SMP Ink Las Vegas
Our SMP Ink, SMP Machines, and SMP Process
It is vital that companies and artists use the correct SMP ink, tools, and technique for Scalp Micropigmentation (SMP). Unfortunately, with so many new technicians out there, this isn't always the case. This process may be confusing for some people, as most companies do not share the ingredients and prefer to market & sell their SMP ink instead; or use incorrect equipment, tattoo equipment, tattoo needles, or the wrong technique. There are also many technicians who have not had the proper training & practice before working on actual clients. Here at FULL, we have used our many years of experience and countless hours of experimenting, to really fine tune our own SMP ink and technique to produce results that look as natural as possible with minimal fading, long term retention of color, and making sure our ink is always black and grey scale. The same goes for our needles, machines, and technique...everything has been developed specifically for optimal scalp micropigmentation results with the utmost attention to detail and artistry.
Our SMP ink is specifically designed for scalp micropigmentation only. Tattoo inks and permanent makeup pigments are regularly used by many of our competitors. These inks are made up of blue, green and purple constituent colors. When they’re broken down by your immune system, skin, or by ultraviolet rays from the sun, the ink separates and changes color, just like the ink used in a regular body tattoo does. On the scalp, this change can take less than a couple of months or even happen immediately if the pigment is not applied at the correct depth. We NEVER use tattoo ink, tattoo machines, or tattoo techniques like some of our competitors do. Our process uses fine tuned and natural SMP ink, German made permanent make-up machines made specifically for Micropigmentation, and very fine nano needles made only recently, specifically for SMP as well. And of course, our experience and tested technique have proven to produce some of the most natural and desirable results possible.
Our pigments are 100% Organic with no color additives. They cannot break down into other colors because they contain No Constituent Colors. This is critical. It's a charcoal based SMP ink that we mix and dilute ourselves. It's all black and grey scale with many different variations on that scale to match your specific skin tone and hair color. Charcoal is just burnt down wood, so the SMP ink is very natural, as its main ingredient comes from trees. You might have heard of other providers SMP inks turning green or blue, but it never happens at FULL: because of the ink that we use, because of our technique, our spacing of follicle replications, and having the experience to know how deep to place the needle into the epidermis/dermis layers of the skin. These are a few of the many reasons why we have been the #1 company in Las Vegas and one of the top providers in the world since 2016.
The talent, experience, & ability of the artist is also very important in order to produce optimal results. The SMP ink application process begins by inserting a micro droplet of pigment through the skin and through the epidermis and into the upper dermis, using a permanent make-up machine, which supports between one and three needles cycling between 100 to 150 cycles per second. The needle(s) must perforate the epidermis to get to the upper dermis. The depth of needle insertion varies by “feel” and visual judgments made by the artist that reflect the undulating thickness of the epidermis at the point of introduction. Every persons scalp is different from each other, and every persons skin is different from each other. A thicker scalp, with more fat and supporting infrastructure, will produce a different skin turgor than an atrophic or scarred scalp, impacting what the artist feels and sees as the Micropigmentation process is performed. The artist creates a constant mental feedback loop as he/she constantly adjusts to the effects that are felt and seen. There are additional factors that become important to place the correct amount of SMP ink, at the correct level, into the scalp for the desired effect. This is where artistry and experience are extremely important. Here are some vital elements for the artist to consider if the procedure is to be done optimally:
Angle of needle against the scalp, depth of the needle into the epidermis/dermis, correct spacing between each follicle replication, amount of time the needle is left in the scalp, resistance of the scalp or scar tissue, color of pigment, viscosity of the pigment, needle type & size, speed of machine, type of maching, amount of blending, artist technique & experience, artist attention to detail, artist focus & ability. All of these factors must combine proportionately to produce the desired natural results!
Because every client is different, every area of the scalp is different, and every point of insertion is different from the prior and subsequent points, the artist must be trained to make technical and artistic judgments as the process advances, millimeter by millimeter. Scars retain pigment very differently than the skin of an atrophic or normal scalp. It is not unusual to have both normal and abnormal scalp conditions proximate to each other in the same patient. The artistic judgments in managing this often extend into the normal scalp since a scar that is white will have to blend into the tan or dark skin that surrounds the scar.
The follicle impressions will vary in dot size based on artistic judgments needed once the process starts. If the pigment is placed only in the epidermis, the process will fail because the pigment will leak out within a few days after the procedure is done. If the pigment is placed too deep into the dermis, it will fail as it diffuses outside the confines of its original area of placement (bleeding of ink). This bleeding of ink is where you see scalps that look like they have been tattooed with too much ink or a shading technique has been used by an improperly trained technician (or tattoo artist). The SMP artist must be properly trained in spacing, depth, density, color matching, technique and all the factors mentioned above to produce the most natural results possible.
We usually recommend multiple sessions for SMP. The number of follicle impressions may be 30,000 or more per session, placed into the scalp by one by one, by hand. Because of this, the sessions are often long, extending up to 4 or 5 hours per session. Attention to detail and artist experience is paramount in producing the most natural looking results. This experience is gained over time, with thousands of hours of practice so the artist can have the proper "feel" and the appropriate technique.
Many of our clients will have three sessions before the process is complete since they want to have good assurance that only the upper layer of the dermis is penetrated. Pigment bleeding will be minimized with a cautious, slow, and judicious approach in each session. This process also allows for slightly darker shades of ink to be applied with each session that progresses, or any other modifications that need to be made like needle size, density, or hairline adjustments. This approach not only guarantees clean results, but gives us the flexibility and time to make adjustments if need be and produce the most realistic 3D looking follicle impressions.
This page was developed by our founder, Joe, to give you some insight into some of the details of our SMP process including our SMP machines, SMP inks, and our overall FULL technique, as well as shedding some light into our knowledge and experience with Micropigmentation. These are here to educate you about our process so you know what to look for when looking for an experienced SMP artist/company that pays attention to every detail. We urge you to do your due diligence, and realize Micropigmentation is much different than a regular tattoo and that there are many different levels of experience in our industry, as with other industries. If you don't do your research, the difference will be immediately noticeable on your scalp after your first session. With FULL, rest assured, you are guaranteed to receive the best treatment, the most comfortable experience, and the most natural looking results possible. Thank you for taking the time to read this and we look forward to helping you any way we can.
