Scalp micropigmentation (SMP) training such as the course offered here http://www.vancouverparamedical.com/scalp-micropigmentation-training/ gives you the opportunity to start a promising and lucrative career as an SMP artist. Whether you want to embark on a career in a new field or expand your skills as an esthetician, joining the scalp micropigmentation industry is a wise career choice. Not only do economists project the SMP industry to grow, but they also expect it to continue to expand at least for the next decade.
Scalp micropigmentation is an exciting new procedure that offers a more effective solution to baldness and other related issues. Although scalp micropigmentation artists fall in the same category as barbers, hairstylists and cosmetologists, the average income for an SMP practitioner is considerably larger. However, not everyone is cut out to be an SMP artist. So, what does it take to become a scalp pigmentation artist? This discussion takes a closer look at the kind of training involved in becoming an SMP specialist.
What to Know About Scalp Micropigmentation
Scalp micropigmentation is a type of non-invasive cosmetic procedure that gives the scalp the appearance of having tiny hair follicles. It is designed primarily as an alternative esthetic treatment for male pattern baldness, receding hairlines and hair loss due to medical conditions like alopecia. When done properly, scalp micropigmentation makes bald scalps look more like ones that recently shaven or very closely cropped. Those with thinning hair can also undergo SMP treatment to make their remaining hair look fuller and stronger. If you are looking for SMP scalp pigmentation, check out SMP Hair Clinic Essex.
Those who have undergone hair transplants can benefit from an SMP procedure as well. In time, hair transplants also thin out and often leave scars of the surgery behind. Skilled scalp micropigmentation can also hide the scars from such surgeries as well as from scalp acne and keloids. For women, especially those who are suffering thinning hair due to glandular or hormonal problems, SMP can also hide scalp that is showing through the hair and give the head an appearance of having new growth under the longer strands of hair.
The procedure implants ink into the scalp using specialized equipment. During the treatment, skilled SMP artists use a variety of techniques to give the scalp the appearance of having hair follicles. The color of the ink should match the hair that surrounds the spot. The entire treatment process can get tedious and even stressful for the SMP technician as treatments can last anywhere between two to five hours. Throughout the procedure, the artist should maintain both a deep focus and a delicate touch.
The duration of the treatment process can vary depending on several factors. These include the pain tolerance of the client, the size of the area to be treated and the intensity of the shading that the client prefers. Often, the client has to undergo several procedures to darken the area or make final touches to the shape, shading and hairline. SMP procedures may also be used to correct mistakes of previous treatments, and this may require better planning and a more intricate process.
Scalp Micropigmentation Process
Scalp micropigmentation usually follows three stages:
- Initial consultation and assessment: At this stage, SMP artists interview a client to gauge his or her willingness and readiness to undergo the procedure. The artist then explains the treatment options to the client and guides him or her through the multiple stages of the treatment. Other issues like pricing, after-care treatment and retouching are also discussed. The initial consultation may be done in person, via the phone or video chat.
- Treatment: Although an SMP artist may be able to complete the treatment in one session, it is always a good idea to exercise caution when it comes to this procedure. The first treatment process should be able to give both the client and the artist an idea of what the result will look like. The initial treatment session also indicates to the artist in on the pain tolerance of the client as well as how fast he or she can heal from each treatment.
- Follow-up treatments: Once the scalp has healed fully, the client is ready for the next treatment. At this point, the swelling on the scalp abates, giving the SMP technician an idea of how to proceed, where to intensify the shading and make corrections if needed.
Scalp micropigmentation treatments may last anywhere between six months to several years, depending before it fades depending on the ink and the procedure that was used. Once the ink fades, clients only need to undergo the process all over again to retouch the scalp area. Some clients may need to undergo retouching earlier in case their bald spot becomes larger or if the pigmentation fades sooner than expected.
Training at the Vancouver SMP Clinic
This training clinic can provide a good glimpse of what a proper scalp micropigmentation training is like. The Vancouver Paramedical Clinic (VPC) training for SMP specialists has been around for nearly a decade and was the first to offer such training in Canada. What may be surprising for some is that smart pigmentation training courses do not take too long, which makes a career in this field even more attractive. As short as the courses may be, however, they are comprehensive, thorough and even intense in some cases. The right SMP courses should provide you with enough confidence as well as the skills that you need to become competitive in the field.
The VPC SMP training is a five-day course that starts with classroom theories and lectures, and then moves on to actual hands-on training on live models, which is important in boosting the confidence of the students. To wrap up the training, the VPC courses also provide the students with important advice on the entrepreneurial aspect of the industry. Students learn how to market their skills and services and create and expand their professional network.
A five-day SMP training course looks like this:
- Day 1: Introduction to color and skin pigmentation theories, color matching, skin basics, pain reduction and management, procedure and treatment overview, gear demonstration, needle basics and practical hands-on training
- Day 2: Dealing with allergies, patch testing, post-procedure treatment and management; conducting client interviews; making corrections; learning sterilization, sanitation and safety protocols; and how to provide and complete medical records, forms and releases
- Day 3: Equipment overview, workstation set-up, color correction, pigment transfer, clinic safety requirements, protective gear, hands-on practice and treatment on a live patient, including pigment correction
- Day 4: Hair replication, strokes, pointillism techniques, inks and pigments, techniques, gear overview, more hands-on practice by students and advice on marketing and self-promotion.
- Day 5: Advanced training on correcting hair transplant; donor, surgical and keloid scars; treatment approach medical conditions like alopecia; stroke practice and dry needling; advanced hair replication techniques including measuring, hairline plotting, color pigment combinations and symmetry; and more hands-on practice.
What you see above is just an overview of a five-day scalp pigmentation training course. The actual class sessions and training involve much more. Those who are looking to start a career as an SMP artist should be wary of supposed training courses that offer course completion and expertise in just a few session hours. Such courses are not only unreliable, but you’ll also unlikely to achieve the right amount of skill and confidence to become a successful SMP technician. An SMP treatment is a delicate procedure, and any issues that arise when working with a client can open you up to lawsuits, thereby ruining your career even before it starts.
Why Become an SMP Artist?
If you think you have the kind of patience and focus to become an SMP technician, then this might be the right career path for you. Deft and steady hands, attention to detail and creativity are a plus, but these are skills that you can acquire through training, hard work and experience. Therefore, it is important that you choose the right training center to learn the skills required to give yourself a good chance of succeeding in this industry.
The scalp pigmentation industry is continuing to grow exponentially as more clients prefer this treatment to other procedures. It is non-invasive, it gives people a more youthful look and, best of all, the result looks more realistic than the other options. Experts predict that the entire personal care and service industry will grow some 13 percent within the next decade. It wouldn’t be a stretch to say that with the effectiveness and convenience of SMP treatments, the demand for it will increase even more.
If job security isn’t enough motivation for you, it might interest you to know that an SMP artist can earn on the upward of $200,000 annually ― and that is being conservative. As demand for SMP treatment grows, so does the demand for more SMP technicians. Becoming an SMP clinician is among the most popular career paths. This means that more demand for services and fewer technicians can only drive the costs of the services and professional fees related to it higher. Even in the very remote possibility that the job market suddenly becomes inundated with SMP technicians, you’ll be fine as long as you establish your service, skills and brand early. Start your new career as a scalp micropigmentation artist now by signing up for training.
