A New Lease on Life
Scalp micropigmentation from Scalpology helps women and men with thinning hair or hair loss restore their self-confidence as well as their hairlines.
by Matt Cosentino

Heidi Naguski has a long history of helping people like what they see when they look in the mirror; she spent more than three decades of experience as a hair stylist. She has always prided herself on her ability to send clients on their way with a new outlook and renewed confidence, ready to tackle whatever plans they may have, whether it’s a family wedding, a job interview, or just a busy weekend with friends.

 
Heidi still gets to provide that same kind of impact, only on an entirely different level. As the owner and operator of Scalpology in Wayne, she dedicates her time to helping others through scalp micropigmentation, also known as SMP. Geared toward both women and men experiencing thinning hair or advanced hair loss, the SMP procedure is an affordable alternative to a hair transplant that not only can restore their desired look but also boost their self-esteem.
 
For Heidi, nothing beats the reactions from satisfied clients who are thrilled with the transformation SMP offers.
 
“They always cry,” says Heidi, a native Philadelphian. “I have a lot of women who can’t even pull their hair back into a ponytail because they see their scalp so much, or men who just throw on a hat all the time to cover their head. That’s why I love this, because they feel so much better about themselves after doing it. When I found out about SMP and I saw the results and the way the clients felt, I knew this is what I wanted to do.”
 
Although Heidi still styles hair, she was ready to take her career in a new direction when she closed her salon about 10 years ago. She first trained in permanent cosmetic makeup, including tattooing of the eyebrows. Everything changed when she discovered SMP, which creates the illusion of hair follicles by precisely depositing pigment into the dermis layer of the scalp, similar to a tattoo but without the pain.
 
Heidi learned SMP under the guidance of some of the leaders in the industry at schools in New York City and New Jersey, and now has one of the few practices in the region offering this service. While men have long known of its benefits in covering a bald spot or creating a new hairline, more and more women are embracing the natural appearance SMP can provide to solve a common problem brought on by thyroid issues, menopause, alopecia, polycystic ovary syndrome, hormonal imbalance, or scarring.
 
“In over 30 years as a hair stylist, women have often complained to me about their hair loss,” she says. “They usually don’t lose enough to get a hair transplant, but they will have me use the spray fibers to create the look of fuller hair. SMP is better because it lasts four to six years before fading, and then you can just come in and get a touch-up. For a woman who has thin hair in the front or at their part, I will tattoo follicles to match her hair color, so it’s going to give the appearance or illusion of a full head of hair.”
 
SMP is usually administered over at least two sessions, with a two-week break in between to allow the scalp to heal. Heidi can then make any necessary color tweaks or extend treatment to further sessions to suit each client’s comfort level.
 
Although she advises clients to stay out of the sun and to refrain from vigorous exercise immediately after the procedure, SMP requires no downtime; many people who have the procedure feel well enough to return to work on the same day.
 
“Our office is very neutral, because we serve both women and men, and people think it’s a calming and soothing space,” Heidi says. “They put on whatever kind of music they like to listen to, or they can watch a movie on their phone while I do the tattoo. After about an hour, they realize it’s not as bad as they thought it was going to be; most people fall asleep in the chair. They think it’s going to be like a tattoo on their body, which does hurt, but on the scalp it’s totally different because I use the finest needles and it only goes into the second layer of the skin.”
 
SMP can also be used to address scars, such as those left by a hair transplant. No matter the application, the pigmentation can best be maintained by using high-quality sunscreen.
 
Many of the men Heidi has treated don’t even tell their loved ones or co-workers about the procedure. She cites one of her clients who was singled out at work and applauded for his new look.
 
“I wanted to cry, because they thought his hair was growing back,” she says. “That was a very nice compliment for me.”
 
In the year and a half since Scalpology has been open in the “beautiful Hallmark town” of Wayne, as Heidi calls it, she has seen SMP help countless women and men in a wide range of ages reclaim their swagger. She says the feeling she gets from seeing people acquire a “new lease on life” never grows old.
 
“So many of them say, ‘I wish I did this 20 years ago,’” she says. “I’ve never gotten bad feedback whatsoever. I almost want to put a camera in the room to catch their reactions, because it’s so heartwarming. It makes me happy that they’re happy.”
 
Scalpology
101 E. Lancaster Ave., Suite 304
Wayne, PA 19087
(267) 257-3746
ScalpologyInk.com
 
Photo by Nina Lea Photography
 
Published (and copyrighted) in Suburban Life magazine, February 2024.
 

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