Fact: In the United States, about 35 million men are suffering from some sort of hair loss and/or baldness. The loss of hair can make any man feel less confident and even embarrassed. Many men feel ashamed about their hair loss, and may even wonder if it’s worth having their remaining hair at all.
Hair loss usually affects men by the time they turn 50, but it can start much sooner. The balding tends to start while they’re in their late twenties or late thirties. Scott McGraw spoke to the Daily Mail about his experience with early balding.
“From around 19 or 20, I became very aware of the bald patches developing around my crown and the back of my head,” McGraw said. “I hated people standing behind me. They probably didn’t notice or even care, but I still felt very self-conscious. I’ve always been confident, but as the hair loss got worse, it did start having an impact on me.”
McGraw said he used to use hair fibers on his head, but he wanted something that would be a bit more permanent. To get the look he desired, as well as the longevity, he turned to scalp tattoos.
Many men across the world who suffer from hair loss have turned to scalp tattoos. That may sound intimidating, but it can actually help a man regain their self confidence. Scalp tattoos, also known as scalp micropigmentation, is the process in which the hair-colored pigment is tattooed directly into the dermal layer of the skin. And since it is a tattoo, it is permanent.
Scalp micropigmentation, or SMP, is done to mimic the appearance of stubble and recently shaven hair (if done properly). However, it is a highly complex process that is performed with much thinner needles than the ones you would find in a tattoo parlor.
Normal hair has texture, but since SMP is just a tattoo, it isn’t going to recreate the look of a full head of hair. It is done to give the illusion of extremely short-cut hair, which can help cover up bald patches and areas of hair loss. The non-surgical procedure can not only cover up missing hair patches, but it can also hide any scars one may have on their head.
The process takes between two to five hours, depending on how much needs to be done. Most people have the entire process completed over two or three sessions. And while some men may fear that the process will stop hair from ever growing, that isn’t actually the case. Hair can still grow once you’ve had the SMP procedure performed.
Of course, unfortunately for most men interested in scalp tattoos, having their hair grow back just isn’t on the table.