Many men fear going bald and when their hairline does start to recede, there is litte choice over what to do: Comb-overs often look false, hair transplants are very expensive, there is little evidence to show how effective most lotions and potions are, and spray-on concealers wash off and are not a permanent solution.

However a new, slightly unusual procedure, is starting to gain popularity in part thanks to the cost and in part because it is permanent – a hair tattoo that costs around £2,000.

The procedure involves using pigment on the scalp to give the appearance of short, cropped hair. Different shades of pigment are used to help mimic the natural variation in size, shape and density of normal hair to give a more natural look.

The Micro Hair Technique (MHT) was developed by Ian Watson who came up with the idea after developing alopecia (where hair is lost from the head and/or body) and he asked a friend to draw dots on his head to give him the look of having cropped hair. Although the ink was removed when he had a shower, he decided to take his idea a step further and make it into a more permanent fixture.

It is claimed that very little ongoing maintenance is required therefore after the initial outlay, there should be little or no costs involved.

The MHT hair loss treatment is suitable for a wide range of baldness including a receding hairline, balding of the crown, and complete hair loss. It can also be used to help camouflage scars on the head for example scars left from hair transplant procedures.