What Is Scalp Micropigmentation?

Before we dive into how to succeed in an online scalp micropigmentation course, let’s talk a little about what it is. Scalp micropigmentation (SMP) is a technique that can create a simulated hairline and combat the challenges of hair loss. SMP uses tattoo techniques to mimic hair follicles that can make a person’s hairline look fuller.

SMP is popular among both men and women who struggle with hair loss. Cancer patients, people with alopecia, people with head scars, or people who have thinning hair or bald spots can all use SMP to camouflage their hair loss. SMP blends these follicles with any remaining hair to create a seamless, fuller look.

How It Works

If you know about microblading techniques for eyebrows, SMP techniques will sound familiar to you. In essence, SMP uses a technique called pointillism to create the look of hair follicles on your scalp. Pointillism uses groupings of tiny dots to create the illusion of depth and shadow, creating a beautiful 3D effect.

An SMP clinician will begin by applying a topical numbing agent to their client’s head before marking out the hairline they will be creating. Over the next four to five hours, they will use an electric tattoo device to draw on each individual hair follicle. Clients may have to come back for several sessions before their SMP is complete, but once done, it can last as long as eight years or more.

Why You Should Learn It

Simply put, SMP is an amazing way to change someone’s life. Many people, especially women, draw a tremendous amount of identity and self-worth from their hair. In our culture, it is seen as a way to express yourself, as well as a critical part of societal beauty standards.

Hair loss can make someone feel less beautiful and worthy every day, as well as serving as a painful reminder of traumatic experiences. SMP can give them back their confidence and make sure their life isn’t overshadowed by the incident that caused their hair loss. As an SMP practitioner, you can be an important part of changing someone’s self-image and transforming their life.

Benefits of Learning Scalp Micropigmentation Online

There are a number of benefits to learning SMP techniques online. First and foremost, when you’re taking an online course, you can learn on your schedule and at your own pace. If work is crazy or the kids are sick one week, or if you need some extra time to grasp a concept, online learning gives you the freedom to tailor your class to your needs.

In our COVID-riddled world, online learning also provides a safe way to gain new skills. Many people have found themselves out of work in the wake of the pandemic, and if you recently lost your job, you may be considering new career path options. Learning SMP online can open up new doors for you without requiring you to break quarantine or violate social distancing protocols.

Signing Up for a Course

The first step to learning SMP online is to sign up for the right course for you. Most SMP courses will teach you the basics – hairline design, pigment mixing, color theory, blending techniques, and the like. But the best courses will also guide you through sanitation and sterilization procedures, proper station setup, skin color matching, and needle specifications.

If you have experience as a tattoo artist or microblading technician, you may already have some of the expertise and tools needed to do scalp micropigmentation. If this is the case, you may be able to get a somewhat abbreviated course that covers SMP-specific techniques and doesn’t supply you with the required equipment. But if you don’t have this experience, make sure to look for a course that sets you up with everything you need to succeed.

Course Cost

Taking an SMP course is an investment in your future career, and it’s not one you want to skimp on. Courses tend to start around $2,000 and can run up to $5,000, depending on how involved they are and what equipment they provide you with. It may be worth investing in a more expensive course that provides you with tools you can carry into your SMP career.

The good news is you’ll be able to make back the money you invested in your education within your first week of work. Most SMP sessions cost $3,000, so even if you only have two clients, you’ll make $6,000 a week. You could make as much as $300,000 a year gross with just two clients a week.

Manage Your Time Well

The first key to success in taking an online SMP class is to manage your time well. When you’re going to an in-person class, you have a specific schedule you’re obligated to follow. But when you’re taking a class online, you’re directing your own learning, which requires more discipline.

Set aside a specific time every day that you spend studying. Make sure to let your family know that this is your study time and you are not available while you’re doing your course. Make these reasonable time limits to follow, and make sure you provide yourself with plenty of time to learn the material before the end of the course.

Create a Study Space

Another important part of keeping your study time separate is setting up a study space for yourself. This space should be someplace quiet away from the rest of your family. Not only will this help to remove distractions, but it will also signal your brain that, when you sit down in this space, it’s time to focus on earning.

Your study space should be free of distractions, including games, devices, and to-do lists. Make sure it’s somewhere comfortable, but do try to set up some sort of a desk space. You may also need to set up an SMP station for you to practice on as you learn.

Keep Studying Fun

Although studying is a job in itself, that’s no reason it shouldn’t be fun. Remember, you’re taking this course to learn a new skill that will help you transform lives, including your own. You should absolutely be working hard in your course, but you should also be enjoying it as you do.

Play happy music that won’t be too distracting while you work, and decorate your study space to make it someplace you enjoy being. Get a favorite drink to sip on while you work on your course, and stop every so often to celebrate how much you’ve learned. You can also set up little reward systems for yourself, which we’ll discuss more in a moment.

Take Breaks

When you’re taking an online SMP course, it can feel like any time you spend not studying is time wasted. But remember, you aren’t a machine, and you can’t spend every second working. It’s important to manage your time well, but part of that is taking appropriate breaks.

Set up a study schedule for yourself, and when you finish with your work for a day, stop there. Enjoy spending the rest of your day with your family or engaging in something you love to do. You can also use time management tools like the Pomodoro technique to schedule small breaks into your study time.

Take Care of Yourself

It’s also important while you’re taking your online SMP course to take care of yourself. Many people who take these classes are also working a full-time job and caring for a family. It can be easy to get overworked and fatigued, and when you’re not caring for yourself, you’re not learning as effectively.

Make sure you’re maintaining a consistent sleep schedule and that you’re getting eight hours of sleep every night while you’re taking your course. Try to focus on eating healthy, nutritious meals and getting a little exercise, even if it’s just a ten-minute walk around the block. Drink plenty of water throughout the day and use techniques like meditation and mindfulness to find peace in the midst of crazy days.

Find a Group

When you’re taking an SMP class online, it can be easy to feel isolated and lost. In a live course, you have other classmates to celebrate and commiserate with, as well as to discuss ideas you’re not solid on. Online classes don’t naturally come with that same sort of community help.

Look for a group of people who are also working through SMP training. Your online course may have a group of students all going through it together, or you can look for groups of SMP practitioners on social media. Arrange group study sessions or start discussion threads about different topics, whether they be course-related or more personal.

Reward Yourself

When you’re going through a course, it can feel like you’re slogging from one lesson to another. As soon as you finish a chapter, an assignment, or a test, you’re on to the next thing with no room to breathe. It’s important to stop and celebrate victories as you go through your course to keep yourself motivated.

Arrange small rewards for yourself at important checkpoints in your studying. If you complete your work for the day, give yourself ten minutes playing your favorite game as a reward. When you complete a chapter, have a celebratory date night with your partner or buy yourself a small treat.

Use Your Resources

Another small downside of taking an SMP course online is the lack of direct instructor interaction. In a live class, you can ask for clarification about certain points or get an instructor to check over your work. You can find those resources online, too, but it may take a little extra legwork.

If the course you’re taking is interactive, don’t be shy about asking questions or requesting feedback. If your course isn’t interactive, look for online resources that will show you more examples of certain techniques or different explanations of concepts you’re confused about. Your course may also come with supplementary material you can review, so look for that when you get confused.

How to Use a Scalp Micropigmentation Certification

Once you’ve completed your training course, it’s time to launch your new scalp micropigmentation business! Remember, businesses take time to grow, so if you have another job currently, hang onto that until your SMP business can get its feet under it. The first step to growing your new business is to start advertising.

Make some flyers and business cards showcasing your new business and ask local barbershops and hair salons to put them in their shops. It’s also a good idea to get strong relationships going with the stylists in these businesses, since they can refer new clients to you. You may also want to set up social media pages and start running ads tailored to your target demographic on those platforms.

Sign Up for a Scalp Micropigmentation Course

Scalp micropigmentation can be an amazing career option that lets you transform people’s lives and make good money while doing so. An online scalp micropigmentation course can set you on the path to your new career. Make sure you manage your time well, take care of yourself, and use the resources available to you and you’ll be an expert SMP artist in no time!

If you’d like to get started learning SMP techniques, check out the rest of our site at Scalp Co. We offer a scalp micropigmentation course covering all the fundamentals you’ll need to know. Check out our academy today and launch your career as an SMP artist.