Article 1.0: Understanding and Acknowledgement

 

1.1 The nature of the procedure will be explained to the client as well as its risk and permanent

nature

1.2 The client will receive written pre-treatment instructions and will read and confirm that they are fully understood.

1.3 The client will inform the clinic/practitioner of all medical conditions he/she is aware of including, but not exclusively: Disorders of the hair and scalp, Abnormal Heart Condition, Cold Sores (Herpes Simplex), Rheumatic Fever, Anaemia, Haemophilia, Prolonged Bleeding, High Blood Pressure, Low Blood Pressure, Or bleed easily, Bruise easily, Epilepsy, Diabetes, Thyroid Disturbance, Fainting or Dizziness, Kidney Diseases, Hepatitis, Cancer, Tumour, Growth or Cysts, Stroke, Tuberculosis, Healing Problems, HIV, Dermal Fillers/Botox, Keloid Scarring or scar easily.

1.4 Ink SMP shall not be held liable for any damage occurring as a result of the client’s failure to disclose such details.

1.5 The client will list all medications taken in the last 30 days. The client should avoid taking Aspirin or Ibuprofen in the two days prior to the session and must inform the clinic if they have done so.

1.6 Pre and post-op photos of the client will be taken and are to be used at the clinic’s discretion and in accordance with its legal requirements for documenting all work done. The client can request for his or her identity to be kept private.

1.7 Ink SMP reserves the right to amend the terms and conditions at any time and without prior notice and all new amendments will override previous terms and conditions.

1.8 Ink SMP reserves the right to amend our pricing structure at any time and without prior notice.

 

Article 2.0: Treatment

 

2.1 The SMP treatment is the choice of the client and the client alone and the client agrees to any actions or conducts reasonably necessary to perform the treatment.

2.2 The SMP treatment involves the use of pigments applied under the epidermis layer of the skin The SMP treatment is semi-permanent in nature and although the treatment can be reversed, the success of any reversal procedure is not guaranteed. The viability of laser treatment for SMP reversal can vary depending on skin tone and the strength of pigment used.

2.3 While we have never come across a single case of an allergic reaction to our pigment, allergic reactions can occur. We can carry out a patch test to determine the likelihood of developing an allergic reaction to our pigment if required or requested.

2.4 The client understands that there may be discomfort associated with the treatment, other side effects are as detailed on the consent form and may include but are not limited to slight bleeding, redness, discolouration or swelling.

2.5 For best results, the client must comply with our written aftercare instructions, in case these instructions are not followed the warranty for the treatment is voided.

2.6 Before each treatment, Ink SMP will provide an estimate as to how long the treatment will take. Due to numerous variables, these sessions may be shorter or longer than estimated and the client understands that no guarantee can be given to how many sessions are needed.

2.7 Different skin tones and textures can “accept” the pigment more readily than others and for this reason, some clients will require more sessions than others. Ink SMP cannot give any guarantee as to the number of sessions needed to complete treatment for any one individual client. “Complete” treatment refers to the originally agreed position of the hairline and requested intensity, but not alterations (see paragraph 3.1). Should additional sessions be required to achieve optimum results for the client that fall outside of the “average” treatment time, Ink SMP will not be liable for costs arising to the client for attending additional sessions, including (but not exclusive to) travel costs, accommodation costs, any economic costs to the client relating to time taken off work or loss of potential earnings.

2.8 Fading of pigment is likely to occur over time and periodic retouches may be necessary. Due to differences in hair texture and skin tone, Ink SMP can give no guarantee as to the duration of the treatment and the number of retouches that may be necessary.

2.9 Scar camouflage with SMP is performed to minimise the appearance of the scar. The client understands that Ink SMP can give no guarantee as to the visibility of the scar following SMP treatment and that scar tissue will accept pigment differently to normal skin, some irregularities can be visible in the scar area after treatment.

2.10 SMP treatment is designed to give the illusion of short or shaved hair, however it does not give the feel and/or texture of hair. When working with longer hair it does not sit on top of the scalp and while with longer hair it can help reduce contrasts between hair and scalp colour it cannot give the same 3D density as fibres that sit on top of existing hair.

2.11 Sessions in excess of those covered by the guarantee or for that work that deviates from what was originally agreed to (as stated in section 3) will be charged at our hourly rate which is as determined by the country where the treatment is being carried out, information regarding local rates are advised during the consultation process or are available on request, but the clinic reserves the right to change that rate at any time and no guarantee is given as to what price will be offered on the future.

2.12 The minimum hourly fee is one hour. If the session exceeds one hour, a second hour will be charged. For every hour that is exceeded, an additional hourly rate will be charged.

“Hourly rate” is defined as the time consultation with your technician begins and includes preparation time for the pre-treatment examination, discussion and planning time with the technician and preparation time for the application and efficacy of anaesthetic cream (if applicable).

2.13 The person or persons carrying out the treatment have undertaken training under the supervision of a treatment practitioner. Ink SMP cannot guarantee continued treatment with a specific technician.

2.14 The technician will make a professional judgement about when the work is considered “complete”, that is when the completed work cannot be improved upon by additional sessions. In cases where the client is not in agreement with the technician’s judgement, the case will be referred to the medical director. In such cases where the technician and medical director are in agreement and believe that additional sessions will compromise the achieved result, Ink SMP reserves the right to refuse further treatment regardless of it being within the warranty time, this is done only with the best interest of the client in mind.

2.15 In the unlikely event that removal of the Scalp Micropigmentation is requested, the client shall be liable for all costs related to the applicable removal treatment. (see paragraph 4.2)

2.16 Ink SMP reserves the right to cancel the procedure in the interest of client safety in such cases where the client is deemed to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol. In such an event, the non-refundable deposit will be retained as a cancellation charge.

2.17 Working on the scalp when it is dry or with flaking skin can potentially compromise the results for the client. Ink SMP reserves the right to cancel the session in such cases where it is deemed the results will be compromised due to the condition of the client’s scalp. In such cases, the non-refundable deposit will be retained as a cancellation charge 2.18 The non-refundable deposit will be retained as a cancellation charge if it is deemed that the client has failed to disclose known medical conditions or other possible contra-indications to treatment to Ink SMP in advance of their treatment that subsequently result in the cancellation of their treatment in the interest of client safety.

2.19 Ink SMP reserves the right to review and modify pricing and/or recommendations in such cases where pricing and/or recommendations have been given based solely on a photographic evaluation. If a client’s session is cancelled due to the client wishing to discontinue with treatment following a change to pricing and/or recommendations, the non-refundable deposit will be retained as a cancellation charge.

 

Article 3.0: Guarantee

 

3.1 The client agrees with the design and the positioning of the hairline and the expected outcome prior to commencement. By the second treatment, the position of the hairline as well as the intensity of colour can be modified, but any changes to the hairline or colour intensity after that time will be charged separately. (see paragraphs 2.11 and 2.12).

3.2 In the case of scar camouflage work, due to the thickened and unpredictable nature of scar tissue, multiple sessions may be required to achieve optimum results. Ink SMP will perform up to 3 sessions within the quoted price. If the technician deems that further improvement on the results can be achieved with additional sessions, an hourly rate will be applied (see paragraph 2.11 and 2.12) to treatment sessions exceeding the 3 inclusive sessions.

3.3 Should fading occur after the treatment is considered complete, the clinic will carry out 1 top-up session free of charge within the first 12 months from the date of the first session following an evaluation. The evaluation should ideally be in person with a technician to determine whether additional treatment is required. If the client is unable to attend in person, the clinic will make a remote evaluation only when provided with high-resolution photographs. In the case where photographs are not of good enough quality or prove inconclusive, a personal appointment will be required for the evaluation.

If additional treatment is deemed necessary, the session will be scheduled for a later date. If the technician deems that no additional treatment is required, Ink SMP reserves the right to refuse to perform further treatment at that time and if within the terms of the guarantee will arrange a

subsequent evaluation. Any additional treatment required after the top-up will be payable at our hourly rate.

3.4 Any treatment outside of the 12-month guarantee period from the date of the first session will be chargeable at our hourly rate. Paid sessions can only be reserved by paying a minimum hourly fee in advance. Time spent in excess of one hour will be chargeable per full hour at the clinic directly on the day of the session.

3.5 The guarantee is valid for maintenance only therefore any additional work such as but not exclusive to alteration to the hairline shape is payable at our hourly rate.

3.6 The guarantee (as stated in paragraphs 3.1 – 3.5) shall be void in such cases where the following has occurred: 

• The client has failed to adhere to our aftercare instructions.

• The client has tampered with the SMP procedure whilst undergoing treatment.

• Additional treatment has been carried outside the clinic including hair transplant, scalp

• micropigmentation with another clinic or artist medical treatments or Anything else that might have compromised the results.

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Article 4.0: Treatment with other practitioners

 

4.1 For those clients wishing to add to existing work performed by an alternative practitioner, the work will be charged at the local rate. On evaluation, Ink SMP reserves the right to refuse treatment to those clients seeking to add to existing work undertaken with an alternative practitioner.

4.2 For those clients who wish to remove and repair work undertaken by an alternative practitioner, laser removal will be chargeable at the local rate as determined by each clinic. The number of sessions required to remove the pigment cannot be guaranteed and will depend on the depth and strength of the pigment used, as well as on the age of the pigment and the individual. When removal is considered complete, the case will be reassessed and a quote given for the work to be carried out.

 

​Article 5.0: Payments

 

5.1 The client will be quoted a fee during a personal consultation or by photo analysis. Ink SMP will complete the work for that fee.

5.2 A nonrefundable £200 deposit must be paid in advance to secure the first session date (full paying SMP clients) or a £100deposit (SMP model clients), this can be paid by card over the telephone, by cash in person, by bank transfer or by payment link. Until such time as a deposit is placed, the client's desired booking date will remain available for other clients to reserve.

5.3 For full-paying clients – 50% of the remaining balance will be paid on the day of the first session if paying by card or cash. Bank transfers must be initiated in advance to ensure all funds have cleared by the first session date. Then the remaining 50% of the balance will be paid in the 2nd session. For clients receiving our model discount the full remaining balance is due on your 1st session.

5.4 The client will receive a receipt for each payment.

5.5 We accept: Visa and MasterCard, cash and bank transfers, please note we do not accept checks, American Express or Laser cards. Card payments must be accompanied by a photographic ID.

5.6 If paying by card on your procedure day, please advise your bank of the payment in advance so that they are aware it is a genuine transaction. Payment must clear prior to treatment commencing, so any issues with blocked transactions may result in the cancellation of your session and the retention of your deposit.

 

Article 6.0: Appointments and Cancellations

 

6.1 When you ask us to schedule treatment for you, we must do several things in advance of your chosen date:

Reserve the treatment room and treatment time for you Order and pay for any treatment supplies or sundry items that are required to fulfil your treatment. We must turn down every other client who would like to have treatment on the day and time we have reserved for you Because of the financial and time commitments we must make, we ask that you be definite about your desire for treatment and be certain that you have the funds available before asking us to schedule your treatment.

6.2 A non-refundable deposit will be charged to secure your booking. If you request cancellation of your treatment or are unable to attend for any reason, the non-refundable deposit will be retained as a cancellation charge.

6.3 If you are financing your treatment, do not request us to reserve a treatment date for you unless you are certain that you wish to proceed with treatment. If you later cancel your treatment, a calculation will be made accordingly as laid out in article 6.1 to include any direct charges imposed on the clinic by the finance company for the provision of these services.

6.4 Cancellations due to emergency or illness will be assessed on an individual basis. Postponements caused by unforeseen events will be assessed on a case-by-case basis. In all other instances, if you request cancellation of your reservation, the deposit sum will be retained as a cancellation charge.

6.5 Requests for the clinic to change your treatment date can cause major disruption to the provision of our services for other clients. Five working days of notice are required to postpone your booked appointment. This allows sufficient time for the session to be reallocated. If the client does not notify the clinic of the postponement, charges will be incurred as follows:

If the request to change your first treatment date is made less than 5 working days prior to your scheduled treatment, there will be a rescheduling fee equal to the minimum hourly fee to compensate the clinic for the loss of time.

After completing your first treatment, if you request to change any subsequent treatment dates with less than 5 working days of notice before the date we have reserved for you, there will be a rescheduling fee equal to the minimum hourly fee of to compensate the clinic for the loss of time.

After the treatment is considered complete and outside of the 12-month time period from the date of the first session, work will be chargeable at our hourly rate with a one-hour minimum fee to be paid in advance. Should you fail to attend or cancel with less than 5 working days’ notice, the hourly fee will be retained as a cancellation charge to compensate the clinic for the loss of time.

6.6 Should you arrive for your treatment session without any means of paying the agreed treatment cost that is due, Ink SMP reserves the right to cancel your session. An additional administration fee would be chargeable to reschedule your treatment to an alternative date.

6.7 Treatment sessions do not carry a specific value therefore the treatment quote given to the client covers the treatment in its entirety. Once you have commenced treatment with us, should you decide to discontinue treatment, the clinic shall not be liable to reimburse you for any value in whole or in part of sessions not yet undertaken.

6.8 Treatment sessions do not carry a specific value therefore if you have an agreement with the clinic to divide your balance in two parts over session 1 and session 2, this is done through our finance company and you will be liable for the full cost of the treatment should you decide to discontinue treatment with a balance still outstanding for your treatment.

6.9 Ink SMP will not be liable to reimburse/refund in whole or in part against treatments that have already been completed.

6.10 Ink SMP will endeavour to ensure that your appointment runs to schedule, however, for reasons beyond our control, we may need to cancel or postpone your treatment at short notice. In this unlikely event, every effort will be made to contact you in advance. We do not offer compensation if we cancel your appointment.

6.11 Ink SMP will not be liable for costs arising from scheduling changes in the provision of our Scalp Micropigmentation services, including (but not exclusive to) travel costs, accommodation costs, any economic cost to the client relating to time taken off work or loss of potential earnings.

 

Article 7.0: Licensing

 

7.1 Ink SMP is licensed by the local authorities to perform treatments; Scalp Micropigmentation and tattooing fall under this category.

 

Article 8.0: Premises

 

8.1 Ink SMP will ensure adequate sanitary accommodation is available.

8.2 Ink SMP shall ensure sanitary convenience is clean and in efficient order

8.3 The treatment room will be equipped with a suitable wash basin with running water.

8.4 All needles used for SMP come sterilised, are single use and are disposed of after use according to local regulations. Needles are never reused or carried from one session to another.

 

Article 9.0 Video Review Models

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9.1 If the client is still red after their last session, they must come back on another date to suit the clinic to do the video testimonial otherwise the full price for the stage of hair loss must be paid. For this reason, the client must be flexible with availability.

9.2 If the client can’t or refuses for any reason to do the video testimonial in good faith then the full price for the stage of hair loss would be due.

9.3 The client must follow our guidelines on the video reviews otherwise the full price for that stage of hair loss would be due.

 

Article 10.0 Models for Training

 

10.1 No negative reviews must be made without first giving Ink SMP the chance to finish the procedure over the 3 or 4 sessions as the first session that the trainee does cannot justify the finished result. If Ink SMP are not given the chance to complete the procedure, then the full amount for the stage of hair loss must be paid.

 

10.2 Ink SMP do not allow cancellations for models as it disrupts our schedule and you will not be refunded. We will not reschedule as we struggle to replace models at short notice.

 

Article 11.0 Complaints Policy and Procedure

 

11.1 Our Aim

Ink SMP is committed to providing a quality service and working in an open and accountable way that builds trust and respect. One of the ways in which we can continue to improve our service is by listening and responding to the views of our clients and stakeholders, and in particular by responding positively to complaints, and by putting mistakes right.

 

Therefore, we aim to ensure that:

 

• making a compliment or complaint is as easy as possible

• we welcome compliments, feedback and suggestions

• we treat a complaint as a clear expression of dissatisfaction with our service which calls for

• an immediate response

• we deal with it promptly, politely and, when appropriate, confidentially

• we respond in the right way – for example, with an explanation, or an apology where we

• have got things wrong, or information on any action taken etc.

• we learn from complaints, use them to improve our service and review annually our complaints policy and procedures

• We recognise that many concerns will be raised informally, and dealt with quickly.

 

Our aims are to:

 

• resolve informal concerns quickly

• keep matters low-key

• enable mediation between the complainant and the individual to whom the complaint has

• been referred

• This policy ensures that we welcome compliments and provide guidelines for dealing with complaints from members of the public about our services, facilities, staff and volunteers.

 

11.2 Definitions

A compliment is an expression of satisfaction about the standard of service we provide.

A complaint is defined as any expression of dissatisfaction; however, it is expressed. This would

include complaints expressed face to face, via a phone call, in writing, via email or any other method.

All staff should have sufficient knowledge to be able to identify an “expression of dissatisfaction”

even when the word “complain” or “complaint” is not used.

 

11.3 Purpose

We are always glad to hear from people who are satisfied with the services we offer. All

compliments are recorded, and acknowledged, and a copy is sent to the relevant service manager to

provide feedback to the member of staff or service.

 

11.4 Complaints

The formal complaints procedure is intended to ensure that all complaints are handled fairly,

consistently and wherever possible resolved to the complainant’s satisfaction.

 

11.5 Responsibilities

Ink SMP responsibility will be to: 

acknowledge the formal complaint in writing; 

respond within a stated period of time;

deal reasonably and sensitively with the complaint; 

and take action where appropriate.

 

A complainant’s responsibility is to:

bring their complaint, in writing, to Ink SMP’s attention normally within 8 weeks of the issue arising;

raise concerns promptly and directly with a member of staff in Ink SMP;

explain the problem as clearly and as fully as possible, including any action taken to date;

allow Ink SMP a reasonable time to deal with the matter, 

And recognise that some circumstances may be beyond Ink SMP’s control.

 

11.6 Confidentiality:

Except in exceptional circumstances, every attempt will be made to ensure that both the

complainant and Ink SMP maintain confidentiality. However, the circumstances giving rise to the

complaint may be such that it may not be possible to maintain confidentiality (with each complaint judged on its own facts). Should this be the case, the situation will be explained to the complainant.

 

11.7 Complaints Procedure

Written records must be made by Ink SMP at each stage of the procedure.

 

Stage 1

In the first instance, staff member(s) must establish the seriousness of the complaint. An informal approach is appropriate when it can be achieved. But if concerns cannot be satisfactorily resolved informally, then the formal complaints procedure should be followed.

 

Stage 2

If the complaint cannot be resolved informally, the member of the public should be advised that a formal complaint may be made and the following procedure should be explained to them. It may

sometimes be appropriate for a different member of staff, preferably a member of the Management Team, to make this explanation.

A formal complaint can be made either verbally or in writing. If in writing the attached form should be used. If verbally, a statement should be taken by a member of the Management Team, staff member or a supervisor.

In all cases, the complaint must be passed on to Niall McGinnis. In the event of a complaint about Niall McGinnis he must be contacted directly.

Niall McGinnis must acknowledge the complaint in writing within one week of receiving it.

One of the above will investigate the complaint. Any conclusions reached should be discussed with the staff member involved and their Line Manager.

The person making the complaint will receive a response based on the investigation within four

weeks of the complaint being received. If this is not possible then a letter must be sent explaining why.

 

Stage 3

If the complainant is not satisfied with the above decision, then the complaint would be passed to Ink SMPs insurers to intervene.

The sub-group will examine the complaint and may wish to carry out further interviews, and examine

files / notes. They will respond within four weeks in writing. Their decision will be final.

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