Gangnam scalp tattoo studio: crown SMP to quit hair fibers, Doteurak

Before / After

Thinning crown in my 30s: why I chose scalp tattooing over hair fibers

I had session 1 of crown SMP (scalp micropigmentation, or scalp tattoo) at Doteurak (도트락 본점). I wanted to properly cover a crown I'd been getting by on with hair fibers and volume powder.

Once I hit my 30s, there was one spot that bugged me every time I looked in the mirror after a shower: my crown. My front hair and hairline are fine, but the area around the whorl looks especially sparse. Under bright lights my scalp shows right through, and I even picked up the habit of standing with my back to the mirror in the office elevator. I tried hair fibers and I tried volume powder, but they wipe off when you sweat, and spraying them on every morning was a chore. Then I found out about SMP, aka scalp tattooing. After months of searching and comparing, I chose Doteurak, a scalp tattoo specialist in Gangnam, and today I finally went in for session 1. Doteurak's treatment runs over 3 sessions, and I'm planning to post a review of each one, so this is the first entry.

First, here's my crown before treatment. It's even more obvious in a photo, isn't it? The scalp is clearly visible between the hairs around the whorl. Only after taking this photo did I think, so this is how other people have been seeing it, and I decided I couldn't put it off any longer.

Where Doteurak is and how to find it

Doteurak is at 12 Eonju-ro 172-gil, 4th floor, Gangnam-gu, Seoul. It's within walking distance of Apgujeongnodeo Station, so it's easy to get to. There's a scalp tattoo before-and-after sign standing out front, so it isn't hard to spot.

Three reasons I picked Doteurak among Gangnam scalp tattoo studios

Even after comparing for months, the three reasons I settled on Doteurak were its track record, its standing as a training institute, and its skill at fixing redo cases.

First, a long track record

I'm told Doteurak has treated around 7,000 people so far. Scalp tattooing is a field where the practitioner's hand skill and experience decide the result, so I figure the number of cases is the skill. 7,000 people means they've seen every head shape, hair color and type of hair loss. Sure enough, at my consultation they looked at my crown and instantly pulled up photos of similar cases. A place with that much data really is different.

Second, it also runs an SMP academy

Doteurak isn't just a treatment shop. It also runs an academy that teaches SMP, and students come from all over the country. On the day I visited, a class was in full swing in the classroom. If they teach other practitioners, I'd say their skills have already been vetted, wouldn't you? The plaque designating them an ISO/IEC 17024 international personnel certification training institute isn't hanging there for nothing.

Third, it fixes redo cases from other shops

I hear a lot of people come to Doteurak after a treatment elsewhere went wrong. Redo cases never stop coming in: dots that blurred or changed color after a sloppy job and need covering. Put the other way, that means they have the skill to rescue other places' failed results. Since I'm starting my first treatment at Doteurak, I was glad I could avoid that trial and error from the start.

Inside Doteurak and the consultation room

The inside of Doteurak feels calm and upscale, like a hotel lounge. The treatment rooms are separated room by room, so you can have your treatment in private without running into other customers.

The consultation room walls are covered in certificates and plaques: a Korean Tattoo Society plaque, 3 commendations from a member of the National Assembly, a Korea Technology Innovation Brand Award, a KTF award, international competition trophies, and even a plaque for a technical partnership with a hair transplant center. Since this goes on your scalp, I figured the shop's credibility mattered most, and this record gave me confidence.

The "Promise to Customers" notice at reception also left an impression on me. It lists four promises.

• We won't overcharge for treatment
• We guarantee high treatment quality
• For 1 year after treatment, whatever happens, we will take full responsibility for follow-up care
• We will treat you regardless of the number of sessions until you're satisfied

I could feel that same attitude in the consultation. They didn't push a bigger area just to raise the cost; they looked at my crown and honestly marked out only the range I needed.

How many sessions does Doteurak scalp tattooing take? The 3-retouch system

At Doteurak, a scalp tattoo is basically completed over 3 sessions, one week apart. Other places often wrap up in 1 or 2 sessions, so this 3-retouch system is the thing you really need to know about Doteurak.

I'm told that filling in dark all at once looks unnatural and risks blurring, so the standard approach is to split it into sessions and build density gradually. Session 1 sets the base density, a week later session 2 adds to it after checking how the pigment has settled, and another week later session 3 fills in the details. The whole process wraps up within a month, which is faster than I expected, and since they check how the last session's pigment turned out at every visit, the finish can't help but be better. This system won more of my trust than a place promising to finish in one go.

Crown SMP session 1: the process and the pain

Crown SMP at Doteurak starts with white pencil design work. They draw the outline of the treatment area with a white pencil, and you can check it yourself in a mirror and adjust the range.

The treatment is done lying comfortably in a reclining chair. They set up the hygienic gloves and disposable tools right in front of my eyes, which was reassuring. Honestly, the pain is a sting, but it's very bearable, and they kept asking if I was okay along the way, so I was comfortable. For the crown, session 1 didn't take as long as I expected.

Right after crown scalp tattoo session 1: how much changed

Right after crown SMP session 1, the scalp that used to show through is filled in between the hairs, and the density looks way higher, doesn't it? Even up close it doesn't look like dots were put in; it just looks like I have thicker hair. I think that's because each dot is placed to match the size of a hair follicle. If this is only session 1, I can't wait to see what it looks like after the remaining two retouches.

A few days later in sunlight, and aftercare

This photo was taken outdoors a few days after crown SMP session 1, and even in sunlight my scalp doesn't show through and looks natural. It isn't finished yet, but my morning routine of spraying hair fibers is already gone, and I no longer worry about bowing my head in a crowd.

I got thorough aftercare instructions too. For a while I just need to avoid saunas and intense exercise and not rub my scalp, so it doesn't get in the way of daily life.

Next up is session 2, and who I'd recommend this to

A week from now I'm going back to Doteurak for session 2. I'll show how the density goes up further once the pigment has settled, with comparison photos, in the session 2 review.

They offer a wide range of treatments beyond the crown: part line, M-shaped hairline, sideburns, shaved-head SMP and scar cover, and free consultations are available. If you're stressed about your crown like me, and especially if you got a treatment elsewhere and regret it, I recommend at least getting a consultation.

Location: Doteurak, 12 Eonju-ro 172-gil, 4th floor, Gangnam-gu, Seoul (near Apgujeongnodeo Station)