Did you know that as men age, 70% of them will lose their hair to some degree? Some women may also experience some level of hair loss in their lifetime. Whether you’re a man or a woman, hair loss and balding can be an unfortunate byproduct of age, but fortunately, there are a few things you can do to fight against it.
Hair transplants and scalp micropigmentation are both viable options to make your hair appear thicker. However, how should you choose between a hair transplant vs. scalp micropigmentation? Keep reading and learn more about the differences below.
What Is a Hair Transplant?
If you’re asking yourself, “What is a hair transplant exactly?” the answer is simple: it is the process of moving hair from one part of your head to fill in the bald spots on another part of your head. While this is considered somewhat of an invasive procedure, in this hair transplant guide, you will find that it is relatively painless and can be done in your doctor’s office.
One of the most popular options for hair transplant surgery is follicular unit strip surgery or FUSS. In this procedure, your doctor will need to remove a strip of skin from the back of your head. This strip of skin can range from 6 inches to 10 inches in length, depending on how much hair you need to have moved to a different area.
But what about the area you removed the hair from in the first place? Won’t you have a big scar or bald spot in that area? In reality, your doctor will be able to sew together this area so there will be no bald spot and the scar will be covered by the surrounding hair.
After this is done, your doctor will cut up the strip of hair into very small grafts. Sometimes, your doctor will need as many as 2,000 hair grafts. In other cases, only 500 may be necessary.
Then, it’s time to transplant the hair. Your doctor will cut small holes into the balding portion of your scalp before putting the hair grafts into these holes. In essence, it is very similar to popping a plant into the ground and allowing it to grow. Because the process is so delicate and details, it can take as long as 8 hours to complete.
You may or may not need another procedure later on.
What Is Scalp Micropigmentation?
Scalp micropigmentation is not able to provide you with real hair. For that reason, it is much cheaper, but it is also limited in what it can do for your hair. But don’t let that stop you.
You might be surprised at how good scalp micropigmentation, or SMP, can look. SMP is great for those who have thinning hair or are already bald. Scalp micropigmentation for women is as beneficial as it is for men.
If you notice that you can see your scalp due to the thinning of your hair, micropigmentation can help without any issue. SMP involves the use of a machine that creates little dots of pigment on your skin. These dots are designed to mimic hair follicles.
The pigment can match just about any hair color and hair fineness. By using SMP to color in some spots on your scalp that are thinning, you will immediately be able to see a difference. Instead of being able to see your scalp, your scalp will match the color of the surrounding hair.
The result is that your hair will look much thicker than it really is. But what if you are bald? What kind of results can you achieve?
Because you won’t have hair to blend in with the micropigmentation, your options will be more limited. But they can still look good. When you are bald and get scalp micropigmentation, you will be able to achieve the look of having a sleek buzzcut. If you don’t like having a smooth, bald head, this can be the best option, especially if you don’t have the funds for other, more expensive options.
Keep in mind that SMP is painless as well and involves no downtime. This is ideal if you have a busy schedule.
Hair Transplant vs. Scalp Micropigmentation
It all depends on what kind of result you want when it comes to picking one hair procedure over another. It also depends on how much hair you have left on your head. For example, a hair transplant requires that you have more hair on your head to use and move to another area on your head.
This won’t work if most of your hair is gone already or very thin. On the other hand, it can work very well if your hair, in general, is very thick except for a few thinner patches. Scalp micropigmentation is another ballgame and can be more versatile.
You can opt for scalp micropigmentation whether your hair is only thinning or whether you’re bald. Scalp micropigmentation can make your hair look much thicker by coloring your scalp. This is not to mention that doing this will save you a lot of money compared to a hair transplant.
If you are bald, you can still try SMP. While it won’t be able to make it look like you have a full head of hair again, it can make it look like you have a refined buzzcut.
Choosing the Best Procedure for You
When it comes to a hair transplant vs. scalp micropigmentation, you will need to consider what results you want and what your budget can afford. Whatever you choose, both methods can provide very promising results.
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