplant Surgery – Seepika Jaiswal, MD Dermatologist
January 2019
in “
Clinical pediatric dermatology
”
TLDR Scalp micropigmentation is a non-surgical alternative to hair transplants that mimics hair follicles and requires no downtime.
Scalp micropigmentation (SMP) was presented as a non-surgical alternative to hair transplant surgery, providing the appearance of a freshly shaved head or camouflaging a thinning scalp. SMP, a detailed clinical tattoo process, required customization for each patient and could take up to 20 hours over multiple sessions. It was noted that SMP and follicular unit extraction (FUE) complemented each other in treating male pattern baldness, with FUE accounting for 52.6% of hair transplant procedures in 2016. SMP involved using smaller needles and specialized pigments to mimic hair follicles. The procedure was typically completed in two non-sequential sessions, with no downtime required, making it a viable option for those seeking cosmetic improvement without surgery.