By Stephanie Stahl
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — Ashamed, embarrassed are just two of the emotions that some men experience while losing their hair. But we’re going to let you in on a little bit of a secret. There’s a simple, permanent procedure that can give you an A-list look.
Hair challenged men have a new alternative.
“Once we had hair, now we don’t. We just want it back,” said Orian Barzily, who was balding.
They’re not getting back actual hair, but it might look like it thanks to a procedure called micropigmentation. Tattoo artists apply small dots to the scalp.
“It’s a 3 point micro needle. It’s very fine,” said Orian, who is also a micropigmentation practitioner and had the procedure too.
“It’s an ink we apply to the head to make it look like men have hair,” said Julissa Rosado, who works at micropigmentation clinic.
It creates the look of a closely shaved head, popular now with Hollywood celebrities like Bruce Willlis, Vin Diesel, Jason Statham and Pitbull.
“I’ve gone through four hair transplants, over $30,000 down the drain on procedures that didn’t take. This is the only thing that worked. Before that I lived under a hat. Now my hats decorate my walls,” said Orian.
“It’s almost like a five o’clock shadow. You’re kind of doing little microdots, and it just makes the hair look fuller and thicker,” said Mandy Sauler, the micropigmentation specialist at Penn Medicine. Many of her clients are cancer patients, who’ve lost hair. She does a lot of eyebrows, and other cosmetic tattooing, that include things like eyeliner, even covering up scars and filling in bald spots.
“I think what I do with micropigmentation is bringing back things that people had before or making life easier. It’s really amazing what we’re able to do,” said Mandy.
“Here is me a little bit in the back is me as well, but the front and the side are not me,” said Anthony Castigli, a 21-year-old who started losing his hair at 18. He says micro pigmentation changed his life.
“I wanted to look at myself and say ya know I just, to feel confident and not hate what I see in the mirror,” said Anthony.
The procedure can take two to three treatments.
There is a small risk of infection. The tattoo needles do pierce the skin, so it can be uncomfortable. The cost to fill in the scalp can range between $1,600 and $5,000.
Penn Medicine Micropigmentation Information- http://www.pennmedicine.org/plastic-surgery/cosmetic/skin/micropigmentation-permanent-makeup.html and http://www.pennmedicine.org/providers/profile/mandy-sauler
