Hair tattoo, scalp tattoo and hairline tattoo are the everyday names for scalp micropigmentation, usually shortened to SMP. All of them describe the same thing: a cosmetic tattoo that replicates the look of shaved hair follicles on the scalp so a bald or thinning head looks full.
The name hair tattoo puts people off, because it suggests a conventional tattoo with a drawing of hair. SMP is not that. It is thousands of individual dots, each one sized and spaced like a real follicle, placed shallow enough that they heal as soft shadow rather than ink.
How a hair tattoo differs from a regular tattoo
Three things separate SMP from body tattooing. Depth: SMP pigment sits in the upper dermis, shallower than a body tattoo, which is why it softens over years instead of staying sharp for decades. Pigment: SMP uses carbon-based pigments formulated to fade to a lighter version of the same grey tone rather than shifting blue or green. Technique: there is no design drawn as a picture. The work is a pattern of single dots built in layers across two or three sessions, with the hairline drawn by hand first and approved by you.
Who it suits
Men with a receding hairline who want the front edge back. Men who shave their head and want it to read as a choice rather than a loss. Anyone with a transplant scar they would like to blend away. Men with thinning on top who want the scalp to stop showing through without changing their hair.
It does not suit anyone who wants long hair where there is none. SMP creates the appearance of a shaved or closely cropped head, or adds density under existing hair. It does not grow hair.
What it costs in Vancouver
Price depends on the area treated and the number of sessions. A hairline and temples is less than a full scalp, and scar camouflage is priced per scar. A consultation gives you an exact quote. Be cautious of prices far below the local range, because the cheapest SMP is usually the one that gets fixed later.
How long it lasts
Four to six years before it visibly softens. A single touch-up session restores it. Sun exposure speeds fading, so sunscreen on a shaved head is the one piece of maintenance that matters.