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  1. #1
    Junior Member Thunder's Avatar
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    Default My SMP Journey - 1st Session Yesterday - HeadstrongNY w/Matt Iullo

    Hey there everyone! I am a 36 year old male Norwood 6/7 who just had his first SMP treatment yesterday in NYC at a small clinic. I thought I would share my story and journey for those who are contemplating getting this procedure.

    I started to research Scalp Micropigmentation about a year ago, as I have been wet shaving my head for almost a decade. Now when I began balding, I was not going to be one of "those guys" who was going to have a horse shoe with hair, I let go and out came the Mach 3 razor! Well, all was well and good, except no matter how close I shaved, I always had a shadow of the god awful horseshoe.

    Over the years, I contemplated hair transplants; even going on consultations for FUE vs. Strip but was told I needed to bald more ? Really I needed to bald more ? That coupled with the price, scarring, and not so predictable results took that option off the table. So, I stumbled upon SMP, and began reading forums, watching videos, blogs, pictures, etc.

    Being a natural cynic, I wasn't really convinced, although I have to admit the pictures I saw looked damn good. But who was to say that they were not photo shopped ? So, I took a proactive approach and decided to meet up with people that actually had this done, so I can see the product in person. I must say, even as a cynic with a keen eye on what to look for, I could not tell that anything other then a shaved head was done. It looked completely natural to me.

    This really lit a fire under my rear, as the people I met all had one thing in common, they all had their transformations performed by the same person. Who was this person? And how could I get ahold of him ? Every positive SMP story I have read on the popular forums all had one common denominator, this one specialist. I had a consultation booked for a big company in New York, but I couldn't find out who was doing my consultation.

    As luck would have it, it turns out the person I was looking for left the company I was scheduled to consult with and opened up his own SMP clinic. I got to meet him in person, as well as the owner, and actually witnessed a treatment in progress. What actually made me book my first session was that I have read multiple times that people get their sessions done each time by someone different, to me that was a deal breaker. If someone was working on my head for three sessions, then I want them to be the one from start to finish.

    My head was a bit red yesterday, I am very pleased with the result. Today the redness has subsided and I cannot stop looking in the mirror. What really made me feel better was that the owner called me to see how I was doing and feeling. That I didn't expect but hey who doesn't like good customer service.

    My next session is booked for next Thursday, session # 2. I am both excited and nervous. I know I am in good hands, but I cannot wait to conquer the world with my new look and never turn back.

    I am attaching pictures, some before, some directly after, some in different lighting, redness has gone down, some were yesterday, some were today, I cannot shave my head for 4 days, so the growth you see does not match the top, the growth was necessary to establish the proper pigment color used.
    Attached Images

  2. #2
    Junior Member Thunder's Avatar
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    Default 1st Session Day 3

    Day 3 from 1st SMP session. Redness has subsided. Here are some pictures I took. A few outside. Some inside. Lighting is different. My opinion is that it looks better in person.

    Went out without a hat today. One of the hardest things I have had to do. I went to a restaurant that has a bar to have a late lunch, the female bartender there has never seen me without a hat. From her reaction and statements, she said and I quote "I never saw you without a hat, I didn't know you shave your head".

    So, I told her what I did, I have no direct relationship with her. She has never heard of SMP. The fact that I went undetected so early really boosted my confidence. But, I am a work in progress.
    Attached Images

  3. #3
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    Smp rocks! I had this done three years ago by Matt who at the time was with HiS.

    Three years down the road and SMP is awesome and nobody every thinks it's anything other than me making the decision to have this clean crisp look.

    Glad to hear your so pleased after the first treatment. My suggestion is that one of the keys to making smp (which used to be called mHT...) so successful is the two or three step process which allows an evolution of the hair line to fully match the shape of each individuals head and facial features.

    I think that's the artistic superiority that is most important to success.

    Of course technical superiority and development is a foundation as well.

    This is not replacement for all the fine doctors who do hair transplants. This is a paradym of creating a solution for male pattern baldness that foregoes a hair transplant.

    Each individual needs to decide what look they would prefer.

    I'm not a fancy guy or a model...I'm just a regular guy who did choose the clean crisp easy to care for SMP.

    It's just good to know we who suffered from male pattern baldness have a variety of options.

    JB

  4. #4
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    Default

    I don't want to hurt your feelings but I think this looks unrealistic. I'm really starting to think SMP might almost never be a viable solution for hair loss, just like hair pieces.

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by fred970 View Post
    I don't want to hurt your feelings but I think this looks unrealistic. I'm really starting to think SMP might almost never be a viable solution for hair loss, just like hair pieces.
    You are totally wrong and in person I'd bet you'd never say that.

    I have smp for three years running and no one can tell it's not just me shaving my hair down.

    If your in the NY NJ conn region I'll meet anyone to prove my statement.

    Just because this smp is a real option to those who prefer not to have surgery....which is a great option too.....

    Try to be open minded that we are on the interweb and this gentleman has only had the first of two or three sessions.

    Making a comment in stage one is kind of off the mark until it's finished. I happen to think stage one looks dam good here.

    From a guy who had smp and knows...it takes more than one session....

  6. #6
    Junior Member Thunder's Avatar
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    Hey Fred, I am not offended, everyone is entitled to their opinion. That is what is great about typing on the internet. Prior to having this done, I actually met up with people who had the procedure, and as a natural cynic by nature, it looks very realistic. I couple that with the feedback that I have been getting after my first treatment for those that have seen me in person.

    I don't know why the Hair Transplant community cannot grasp the concept or at least be open minded about this. It is way less invasive then Hair Transplantation; FUE, Strip Surgery, and the other things Doctor's promise you like taking your chest hair and implanting it on your head ? I have yet to see a successful Hair Transplant Surgery that yielded a full head of hair, or a non-diffuse hairline.

    SMP fits my life style since I already shave my head, am not a candidate for a transplant (wouldn't have one if I was) and the a good majority of people who have this procedure are people who have had multiple failed surgeries, transplants, and are left with unsightly scars that are covered up by Scalp Micropigmentation. That is a fact. The zipper, the smiley face, and the big white scars in the back that FUE produces all are not pleasant to look at in my opinion.

    I am confident that when my sessions are over, the end result will be flawless. I say this with confidence because in person, I have already have taken the hat off and gotten non bias opinions. Pictures, lighting, cannot tell the whole story sometimes. Being proactive and seeing it in person on the other hand is.

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by fred970 View Post
    I don't want to hurt your feelings but I think this looks unrealistic.
    it looks totally realistic.. compare his head to what a real shaven head looks like:
    https://www.baldtruthtalk.com/showth...ht=#post198656

    there's no difference.

  8. #8
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    you need to keep your hair shaved down more on the sides though..

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by JonB. View Post
    Smp rocks! I had this done three years ago by Matt who at the time was with HiS.

    Three years down the road and SMP is awesome and nobody every thinks it's anything other than me making the decision to have this clean crisp look.

    Glad to hear your so pleased after the first treatment. My suggestion is that one of the keys to making smp (which used to be called mHT...) so successful is the two or three step process which allows an evolution of the hair line to fully match the shape of each individuals head and facial features.

    I think that's the artistic superiority that is most important to success.

    Of course technical superiority and development is a foundation as well.

    This is not replacement for all the fine doctors who do hair transplants. This is a paradym of creating a solution for male pattern baldness that foregoes a hair transplant.

    Each individual needs to decide what look they would prefer.

    I'm not a fancy guy or a model...I'm just a regular guy who did choose the clean crisp easy to care for SMP.

    It's just good to know we who suffered from male pattern baldness have a variety of options.

    JB
    Hey JB I just had a procedure with Matt last Monday. I started with him at HIS and followed him to HeadstrongNY. I have actually run through all the options and finally just decided to shave my head. It certainly is a process and artistry is key!

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