Scalp Micropigmentation

Scalp micropigmentation, usually shortened to SMP, is tattooing tiny dots into the scalp to mimic the appearance of closely shaved hair follicles.

Where you'll meet it

Increasingly offered alongside transplants, and still often left out of consultations by surgeons who only do surgery.

What it does

It reduces the contrast between hair and scalp, which is what makes thinning visible. On a thinning crown it can create the impression of density without a single graft. On a shaved head it creates the look of a close buzz cut.

It also camouflages scarring, including an FUT donor line and an over-harvested FUE donor area, which is one of its most useful applications.

Its limits

It is pigment, not hair. It has no texture and no length, so it works best on short hair or as a background behind real hair. It fades over several years and needs topping up, and the colour can shift if the pigment or the artist is poor.

Why it is underrated

No donor hair is spent, the cost is a fraction of surgery, and it is reversible over time by simply not topping it up. For many people out of donor supply, it plus medication is the whole answer.

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