The Science of SMP: Pigment & The Skin

Have you ever wondered what happens to the pigment in our skin after an SMP treatment?

As pigment enters the dermis, cells called dermal macrophages spring into action to capture and hold the pigment in place.

Macrophage cells are a type of white blood cell that protect the body by ingesting foreign material and assist with fighting infections and general immunity. The immune system will respond to the pigment as a foreign body and attempt to clear it.

Since the pigment particles are too bulky for the macrophage cells to break down, they will instead trap the pigment in their vacuoles which are essentially empty storage bubbles within a cell. Here, the pigment will sit happily in the empty space until the cell dies, and the process starts all over again in a neighbouring cell!

It's true that the pigment will fade over time due to external factors including sun exposure and lifestyle, but the pigment will not completely disappear. Cosmetic tattoos fade faster than traditional tattoos as traditional tattoos use ink which is much more concentrated than pigment, and with larger particles. The depth of a cosmetic tattoo is also much more superficial than a traditional tattoo.

Keep an eye on my blog for more on SMP!