Are you a middle-aged person who is considering doing something about your thinning hair, hairline recession, pattern baldness, or alopecia; but are still not sure if scalp micropigmentation would work for you? While scalp micropigmentation is often hailed as one of the most effective hair loss solutions today, many worry about the fact of its effectiveness on salt and pepper hair.
Wondering if scalp micropigmentation will work on gray hair, is a totally valid concern. Can you imagine someone wishing to fix one issue, in this case, presumably a hair loss problem, and at the end, you end up with something that looks unflattering and not natural at all; what a nightmare.
Scalp micropigmentation is a 100% effective solution for hair loss and even hair transplant scarring. The result creates the appearance of tiny hair follicles that help thicken and restore the look of fuller hair. If you have gray hair and wish to know if this would be an option for you, continue reading and find out about SMP and salt and pepper hair.
Salt and Pepper Hair FAQs
What is salt and pepper hair?
It refers to the color of a mix together blend of a person’s natural hair color and gray.
Is salt and pepper hair aging?
Grey shades can be stereotyped as aging, but a clean-looking grey is stunning, experts say. It’s the salt-and-pepper shades that have more of an aging effect, you can visit your hairdresser to go for a more light-reflecting, flattering grey.
Is salt and pepper hair attractive?
For men, salt and pepper locks are widely considered attractive, swooned over, even. Hollywood stars like George Clooney, are a huge reference of how men should carry the look. Men are often described as ‘distinguished and sexy’ when turning gray.
Does scalp micropigmentation work with gray hair?
Scalp micropigmentation (SMP) is often hailed as one of the most effective hairs loss solutions today. It delivers realistic results, is compatible with both men and women, and can work with a variety of hair types and colors. One of the main concerns with scalp micropigmentation is its compatibility with grey hair. The beauty of scalp micropigmentation is that no matter your hair color, you can always achieve a seamless and natural-looking result.
Can you do micropigmentation on gray hair?
The answer is affirmative. Scalp Micropigmentation uses black pigment to create the illusion of hair stubble. It can blend lighter tones into existing gray hair or even strengthen the grays by adding a few medium tones to it. If you have gray or white hair, the pigment is diluted with distilled water to match your hair tone.
What to know about SMP and gray hair?
- Your SMP practitioner starts by diluting a special carbon-based pigment that is mixed with distilled water to achieve the desired color.
- Depending on how grey the client’s hair is, the practitioner will add more or less water to perfectly match the pigment’s tone and shade.
- This is done with exact precision by using a syringe to measure distilled water when adding it to the pigment.
What happens to SMP when you go grey?
The beauty of the scalp pigmentation treatment is that it will lighten over time.
If you start to turn grey after your treatment, it will not have any impact on how you look. This is simply because of the hair length you should maintain after having SMP. When SMP pigment starts to fade, after 3-6 years, experts say that it will also blend in naturally with grey hair.
After your final session, you won’t need a touch-up for 4-6 years. If you start to go gray/white or lighten over that time period, when you come back for a touch-up, a lighter tone to match your new hair color can be applied. Alternatively, the natural lightening of the SMP treatment will grow to be more age-appropriate and you may decide not to come in for a touch-up at all.
Simple tips to make your SMP treatment look its best:
- Avoid direct sun exposure on your scalp as this breaks down the pigments and makes them look blotchy.
- Make sure you use a water-based moisturizer on your scalp every day to prevent the pigments from flaking off and avoid premature fading.
Will the pigment that is used in your SMP treatment age?
Many patients who’ve undergone scalp micropigmentation are anxious to see their treatment once their hair turns grey. Just like tattoo ink, the pigments used in scalp micropigmentation will fade over time, albeit at a much slower rate. The pigment will appear lighter compared to when you first had SMP treatment, thus blending in more accurately with grey hair.
Scalp Micropigmentation and Gray Hair: What to know about Salt and Pepper Hair
- Most scalp micropigmentation clients are required to cut their hair at a short length. When you buzz your hair down to a zero or half guard, your hair will become a shade of gray.
- If you have light skin and light hair, those hair stubbles will be a shade of light to a medium gray tone. And if you have dark skin and dark hair, that color will of course be a darker shade.
- Almost all guys that buzz to a shortcut will have a tone to their hair that falls within the monochromatic (black/grey) spectrum. Gray or white hair does not appear as gray because the root hair itself is much darker than the white strand.
- Touch-ups are part of regular maintenance for your scalp micropigmentation treatment. During the touch-up session, the practitioner uses lighter pigments than the previously used ones to further blend in the look. This combination of new and old pigments creates an ultra-realistic appearance of a buzz cut.
- You can also customize your treatment by adding a sharper hairline and more defined edges. How the professional will address your treatment will depend on a variety of factors such as how grey your hair turned out and how much fading the pigments have experienced.
- When properly cared for, scalp micropigmentation will last anywhere from 3-7 years. Your practitioner will be able to provide a timeline on when you should undergo touch-ups to maintain the look of your hair.
- Aside from touch-ups, a laser removal procedure is also another option that customizes your procedure as your age. Laser removals will help tone down the appearance of your SMP treatment for a more natural and mature look; if that is what you wish for.
- In summary, grey isn’t something you should be worried about when you undergo scalp micropigmentation.
