Scalp Micropigmentation in Tokyo (SMP) | English-speaking studio

Before and after

Before

After 2nd

Man, hairline. Two sessions. On video.
Both clips are cropped to the same size and position. A moving shot is harder to flatter than a still, so this is close to how it actually looks.

Man, hairline. Before the first session, and after.

A woman's parting before treatment, with the scalp showing through — Before

The same parting after treatment — After

Woman, parting. Same angle, same light.
Up close you can see the individual dots. We are not adding hair. We are closing the gap between the colour of the scalp and the colour of the hair.

A woman's crown before treatment, seen from directly above — Before

The same crown after treatment, seen from directly above — After

Woman, crown. Photographed from the same position, directly above.

The same parting after the first session — After 1st

The same parting after the second session — After 2nd

Woman, parting. Two sessions.
The first session ran from the morning to the afternoon of one day and took about two hours and twenty minutes. The second was ten days later. All three photos are cropped to the same size and position.

A woman's hairline marked out before the first session — Before

The same hairline after the first session — After 1st

The same hairline after the second session, hair worn down — After 2nd

Woman, hairline and parting. Two sessions.
The marks in the first photo are the outline we agreed before starting. The first two are with the hair clipped back to show the hairline; the last is how it looks with her hair worn normally.

Results vary from person to person. Published with the clients' permission.

See more results on Instagram

What clients say

★★★★★

Hardly any pain, and I am very happy with it. I want to go back.

Google review, Azabu-Juban Patio St

A real review posted on Google, translated from Japanese and not shortened. How it feels differs from person to person.

It is a tattoo on the scalp

What it isPigment placed in the skin. This is not a medical procedure, and we do not call it permanent makeup.
What it doesIt does not grow hair. It reduces the contrast between your scalp and your hair, so the same amount of hair reads as denser.
How long it lastsThe pigment lightens over time as your skin renews itself. How fast depends on your own metabolism. Most clients come back for a touch-up after two to three years. There is no daily upkeep in between.
Can it be undoneNot easily. Ink cannot be taken back out, which is why we start light and build in stages.
Who it suitsThinning at the parting, the crown or the hairline, where the scalp shows through. If the area with no hair is large, we will suggest something else.
Who we cannot treatAnyone under 18, and anyone who is pregnant or breastfeeding.

The work itself. We use single-use gloves and a barrier film over the machine.

We will not finish in one session

You will see a difference after the first session. It is just not the finish.

The first session builds the base, and we keep it deliberately light. Ink cannot be taken back out, so we add in stages and check how the colour settles before we go further.

A scalp with too much in it cannot be undone. Working in two steps is slower, and it is the reason our results stay believable.

The second session is at least one week after the first.

Your session

Consultation

We look at how the scalp reads against your hair colour and decide the area. If it does not suit you, we will say so here.

Design

We measure your face and agree the shape and the area with you in the mirror. Nothing starts until you are happy with it.

The session

Between 1.5 and 4 hours, depending on the area. We tell you the expected length when you book.

Second session

At least one week later. We look at how the colour settled and decide together how much more to add.

Planning your visit

Two sessions, at least one week apart. Here is what that means depending on how long you are here.

Your stay	What we can do
Living in Japan	No constraints. This is the easiest case, and most of our English-speaking clients are residents.
14 days or more	Both sessions with room to spare. Hot springs and sightseeing first, then start.
8 to 13 days	Both sessions, but the schedule is tight. Plan any onsen for your first days.
7 days or less	One session only. We will tell you honestly if it is better to wait until a longer trip.

Onsen, sauna and heavy exercise

Off-limits for 7 days after each session. Two sessions means two of those weeks back to back.

If hot springs are on your list, do them first and start afterwards. We will help you put the order together at your consultation.

English

English consultation is available. Taichi speaks fluent English and Sayori speaks it at an intermediate level. Say in your email that you need English, and we will put you with one of them.

Without notice in advance we may not be able to serve you in English on the day.

We do not accept cash

Our studios are cashless. Please do not come with cash only, as we will not be able to take payment.

Cards and contactless

Visa
Mastercard
AMEX
JCB
Diners
Discover
UnionPay
Apple Pay
iD
QUICPay

QR and transit IC

PayPay
Alipay+
WeChat Pay
d払い
Rakuten Pay
au PAY
merpay
Suica
PASMO
ICOCA

The people who do the work

Scalp ink is done by the members who specialise in it. The person who consults with you is the person who works on you.

**Taichi Suzuki** Fluent English
Works mainly on receding temples, the hairline, the crown and close-cropped styles. Agrees the area with you so that it looks natural with the way you usually wear your hair.

**Sayori** Intermediate English, with a translation app
Works on partings, the crown, and scalp that looks brighter through grey hair. Matches the colour and the area to how your hair looks when you wear it down.

**Ryu Maezawa** English through a translation app
Certified scalp ink artist. Fine shading matched to your skin tone, with a careful consultation first and a check of the finish with you afterwards.

Studios and how to get here

Sessions are normally at AZABUJUBAN Patio St. Tell us if Omotesando is easier for you.

The treatment space at Azabu-Juban Patio St — Azabu-Juban Patio St. Sessions are in a partitioned private room.

AZABUJUBAN Patio St

Eternity AzabuJuban 4F, 2-14-4 Azabujuban, Minato City, Tokyo

Azabu-juban Station, Exit 4, 1 min walk

9:00–23:00 / +81 3-6381-7513

Open in Google Maps

OMOTESANDO

CURRENT Omotesando 3F, 4-26-21 Jingumae, Shibuya City, Tokyo

Meiji-jingumae Station, 2 min walk / Omotesando Station, Exit A2, 6 min walk

10:00–21:00 / +81 3-6438-9623

Open in Google Maps

Open every day. Individual stylists have different days off, so please book ahead.

Questions

It is a tattoo: pigment placed in the skin of the scalp. It is not a medical procedure. We keep the wording plain rather than using softer terms for it.

No. This does not grow hair. It changes how much your scalp shows through the hair you have.

Not easily. It lightens over time, but do not go in assuming it can be fully undone. That is why we keep the first session light.

The pigment fades gradually as your skin renews itself. Most clients come back for a touch-up after two to three years. The rate varies from person to person.

How it feels differs from person to person. We will go through it in detail for your specific area at the consultation.

No. Our studios are cashless. Card, contactless, QR payment and transit IC are all accepted.

Free until two days before. The day before, 50%. On the day, 100%. The same applies if you move the appointment on the day or the day before and then cancel.

No, but please tell us you need English in your first message so we can arrange an English-speaking staff member.

By email, at book@bdlinc.co. Write in English, and attach a photo of the area you are asking about if you can.

What happens at the consultation

We look at your scalp in person, agree the area, and give you a quote. The price depends on the area and the number of sessions, so we do not quote before we have seen it.

You can come for the consultation alone. You do not have to decide on the day, and there is no pressure to book the session while you are here.

If we do not think this suits you, we will tell you, and we will say why.

A consultation, going through the plan together — **We look at it together**
We see the scalp in person, then tell you the area, the likely number of sessions and the price, while you are sitting there.

A face being measured with a golden ratio caliper to set the treatment area — **The area is set by the golden ratio**
We measure the golden ratio of your face and agree the shape and the area that suit it. We mark the outline and agree it with you before any needle touches the skin.

See it before you decide

We take enquiries by email at book@bdlinc.co. To save time, tell us three things in your first email.

Which area you are thinking about: parting, crown or hairline
The dates you are in Japan, or that you live here
Whether you need English

A photo of the area helps, if you can attach one.

Email us

No added hair.Less scalp showing.