Scalp micropigmentation is a recently introduced solution to hair loss. It involves the use of special pigment deposited under the scalp skin using micro-needles similar to tattoo needles.
Once the pigment settles and the scalp heals, it leaves what appears like hair follicles which create the illusion of growing hair.
The procedure has been popularized by a growing number of male celebrities, many of who now wear their hair short, with the characteristic short buzz cut.
Does it mean that you absolutely have to keep your hair completely short after scalp micropigmentation? Can men grow their hair out after the treatment?
There is no clear-cut answer to this common question. It depends on your type and stage of hair loss. Read on for a detailed explanation of when you can or can’t grow your hair out with scalp micropigmentation.
When you CAN grow your Hair out after Scalp Micropigmentation
You can maintain longer hair after scalp micropigmentation if your hair loss situation comes close to one of these.
Hair thinning on the sides only
If your hair is thinning on the sides and nowhere else, then you probably have a well-defined hairline and a good volume of healthy hair on the top of your head.
In this case, you don’t have to shave your entire head, just the sides. Men with this kind of hair loss can choose to have scalp micropigmentation to fill in the thinning sides to create an illusion of denser hair there and leave the top long. With this, you can then choose one of many ‘short sides long top’ haircut designs that are actually quite trendy.
Hair thinning on the top
You can keep your hair long if you have a well-defined hairline and only a small area of thinning on the top of your head. Scalp micropigmentation effectively conceals the thinning area to create the illusion of thicker hair.
As long as your SMP technician blends pigments perfectly to match the rest of your hair, it ends up looking like a full head of dense hair.
When you CAN’T grow out your hair after scalp micropigmentation
Scalp micropigmentation was originally designed to deal with baldness. That is what it is best known for and the main instance in which you cannot grow out your hair.
Baldness
If you are considering scalp micropigmentation to treat male pattern baldness, you likely have a receding hairline. Whether you are in the early stages of hair loss where recession is barely noticeable, or advanced stages where there is only a band of hair growing around the sides, all hair must be shaved short and maintained as such after SMP.
If hair around the sides of the head is allowed to grow out, it would create an unnatural look which makes it obvious that the pigment is not actual hair.
Undefined hairline
Even if you have thick hair in all other parts of your head, an undefined hairline means you have to shave it all after scalp micropigmentation. Pigments serve well to create a clear and well-defined hairline. Any hair allowed to overgrow creates an obvious distinction between areas with actual hair and those only covered with pigment.
Bald spots
Yes, scalp micropigmentation is most commonly associated with male pattern baldness. However, it can also be used to treat another type of hair loss known as alopecia areata.
This is an autoimmune disease in which the immune system mistakenly attacks hair follicles causing attached hair to fall out. It typically causes small bald spots about the size of a quarter.
Although most people who suffer from alopecia areata experience full recovery and regrowth of hair, some don’t. The bald patches persist, therefore requiring intervention such as scalp micropigmentation.
Once it is done, all other hair must be shaved short and maintained as such to preserve the blended, uniform look.
Conclusion
So can men with scalp micropigmentation grow out their hair? The answer lies in the type of hair loss it is used to treat. When SMP is used to treat hair thinning or hair loss only on the sides of the head, then the hair can be allowed to grow out.
If it is used to treat baldness or on a man without a well-defined hairline, the rest of the hair must be kept short.
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