This story starts when Jonathan Gerow was a young boy, growing up in New York. He was developing a passion for art and music, following in the footsteps of his parents who were both lovers of both subjects.
Learning to play the guitar, Jonathan self taught his skills, also becoming an accomplished artist whilst at school. This was a very handy skill to habe for his first job upon leaving school, s tattoo artist, and a renowned one at that. Back to the music side of things, he has even released an album titled “Hold on Darling” which is by Xploding Dogs and features Myah Marie.
Sadly, in his early twenties, Jonathan received the heavy news that his beloved mother had been diagnosed with cancer. Whilst while continuing his dedicated work as a creative artist, he used every chance he could to spend time with her, whilst she underwent her treatment.
It was during this period that Jonathan learned about Scalp Micropigmentation (SMP). ‘I looked at what others were doing in those days and thought the final result could be a whole lot more realistic’ says Gerow. ‘the chemo patients that I had seen were losing their hair and some of them were devastated. This had a massive impact on me. After my Mom passed I dreamt about how I could help them and my Mom. I think it was my way of grieving for my Mom and following my passion’.
In order to learn more about SMP, he traveled to Europe, ending up in Birmingham, UK, where he could work with people in the field deemed “the best of the best.” This team were the inventors of SMP. He returned to the US, working with several companies, before co-founding his own: www.GerowHairInk.com.
On his website and the clinic he eventually opened up Gerow explains ‘There are no cookie-cutter SMP patients; everybody needs a slightly different solution. There are so many variables including head shape, natural hairline, ambient room temperature, skin texture, condition and much more. My new Company listens a lot to our patients before we start the process so that a great outcome is inevitable’.
Gerow Hair Ink is currently the busiest of its kind one in the world. It contains 5 technicians, all working full time.
Thinking about what the future hold for Jonathan as well as the SMP Industry as a whole he says ‘I believe that sometime in the not too distant future the Scalp Micropigmentation industry will be regulated. As the customers become more educated over time they will know and recognize what a final result looks and feels like’ he goes on to add ‘I want to play a role in helping as many folks as possible reap the benefits of this art form on our bodies. Whether it’s a patient with alopecia, pattern baldness or a chemotherapy patient who has lost his or her hair I want to help them. I want to make mychildren and my Mom proud!’
Instagram @jonathangerow @gerowhairink