While micropigmentation (aka the use of tattooing to provide either permanent cosmetics or the cosmetic effect of hair on eyebrow and scalp areas) has been around for some years now, its popularity has recently exploded more than threefold owing to celebrity magazine publicity and the trend for tattooing generally.

Unfortunately this has also led to many inexperienced people setting themselves up as tattooists or even experienced tattooists thinking that it will be easy for them to cover cosmetic specialities as well as tattooing designs. This is not the case. While there may be transferable skills involved, the cosmetic tattooist is a specialist trained in the area and uses specialist cosmetic inks suitable for the more sensitive skin of the face and pigmented for more subtle effects, since normal tattoo ink is not intended to look natural, but rather to stand out.

Normal tattoo inks are not suitable for cosmetic tattooing and therein lies the reason for many of the cosmetic disasters which we are now reading about where people find themselves with spots with a blue-ish tinge, rather than the subtle regrowth promised.

There are a number of golden rules for finding the right cosmetic tattooist;

1. Do some research. Check out the reviews of various cosmetic tattooists. See if you can meet any clients they have worked on to ascertain what standard of work they do. How many have such procedures have they done before?

2. Do not let a friend loose on your scalp with aspirations to be a tattooist, or who already is a tattooist, but wants to make the transition to cosmetic work.

3. Beware the cheap deal including Groupon. Why is it cheap? Are you the guinea pig for a new trainee? And if so, how closely will that trainee be supervised by an expert, if at all?

4. Is the salon public-indemnity insured in the event of anything going wrong?

5. Will the salon do a skin test first to check you are not going to be allergic to the inks used?

Just as we are realising that botox and filler parties are a bad idea and these beauty treatments can lead to disastrous results in inexperienced hands, so it is the same for micropigmentation and cosmetic tattooing, whatever the reason for them.

If in doubt call or email us and we will happy to offer advice.

Even without hair loss issues hot weather can play havoc with our hair as we all know, making it dry, frizzy, tangly and hard to keep in style. However when you are a wearer of extensions or a hair system, you can risk your bonding breaking down. Your extensions or hair system should remain securely in place but it is good to avoid any feeling of stickiness if possible, if only for comfort reasons.

To avoid this happening (AND get a good night’s sleep in the current heatwave) we recommend investing in a cool gel pad or ‘chillow’ to place on your pillow under your pillowcase. They come in all shapes. sizes and prices and some are actually built into the pillow in more expensive versions but fora few pounds you can get a Chillmax pad from High Street retailers.

In case you are worried, you won’t wake up with a freezing head in the middle of the night – it simply keeps your head a few degrees cooler than it would otherwise be overnight/in hot weather.

It has been asked if a cooling pillow can prevent hair loss. Well there is no evidence to suggest this, but it can certainly prevent the funny dreams we have when we overheat at night!

There are many factors which can trigger or hasten hair loss – these can affect both men and women – and it is important to trace the cause to see if this can be targeted, allowing the hair to recover naturally, or else to evaluate what other action can be taken to remedy the appearance.

Obviously the hair changes as we get older – and not just the extra grey! – but there follows a list of the other common factors which can lead to hair loss. Obviously if these apply to you and they can be avoided (apart from when the cause is medication!) this would be our first recommendation, however even if the trigger is unavoidable there is always help available for hair loss right here in Scotland.

Genetics – inherited hormonal imbalances can contribute to thinning hair, with male pattern baldness being regarded as the most common hereditary cause of hair loss.

Stress – accidents, illness or surgery will take their toll on your body and can even cause trigger temporary hair loss, known as telogen effluvium.  Emotional stress can also exacerbate existing hair thinning.

Diet – we are what we eat and when it comes to our hair this is no different.  A diet that lacks in protein, vital minerals and vitamins could cause a slowdown in the growth of hair follicles. 

Trichotillomania – this impulsive disorder causes sufferers to pull out their own hair, often subconsciously, and as such means it needs to be treated as a chronic condition.

Chemotherapy – in treating certain types of cancer, chemotherapy destroys rapidly dividing cancer cells but in doing so it also destroys other types of cells in the body such as hair cells.  Hair loss is usually temporary as the hair will start to grow again once treatment is complete.

Weight loss – losing a lot of weight suddenly is a trauma and can trigger hair loss.

Medication – there are a number of different drugs which could, as a side effect, encourage hair loss.  These include certain types of beta-blockers and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

Burns or scars – if you have experienced any kind of skin injury, such as a burn or scar, around the top or side of the head, you may find that the hair doesn’t grow properly around this area as the follicles have become damaged.

Health conditions – if you suffer from an auto immune disease, infection or underactive thyroid you may be at an increased risk of losing your hair.

Overstyling – harsh chemicals, tight braiding or an overuse of heat when styling the hair could all contribute to hair thinning or loss.

Whilst there are many different causes of hair loss, there are also various ways to treat the condition and restore your confidence. 

At Hair Technology International we offer the very latest, virtual reality hair grafts which are designed to replicate the density, growth and behaviour of your own hair, giving you a very natural-looking finish.  We are only an email or phone call away and always promise to do all we can to help.

For some time we have been looking at ways we can offer added value to our loyal Hair Technology clients. Whilst we are experts in all forms of hair loss treatments and hair replacement procedures, we recognise that others are far better placed than we are to offer other treatments to compliment our clients’ appearance and self esteem.

We want to make our address synonymous with expert care for people wishing to improve their appearance : a true centre of excellence, unrivalled in the country, offering a one stop shop for the very latest techniques.

To acheive this we are partnering with The Signature Clinic, a likeminded business offering an ethical approach to the self improvement industry, offering a complete range of treatments from botox to facial peels to surgical corrections to the very latest beauty treatments.

To promote this partnership our loyal clients will receive exclusive discounts and offers allowing them to benefit from the latest techniques at unbeatable prices. What’s more as trusted partners, our clients will always know that they are safe hands.

This is just another way of us showing how much we value our customers and the thanks we’d like to express – for more information on this exclusive offer just call us on 0141 331 2688 or drop us an email.

You wouldn’t go to Bulgaria for Botox or Fiji for a face lift, so why would you think about Turkey for a hair transplant? The usual answer is because it’s cheap. Not because the results are better or because the technology is the most advanced – just because you can save some money.

At Hair Technology International we don’t do transplants – we never have. But having helped people with hair loss and thinning hair for over 25 years, we are ideally placed to offer advice to anyone considering this as an option. Often we will recommend that surgery isn’t the answer – usually this is because the person’s expectations are unrealistic and the amount of donor hair available means that they will never achieve the desired result. There is of course the risk that the person will go elsewhere and be told otherwise, but the motivation for this conflicting advice should always be considered. If you are being told that you can get a full head of hair from surgery, you are not being told the truth. Hair transplantation is merely redistributing the hair, not creating more.

Going back to the clinics overseas, the further flung centres often advertise online using price as the main and only selling point. At Hair Technology International, we often see people who are either thinking about having hair restoration surgery abroad or, worse still, people who have had surgery and regretting it!

So why is surgery cheaper abroad? Often because of lower standards in safety, poorer trained staff and older techniques. If this sounds like worth risking we would strongly suggest you think again. Remember that by their very nature, hair transplants are totally visible. If they go wrong, the results are for life!

Transplants for the right person can be life changing. Transplants done badly or for the wrong person can be life damaging. The important thing is to get the full facts before making any life changing decision when it comes to surgery. For this reason we are always happy to offer advice, totally free of charge and without any form of commitment. Call or email us and we will be happy to help.

As they say imitation is the sincerest flattery and over the 26 years since we opened for business, we have helped thousands of clients and also seen many of our competitors claiming offer the same level of care and fall by the way side.

At Hair Technology International we know sometimes it is difficulty to tell the trusted businesses from the other less reliable ones. To keep it simple we’ve drawn up a short list of the questions you should ask and if you aren’t happy with the replies you get, we’d strongly suggest you think twice!

How experienced are the staff to help for hair loss sufferers?

We have the most experienced team of hair loss and hair replacement experts in Scotland, some with over 40 years experience helping men and women deal with hair loss.

How many key staff are there able to help?

We have a team of seven including six fully qualified technicians/stylists meaning that there’s always someone there if you need our help

How up to date is their training and procedures?

At Hair Technology International we regularly attend conferences overseas and work with our partners abroad on a daily basis ensuring our clients always benefit from the very latest technology

How widely recognised are they within the wider hair loss industry?

We are highly regarded by our industry peers as reflected by the awards we have received over the years

What value for money guarantees are offered ?

Find a better price for a comparable product or service and we will match it.

Is helping hair loss their speciality or just an add on to their core business?

Dealing with hair loss is all we do. We are experts in all forms of hair replacement and enhancement, as well as offering all proven treatments. We don’t do beauty treatments, nails or spray tans!

Can I be guaranteed excellent customer care and total discretion?

Our city centre is convenient yet discrete. Our salon layout offers total privacy for up to six clients at a time.

Can I speak to a client, if need be, for reassurance?

Yes. (Sorry but it’s a straight answer to a reasonable question!)

Call or email us and see for yourself that not all businesses are the same!

Results can be bad or good news – especially if you’re a Scotland football fan! Here at Hair Technology International that’s really what are interested in : results. When we meet someone for the first time to discuss thinning hair or hair loss, as well as offering a sympathetic ear we aren’t just wanting help the person cope, we want to make things better for them.

In over two decades we have seen many “cures” and competitors come and go. We are here for the long term and the foundation of the business is to deliver results making the client happy.

If the hair loss can be addressed through treatments we can offer all proven solutions but these would always be subject to regular reviews to make sure the client is satisfied with the progress they’ve seen. If we don’t think a treatment will work (and this applies to transplants especially) we will advise against and come up with a better solution which is more likely to give the desired results.

Unfortunately treatments aren’t suitable for everyone but there is always an answer and that’s often when the non surgical procedures we offer come in : they are suitable for anyone – male or female, young or old – and offer guaranteed results.

If you want to find out what your options really are if you are facing hair loss, please email or call us. We will be happy to help.

Who says you can’t put a price on happiness?! Seriously if your hair is having an impact on your day to day life, maybe it’s time to look at the options. At Hair Technology International we are happy to offer advice totally free of charge.

One of the questions that of tne worries people is can I afford to get the help I’d like with my hair. The truth is that you have to pay a certain amount to get a good result but there are far too many businesses in the hair replacement/hair loss field who charge much more just because the person is perhaps desperate to have the issue resolved.

We have heard of similar businesses charging £100 or more for an appointment – even allowing for a colour, we would normally charge less than half this amount. For the hair itself we calculate the price based upon the length of the hair desired, area needing help and the density required. This allows us to calculate a figure which we always guarantee will beat the price for a comparable solution from any of our competitors. What’s more we always only ask for a deposit of half the full amount – we want to earn the client’s trust and stand by all our promises, proven by the fact that the balance is only due when the client sees the result and is happy.

Hopefully you can see that not all hair replacement/ hair loss businesses are the same. To find out more about how we can maybe help you please call or email us.

At Hair Technology International we do many things well. There are also certain things we don’t do – for good reason. This is important as it is essential that you know the sort of business we are.

Firstly, and most importantly, we do care. We do rely upon people’s trust and we always try to repay this with the very best service they could expect from any business helping people affected by hair loss. If we can’t help or have any worries about expectations we do admit it, but this rarely happens. Most of all we do want to help.

We don’t apply any pressure when we meet someone. We don’t suggest procedures that are ridiculously expensive. We don’t offer or even recommend any finance plans. In shirt, we don’t follow many of the others in this business – we choose our own path.

If it sounds like we are your sort of people, please call or email us. We do believe you’ll be happy you did!