What is a hairline tattoo?

Whether your hair is receding or you’re developing some bald spots, hairline tattoos are the ultimate way to recover and revamp your hair. A tattoo on hairlines is an advanced method of cosmetic pigmentation. If this sounds a bit complex, it can help to think of the treatment as a hair tattoo. The artist or practitioner uses a microneedle to create the illusion of tiny hair follicles on the scalp. These microdots are repeated over and over again to form a realistic hair outline. This method is great for covering bald spots, camouflaging thinning hair, recreating receding hairlines, covering scarring and elevating your entire look. The result is a natural-looking and low-maintenance solution that can help you feel confident and attractive.

Scalp micropigmentation (SMP) is often compared to getting a normal tattoo. While there are some similarities, there are also plenty of differences worth pointing out. A cosmetic tattoo for hairlines use much smaller needles than normal tattoos and don’t penetrate as deep into the skin. This means the pain is also a lot milder. The purposes are also starkly different. Tattoos are often adopted as an aesthetic feature or to celebrate your religion or important people in your life. Hair tattoos are much more practical. They are a great way to cover up the potentially distressing effects of hair loss. We take a lot of pride in our image and hair tattoos can help people reclaim their confidence and improve their lives. A common myth regarding hairline tattoos is that they’re just making a bunch of dots all along the scalp. It’s actually quite a complex art that requires considerable training. (That’s why checking the reputation of your clinic is important!) And as any practitioner will tell you, it’s less about the thousands of dots you place and more about the spaces you leave in between. Hair tattoos also use a different ink than what’s used in normal tattoos. This ink is fully organic and more realistically replicates the look of natural hair.

We’ve talked enough about how realistic hair tattoos are but they have a whole host of other benefits too. These include:

Hair tattoos are also surprisingly cheap. It might not look that way at first but when you compare it to the often ongoing expenses for other treatments, you’d be surprised by how much you save.

The cost of your hairline tattoo really depends on your hair and your goals. If you’re completely bald and looking for a full hair tattoo, then that’s obviously going to cost more than just filling out some thinning areas. There’s no one size fits all strategy when it comes to a hairline tattoo and the same is true for the cost. Different practitioners will charge varying amounts. This can be affected by everything from their own private fees to extra steps like covering up scars.

Your scalp is one of the most sensitive parts of your body. But the good news is, actually getting the hairline tattoo isn’t as painful as you might think.

The needle used is much smaller than those used for actual tattoos. And it doesn’t need to penetrate as deeply as a tattoo does. A traditional tattoo the needle is dragged through the skin whereas with scalp micropigmentation the practitioner will carefully and meticulously place each individual deposit of pigment. If you’re really worried or unsure, then check in with your practitioner about the expected level of pain. However most clients will describe the process as bearable and some people have even been known to be able to catch up on some well needed peaceful zzz’s during their session.

Hairline tattoos are not permanent. They’ll generally last around 3-4 years, though you might see some fading and want to get it touched up earlier.

This is one of the key differences between hairline tattoos and real tattoos. Both use ink, just in different ways.  Normal tattoos penetrate five layers deep into the skin compared to just two for scalp pigmentation. So despite being widely referred to as a permanent cosmetic procedure, hairline tattoos will in fact fade over time. And this is actually a really good thing. Because over the course of five or so years, your hair is nearly guaranteed to have changed. The re application of pigment every 3 or so years also prevents the pigment from making any unwanted changes like migration or colour shift to an unwanted hue. These small check-ups every few years will help maintain your realistic buzzcut look.