SMP COURSE UK / Master the Art of Hair Restoration & Become a Scalp Micropigmentation Pro
Transform lives and earn top dollar with the power to give clients instant, lasting hair loss solutions in a chill work environment.
There is a growing demand for SMP, yet very limited supply.
The blue line on the graph represents the demand for SMP treatments. (how many people search for Scalp Micropigmentation on Google)
The red line right at the bottom of the chart represents the supply. (how many people search for Scalp Micropigmentation Course on Google). As you can see, it’s not even visible.
Why is this important? Well, this is simple supply and demand economics. If more and more people want SMP but the SMP artists aren’t entering the market, then that creates a huge opportunity for you to provide the service.
The data is taken from google trends and you can check it out here.
SMP ARTIST SALARY: “How much can I make from SMP in the UK?”
It’s a very valid question. Experienced Scalp Micro Pigmentation technicians can earn up to £10,000 a month. Of course, not everyone will have the same pay, because it all depends on your ability to market your services, location and the results you provide.
And I’m not just pulling that figure from thin air. It is possible to achieve a very high income, but you would have to be extremely dedicated and really care about the service you provide.
My husband and I run ScalpMates and charge anywhere from £100 to £400 per session (depending on the area size) and each client has 1-3 sessions to achieve the final result. This equates to an average of £75 per hour. Keep in mind that our pricing is very competitive and that some of the established companies price their work a lot higher (up to £1000 per session).
I’ll give you some examples of our work and what it cost our clients at that time.
Balding Crown (Small-Medium Area)
- 2 sessions were required to achieve the final result ( + top-up sessions every 1-2 years)
- Worked mainly in the crown area and blended into his existing hair. I also slightly touched up the hairline.
Total work hours: 4 hours
Total price: £300
Regular Pattern Baldness (Full Top)
- 3 sessions were required to achieve the final result ( + top-up sessions every 1-2 years)
- Created a fresh hairline, covered the whole top and blended into his existing hair on the back & sides
Total work hours: 10 hours
Total price: £800
Diffuse Thinning (Full Top & Sides)
- 3 sessions were required to achieve the final result ( + top-up sessions every 1-2 years)
- Worked throughout the whole top, sides and the back to cover up the skin and create the illusion of hair density
Total work hours: 14 hours
Total price: £1000
BECOMING AN SMP TECHNICIAN: “What skills do I need?”
This might surprise you, but you don’t really need an artistic talent. Artistry will come with experience, as you get more and more sessions done. People from all walks of life can become SMP technicians, but you do need a few qualities in order to attract clients and build up your business.
Some of these qualities are patience, attention to detail, determination, and a strong desire to create life-changing results for your clients. You’ll learn the skills on the job.
1. It starts with SMP training
For simplicity, I will refer to my own course, but you are free to look around and compare.
My husband and I provide SMP treatments under the ScalpMates brand. That’s just a way for us to keep Scalp Micropigmentation separate from my own brand (GlamSlayer)
Here are some of the knowledge you’ll accumulate on our 3-day Scalpmates SMP course:
- Theoretical introduction to Scalp Micropigmentation as a cosmetic treatment. (history, benefits, suitability, pigment depth, health and safety, skin anatomy, insurance, license)
- Trolley set up (machine, needles, ink, hygiene)
- SMP techniques practice (paper, fruit, fake skin, mannequin)
- Drawing suitable hairlines for bald men
- What’s possible for people with long, thin hair
- Consultation practice (all the questions that a potential client might have and the answers)
- Live model practice (you can bring your own or we can find one for you)
- Marketing techniques and ideas on how to promote your SMP services
Upon successful completion of the course, you’ll receive your own Scalp Micropigmentation Certificate. You are now ready to change lives one dot at a time!
Note that all the tools you need to start will be provided on the course. These include the machine, plenty of needles, ink, and much more. You’ll also be given links for you to replenish your consumables in the future.
2. The settling-in period
Great, armed with your SMP certificate, you’re somewhat confident in your abilities and it’s time to build up your portfolio, SMP skills, and confidence. The beauty of it is that you can practice SMP alongside your full-time job, on weekends and in the evenings (that’s how my husband Laur started)
You should take some models for free or at very low prices. (but if you can charge regular prices, then you’re a boss!). Make sure to mention that you’re just beginning your journey. This initial work will build up your skills and confidence.
So how do you find people that are willing to model for you?
- The easiest way to find models is through your network of people. Practice on your wife/husband, parents, relatives, or friends.
- If you’re an outgoing person, then you could introduce the idea to people you meet at the gym, the bar, etc.
- Partner with people that already have your target audience (think barbers, salons, restaurants, gyms, and pretty much every other business)
- If you already provide other services, then why not suggest SMP?
- You could run ads on Facebook, Google, Instagram, etc (we’ll discuss that in the course)
- My favorite way is to build an online presence organically (Website, social media, blogs) This will ensure the longevity of your business and bring you clients passively. (we’ll discuss this in the course)
Doing the full treatment (2-4 sessions) on a few clients will allow you to see how your SMP work heals and you also get the chance to adjust the technique until you and your model/client are happy with the result.
This initial process can take anywhere from a few weeks to a few months depending on your hustling abilities. Consider this as an upfront time investment into a very lucrative and highly satisfying career. You will feel a lot more confident as you get into a rhythm and see those awesome results.
3. The snowball effect
You’ll feel it when it’s time to take it to the next level. By now you have CONFIDENCE, better skill, and most importantly some results to show your potential clients.
You might still keep your normal job and do just weekends & evenings as this allows you to take at least a few sessions a week, up to 10 sessions a week (if you’re a workaholic). Most clients prefer weekends and evenings anyways.
If you decide to quit your job, then use the downtime to introduce yourself to as many prospects as possible while you’re out and about. Build up your connections and your online presence. More and more clients will find you online as your authority grows and your happy clients will start promoting for you, bringing even more work.
Combine this with possible partnerships and paid advertising, then you can potentially have more clients than you could handle.
The potential is huge. 5-10 sessions a week could bring you £1000-£2000 per week quite comfortably.
Of course, these results are not guaranteed. Not everyone will make it this far, as some people quit along the way, but if you do manage to be PERSISTENT, then you WILL MAKE IT.
Future congrats to you!
SMP EXPENSES: “How much do I need to start an SMP business?”
Ok, so we discussed how much you can earn and what it takes to become an SMP artist. But what about your costs?
A realistic budget for your SMP start-up would be around £5000.
Keep in mind that this budget will vary depending on your location and the level of “luxury” you want to provide for your clients. I’ll do my best to break down all your expenses into 5 main categories:
1 – Scalp Micro-pigmentation course price
The price for our 3-day intensive course is £3500. All the tools you need to start practicing are included in this price.
2 – LOCATION / Where will you be working from?
Here’s what we did when we started. We rented/leased a shop in a decent location in Kings Heath, Birmingham (UK). Our rent was £600 pm plus bills. Total outgoings were around £800 pm. You could also just rent a room in a beauty salon, or barber shop which could potentially bring you more clients and cost less than renting a whole place.
If you’re in London, then I’m well aware that rent will be much higher. But you will reflect that in the prices you charge for your services.
After about 2 years of renting the shop, we decided to build our own studio at the back of our house. It cost us just over £30,000 but it was well worth the investment as we are now saving around £700 pm, plus we have added value to the house.
3 – SETUP / Furnishing your place
It’s very important that your room/place has a sink and a toilet. Also, make sure that you have hard floors and washable wall paint. These are some of the main hygiene requirements. (we’ll cover more in the course)
I’d say aim for a minimalist style. The colour palette is yours to decide, but in terms of furnishings you only really need these things:
- Beauty/massage bed for your client – £50 to £500
- Metal trolley for your tools – £50 to £100
- Your own swivel stool – £30 to £50
- Decor – £0 to £ infinity
This is a very wide range of prices, but you must shop around and don’t be afraid to buy used stuff. It will serve the same purpose after all.
I will assume that you have some cupboards/ cabinets/drawers for your products. (you only need a couple of cupboards)
4 – PRODUCTS / Your expenses per SMP session
This one is a bit easier to answer as products cost roughly the same regardless of your location. If I had to give an estimate, the products would cost you £5 to £10 per SMP session
These are literally all the supplies that you need for scalp micro-pigmentation:
- Digital tattoo machine/pen (PROVIDED)
- Power supply for the machine (PROVIDED)
- Power cable/clip cord to connect the machine to your power supply (PROVIDED)
- Cord sleeve to protect your cable & machine (PROVIDED)
- Grip wrap to secure the cord sleeve and give you a better grip on your machine (PROVIDED)
- Tattoo cartridges/needles in different sizes (PROVIDED)
- Ink cups to mix and hold your ink during the session (PROVIDED)
- Different shades of ink (PROVIDED)
- Powder-free nitrile gloves (PROVIDED)
- Couch rolls to cover the bed (1 PROVIDED)
- Waterproof tattoo bibs to cover your workspace (PROVIDED)
- Ruler to make quick measurements on the hairline (PROVIDED)
- Magnifying glass for needle inspection (PROVIDED)
5 – MISC / Insurance, licence & promotional costs
Tattoo insurance
Yes, you will need insurance in order to safely provide SMP services. Expect this to be a few hundred pounds per year. We will discuss this in the course and give you more info on the different insurance providers.
Council license
You will also need a tattooing and piercing license from your council. The application should be up to £100 depending on your council.
Promotion
In terms of promotional costs, this is a tricky expense to estimate. There are too many variables and it all depends on your skills to market yourself. We’ll discuss this more in-depth in the course.
- Website – (up to £100 if DIY) – Ideally, you need a website for your new SMP business. Watch a few Youtube videos and try to build it yourself. It’s worth putting in the time now, you’ll be thanking yourself in the future.
- Social media – (free) – Build up your pages on Instagram, Facebook, Tiktok, Youtube, etc.
- Partners (% commission) – Build up a network of people who constantly come in contact with your potential clients. Befriend some barbers and they could send some clients your way.
- Flyers – (up to £100) – a bit old-fashioned, but might still work
- Classifieds – (up to £100) – start by posting on some of the classified sites like Gumtree, eBay, etc. Some of them might be free to post
- Paid Advertising – (EXPENSIVE) – All the major platforms like Google and Facebook allow anyone to advertise. It’s not my favourite method