So you've been doing your research. You've looked at photos, read about the process, maybe watched a few videos. You're interested but you're not ready to commit yet. You just want to talk to someone who actually knows what they're doing and get some real answers about your specific situation.
That's exactly what a consultation is for.
At Elegant SMP, the consultation is a no-pressure conversation. It's not a sales pitch. It's a chance for me to look at your scalp, understand your goals, and give you an honest assessment of what SMP can do for you. Here's exactly what the process looks like from start to finish.
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Step One: Send a Photo First
Before we even get on a call or sit down together, I need to see a photo of your scalp. This is the first thing I ask every potential client to do, and there's a practical reason for it.
A photo lets me assess two important things before we ever speak. First, your scalp health. Certain skin conditions, scarring, or scalp concerns are worth identifying early so I can give you accurate information during the consultation rather than discovering something mid-conversation. Second, your level of hair loss. Understanding where you are on the hair loss scale lets me give you a realistic pricing range before the consultation even starts, so you're not walking in blind on the financial side.
It doesn't need to be a professional photo. A clear shot of the top and back of your head in decent lighting is all I need. That one step makes the entire consultation more productive for both of us.
Step Two: Choose How You Want to Connect
Once I've reviewed your photo, we set up the consultation itself. At Elegant SMP you have three options for how that happens.
In person at my Buffalo location is great if you're local and want to see the studio, meet face to face, and get a hands-on sense of the environment before committing to anything. A lot of clients appreciate being able to see the space and the equipment firsthand.
Virtual consultation over video works well if you're outside the Buffalo area or just prefer the convenience of connecting from home. You get the same conversation and the same quality of information without the commute.
Phone consultation is available too for anyone who just wants a straight conversation without the video component. Some people prefer it and that's completely fine.
All three options give you the same thing: direct access to me, not a receptionist or a salesperson, to talk through your situation honestly.
What Happens During the Consultation
The consultation itself runs about 15 minutes. That might sound short but it's genuinely enough time to cover everything that matters.
We'll talk about your hair loss, what areas you want addressed, and what you're hoping to achieve. I'll walk you through what the treatment process looks like for your specific situation, how many sessions to expect, what the timeline looks like, and what results are realistic based on what I saw in your photo.
Pricing gets covered here too. Because I've already reviewed your photo before we speak, I can give you a clear quote rather than a vague range. SMP at Elegant SMP ranges from $1,500 to $3,500 depending on the extent of your hair loss, and by the time we're on the call I'll already have a good sense of where your treatment falls within that range.
If you have inspiration photos of hairlines or SMP results you like, bring them. It's not required but it helps. Showing me a reference photo of the style or density you're drawn to gives me useful context for how to approach your hairline design. Even if what you show me isn't exactly replicable for your situation, it tells me a lot about the direction you want to go.
What You Should Ask During the Consultation
A good consultation goes both ways. You should be asking questions too, and I'd rather you ask everything upfront than walk away with doubts. Here are the questions worth asking any SMP artist before you book, including me.
Ask to see healed results, not just fresh ones. Fresh SMP always looks impressive. The real test is how the work looks months later after it has fully settled and the client has been living with it. Any experienced practitioner will have healed photos to share.
Ask about their training and how long they've been doing SMP specifically. This is a specialized discipline and experience matters. I've been doing this for over four years and have trained under some of the most respected names in the industry.
Ask what pigments they use and why. You don't need a chemistry lesson but you do want to hear a confident, specific answer. Someone who understands their materials will be able to explain their choices clearly.
Ask what happens if you're not happy with the result. Understanding the correction and touch-up process before you commit tells you a lot about how an artist stands behind their work.
No Pressure, No Commitment
The consultation doesn't obligate you to anything. A lot of people come in or get on a call still on the fence, and that's completely fine. The goal is to give you enough information to make a confident decision either way.
Some people book their first session on the spot because the consultation answered everything they needed to know. Others take a few days to think it over. Both are perfectly normal and neither gets any pressure from me. What matters is that when you do decide to move forward, you're doing it with a full picture of what to expect.
If you've been sitting on the SMP decision and you're ready to take the next step, the consultation is where it starts. Send over a photo and let's talk.
Book your free consultation at Elegant SMP
Tommy T is the owner and practitioner at Elegant SMP in Buffalo, NY. He has over 4 years of experience in scalp micropigmentation and has undergone the procedure himself.
