How long does scalp micropigmentation last?

Some reasons such as skin type, aftercare, precare, the superficiality of pigments (depth of the pigments), weather conditions (sun UV), type and quality of the SMP ink, physical condition and Specific individual diseases are the factors that affect the longevity of the treatment.

 

In general, skin types divide into four categories. Dry skin, oily skin, normal skin, and combination skin.

Dry Skin:

Dry skin is a type of skin that is usually dry and not shiny, and due to this dryness, cracks, grooves, and wrinkles appear on the skin. Also, the skin pores are closed and there is a possibility of redness and irritation on the skin. In general, this kind of skin has lower ink intake because of this stretching and flakiness

Oily skin:

Oily skin is usually shiny, and soft and has open pores with fewer cracks and grooves on it. Moreover, due to thicker skin, there are fewer visible wrinkles on it.  However, oily skin is more prone to pimples than other skin types. In addition, oily skin tends to ward off the pigments more than other types of skin and might need more touch-ups.

Normal skin:

Normal skin is not too oily and dry with a normal amount of fat in it. The skin colour is usually clear, skin pores are normal, and it does not have flakiness, acne, and irritation, and as a result, it will keep the pigments in the best way. Obviously, this type of skin is the best type for the maintenance and durability of pigments.

Combination skin:

This type of skin has both dry skin and oily skin together. This means that the skin is oily in some parts of the body, such as the forehead and chin and the skin is dry in other parts, such as the cheeks, around the eyes or temples. As a result, the lifetime of the pigments in this skin type is moderate.

Post-care includes; immediately after the treatment until one month (short-term care) and after one month up to 3 to 5 years (long-term care)

Short-term post-care that is effective in maintaining the pigments for a longer period of time summarizes as:

• Not touching the dots
• Not scratching the scalp
• Avoiding long-term sun exposure
• Using sunscreen
• Washing the head gently
• Avoiding swimming, sauna or sunbathing for a month
• Not shaving for 10 days

One of the most important things about post-care is avoiding shaving the head with a razor immediately after the scalp micropigmentation because it takes the scabs off and takes the implanted pigments off as a consequence.

There is long-term aftercare for the retention and durability of pigments, such as being away from direct contact with sunlight and UV rays for a long time. To further explain this important factor, it can be pointed out that there are two scenarios if your working conditions are such that you are exposed to the sun for long hours.

If you have thin hair and you have done SMP to increase the density (no baldness on the scalp) your hair can protect the pigments against the sun. However, it is better to use a hat or cap to be on the safe side.

But if you have done a FULL-SMP or Sport-SMP (baldness on the head), you can protect it easily by applying sunscreen to minimize sunlight and UV beams.

Note that you should always renew the sunscreen every two hours when using sunscreen, whether for the face, body, or head.

Moreover, the durability of the SMP depends on the amount and direction of sunlight in your town. I will clarify it with an example. In Vancouver, where the sunlight is relatively low, you will be less directly affected by the sun and as a result, clients do not need the annual touch-up. They may come back for their touch-up after a y1.5 or 2 years.

While in a city like Saskatoon, »and of the living skies, which is sunny most of the year, the average touch-up period would be shorter than Vancouver. In addition, avoiding sunbathing, solarium, or using acid-based lotions on a regular basis can also affect the lifetime of pigments.

3- Impact of SMP Precare on its durability:

Some precare plays an effective and direct role in the outcome and durability of hair tattoos. Taking drugs like aspirin and hormonal drugs such as thyroid pills that dilute the blood, or consuming alcoholic beverages that dilute and increase blood flow, blood pressure and metabolism of the body can have a negative effect on the intake and durability of the pigments.

Besides the aforementioned factors, caffeinated and herbal drinks are also part of this category that can increase the secretion of plasma during the treatment and consequently, the pigments will come out with that plasma.

Another point to consider is to refrain from taking hair growth stimulants such as minoxidil for a week before and up to ten days after SMP.

It should be noted that medications such as Oratane, thyroid, Roaccutane or Accutane and Decutane should also be avoided before the treatment (with the physician's permission). Other medications that should be discontinued before treatment include taking vitamin E three weeks ago and iron tablets two weeks earlier as they thin the bloodstream and result in oozing.

4- Superficial implantation of the pigments (incorrect implanting depth of pigments):

One of the most important and obvious factors that play a significant role in the long-term durability of pigments implanted in the scalp is the implantation of pigments at a suitable depth of the skin (in fact,  in the dermis layer of the scalp). That means if the pigment depth is more superficial and above the dermis layer, the fading of the pigments will happen much faster than usual, and as a result, the long-term durability of the pigments will be directly affected. As you know better, the best decision is to choose an experienced and specialized scalp artist in this field.

5- Climatic conditions (light), (UV):

As mentioned before, the weather and light conditions of the area where you live can also play an effective role in the durability of pigments. Areas that have a much warmer climate during most seasons and are constantly sunny can be effective in fading the pigments and reducing their longevity.

Actually, exposure for a long time to direct sunlight causes the UV rays to act as a laser and gradually fade the pigments (in this case it is better to cover the scalp from the intense sun to prevent the skin from peeling).

In addition, in the sultry and humid weather conditions, the body sweats more than usual and as a result, the SMP will last less.

6- Type and quality of the SMP ink:

All the SMP inks are water-based and not oil-based or a combination of those. The water-based inks are long-lasting and properly stabilized. On the other hand, other inks that are used for face or body tattoos will show negative and very bad results on the scalp. There are many famous brands of SMP inks that could be found by a simple search on google.

7) Physical conditions and certain diseases:

Another factor in the long-term durability of pigments is autoimmune diseases and specific physical conditions of individuals which directly affect the long-term durability of pigments. In some cases, the clientele needs to get touch-ups every six months. For example, diseases such as vitiligo and alopecia areata are autoimmune diseases that cause the pigments to fade sooner than normal.

Of course, there are other physical conditions and diseases that will be discussed more in the future.