Scalp Micropigmentation vs Hair Transplant

Have you ever marvelled at Bollywood superstar Ranveer Singh’s hairstyle from Bajirao Mastani? Or going down the memory lane, Shahid Kapoor’s look from the critically acclaimed film Haider? Then you are looking at a buzz cut look! It is a trend among people who love to sport a clean shaved look and yet be different from others. Hair fall, pattern baldness, or hair thinning are a few reasons that can come in between achieving your dream buzz cut look and you. In the search for a permanent remedy, you will come across two procedures – scalp micropigmentation and hair transplant surgery. Which one should you go for, is the question you must have an answer to.

What is scalp micropigmentation?

SMP is a hair tattooing procedure where tiny dots of pigments are placed within the follicles of hair. This gives the illusion of a fuller-looking hair, or, in case you are bald, a neatly shaven head. The best part of SMP as a procedure is that it is non-surgical and there is no anaesthetic required for it. The surgeons apply a topical numbing cream to the area where the dots are going to be placed so that the patient doesn’t even feel the slight tinge of pain. The pigments used in SMP does not contain metals, ensuring there are no side effects and extremely natural results.

What is a hair transplant?

As a moderately invasive procedure, a hair transplant surgery takes follicles from one part of the scalp and implants them to the balding area. Two ways through which such surgery is carried on are:

Follicular Unit Transplantation or, FUT – In this method, a strip is removed right from the back of the head. Following which it is slivered and the follicular grafts are removed, only to be inserted in the balding area by making small incisions.
Follicular Unit Extraction or, FUE – In this method, individual follicles are straight away extracted from the scalp with a low torque device and then inserted to the balding areas.

Which is better – SMP or Hair Transplant?

Now since you are aware of the basics, let’s compare both these procedures based on a few scales.

Duration: Both FUE and FUT procedures almost take an entire day of surgery. Not only that, back to back sessions over a long period, along with a minimum of nine months, is required to derive optimum results. The best scalp micropigmentation in India, on the other hand, takes only a few seatings of two to three hours each for optimum results.
Pain: When you are undergoing a transplant, you are kept under the effect of local anaesthesia. This ensures that you feel no pain during the treatment. Upon waking up, however, some patients feel pain, but painkillers prescribed by the surgeon would mellow it down. The pain associated with SMP, on the other hand, depends on the pain endurance capacity of the patient.
Effectiveness: Transplant surgery is a solution where hair follicles are embedded in the scalp. Over the years, they end up growing naturally like normal hair. Yes, the procedure is very time taking, but it surely is permanent. In SMP, nevertheless, the dots are inserted to the upper dermis of the skin. This ensures immediate but temporary results.

One of the principal differences between both these treatment options is the eligibility criteria. For transplant surgery, the doctor would perform several tests to find out if the patient is eligible or not. In case one is not, he or she can easily opt for SMP instead. Given the fact that SMP is more affordable and accessible, it is a more preferred procedure.

Having said so, if you want to go for SMP, always choose ABHRS (American Board of Hair Restoration Surgery) certified doctors for the treatment.

Conclusion: In case you are looking for the best doctors who perform scalp micropigmentation in India, you might want to consider Dr. Satya and Dr. Preeti Saraswat. Both of them are well-renowned in their field of work, making them the best surgeons available. Should you want to book an appointment with them, or know more about SMP, get in touch with by dialling +91-914-911-2892.

Also Read: Is Scalp Micropigmentation a Safe Procedure to Perform?