For many people, losing their hair affects far more than their physical appearance, affecting their self-confidence and self-esteem. Cheltenham's Headstrong Clinic was founded by Russ Nicholson – one of Europe's leading scalp micropigmentation artists – to help men and women regain their confidence through subtle aesthetic treatments.
Born from the lived experience of losing his own hair during his twenties, while in the fire service, Russ sits down with SoGlos to share his personal experiences with hair loss – and how this motivated him to start his innovative clinic.
Russ, tell us a bit about your background and why you founded Headstrong Clinic.
Being a firefighter is about showing up for people on their worst days. You learn to stay calm under pressure, to care deeply and to put others first. Helping people has always been a huge part of who I am.
While I was serving, I started losing my hair – and it knocked me more than I expected. You’re building your life, meeting people, figuring out who you are and suddenly you don’t feel like yourself anymore. I’d look in the mirror and feel older than I was.
People say ‘it’s only hair’, but when it’s happening to you, it doesn’t feel small. It chips away at your confidence — in photos, social situations, at work. It’s always in the background.
After years of living with hair loss and feeling limited by my options, I discovered scalp micropigmentation (SMP) – a non-surgical treatment that replicates the appearance of natural hair follicles by depositing pigments into the scalp.
When I took the plunge and had the treatment myself, it transformed my life – not just visually but emotionally. It gave me back a sense of self. I stopped thinking about my hair constantly and that mental space coming back was huge.
I was inspired by what the treatment did for me and wanted to be able to offer that to other people. I was already at a crossroads in my career – serving in South Wales, living in Gloucester, meant a long commute and I wanted to spend more time with my family, so I decided to re-train and eventually founded the Headstrong Clinic.
I wanted to create a place where people feel comfortable walking through the door — no pressure, no judgement — just open conversations and treatments that genuinely help.
I’d never tattooed before, but even from the first go, it all clicked. I just seemed to get how to do it and had this epiphany where I thought, this was definitely what I needed to do.
Why did you choose to have scalp micropigmentation after losing your own hair?
When I lost my hair, transplants were an option but were expensive and not always reliable. Wigs and hair systems weren’t quite what they are today either; so, I just lost my hair and lived with it. I hated it, but there was no real other option for me at the time.
Years later, I discovered scalp micropigmentation (SMP) and was fascinated. The artistry of it, the precision, how natural it could look – it just made sense.
For someone who had lost the majority of their hair, I felt like it was the best solution. It gave me the look of a natural, full-head of closely shaved hair - but beyond that, it restored my sense of self.
It wasn’t about vanity. It was about confidence and feeling comfortable in my own skin again.
What are the main differences between SMP and hair transplants?
Hair transplants work by relocating hair follicles from one area of the scalp to another, which allows people to grow longer hair. They can be very effective for the right candidate, but they’re expensive and results can vary.
I’ve seen some excellent transplant outcomes, but I’ve also seen people left with significant scarring or disappointing results — particularly where hair loss continues after the procedure.
For someone who’s lost hair to the extent that I had, even a successful transplant would likely result in very fine, low-density coverage across the scalp. In contrast, scalp micropigmentation offers a permanent, non-surgical solution that creates the appearance of a closely shaved head.
With SMP, you can look in the mirror and feel like the shaved head is a choice rather than a necessity – and that shift in mindset can be incredibly powerful.
I think most people who have lost their hair would probably still love the option of a full head of hair. But for people who aren’t suitable for a transplant, or don’t want surgery, SMP is often the best option.
SMP is one of the main services at Headstrong, what else does the clinic offer?
As well as SMP, we offer Hyper Realism brows, which involves creating fine, hair-like strokes to replicate the appearance of natural eyebrow hairs. It creates a very subtle, realistic finish for both men and women who may have thinning or patchy brows.
We also provide a range of advanced laser treatments, including laser tattoo removal and laser hair removal for both men and women, as well as IPL Skin rejuvenation treatments – a non-invasive treatment that uses high-intensity pulses of light to improve skin appearance and address various skin concerns including pigmentation, rosacea, thread veins, acne and ageing.
Complementing our skin treatments we offer Carbon Laser Facials – sometimes known as the ‘Hollywood Facial’ — which uses laser energy in combination with a medical-grade carbon solution to deeply cleanse and exfoliate the skin, whilst stimulating collagen production and improving overall tone and texture.
At first, I planned to focus solely on SMP, but as the clinic has grown, clients were asking for additional services. I’ve always had a strong interest in skin – so expanding the treatment offering felt like the natural progression.
Headstrong Clinic's main goal is to restore people's confidence – how does hair loss affect the people you work with?
Most of the men who come to see me arrive wearing caps or hats. A lot of them tell me that very few people ever see them without one on.
There are some men who are completely comfortable with losing their hair — they embrace the shaved look and carry it confidently and I genuinely admire that. But for many others – and certainly for me personally – it has a real impact on self-confidence. It changes how you present yourself to the world and can even influence the opportunities you put yourself forward for.
For clients that have had SMP with me, often you can see the change almost immediately – people sit differently. They smile more. Sometimes they get emotional – especially with hair loss treatments. They often say, ‘I wish I’d done this years ago.’
SMP isn’t just for men. It can be incredibly effective for women experiencing thinning hair, helping to create the appearance of density and blend areas where the scalp may be more visible.
In some cases, it can also support people living with certain forms of alopecia, depending on suitability.
It’s not just about hair loss either. I have a lot of clients struggling with skin conditions such as acne and rosacea, scaring and pigmentation that can really impact how they feel. Areas of unwanted hair and old tattoos that they may have grown out of or have visually started to change or blowout – these are all things clients come in to find solutions for.
So, while it may seem like aesthetics on the surface, for most clients it’s about much more than appearance – it’s about feeling like the best, most confident version of yourself.
How does your own experience with hair loss impact the work you do?
I’m very open about my own experience. Because I’ve been where they are – and now I’m where they want to be in terms of the treatment – I think that helps people feel understood straight away.
SMP is a process that takes time, so you’re often spending 12 to 13 hours with someone across their treatment. During that time, people open up. They talk about how hair loss has affected their confidence, their relationships, their work – conversations that men in particular, don’t always feel comfortable having elsewhere.
Some of the things people share can be quite saddening. There are clients who feel embarrassed, who avoid social situations, or who don’t want to be seen without a hat. When something affects how you see yourself to that degree, it can quietly shape a lot of decisions in your life.
For me, having experienced that myself means I don’t just understand the treatment, I understand the emotional side of it too.
You do a lot of work in men's mental health, too – can you tell us about that?
Losing your hair is not the sole reason someone might struggle with their mental health, but seeing first-hand how much it can impact confidence, I am passionate about helping men feel better about themselves.
I think men’s mental health is still widely misunderstood – suicide remains one of the leading causes of death for men in my age group in the UK, which is a sobering statistic. A big part of that comes down to how comfortable men feel talking about how they’re really doing.
I support Andy’s Man Club, a UK charitable organisation that coordinates free, peer-to-peer support groups for men across the country. Andy’s Man Club is a great organisation offering safe spaces for men to talk openly. I’d love to open a local group one day, although the resource needed means that’s not possible just yet.
I don’t think we talk enough about how much hair loss can affect men and women mentally.
I’m also a skincare advisor for Look Good, Feel Better, a charity that offers free workshops for people living with cancer to help them manage the physical and emotional challenges of treatment.
I’m hoping to do more locally to raise awareness around skin health for men in particular – especially the risks of skin cancer – and to encourage men to take better care of themselves generally.
There aren’t always many places men feel comfortable going for support. Headstrong isn’t a mental health service, but for some people it can be a starting point — a place where they feel able to open up.
What advice would you give to someone struggling with self-confidence due to hair or skin concerns?
There’s a huge amount of information out there for anyone struggling with hair or skin concerns, but not all of it is helpful. Some of it is simply marketing, which can create more anxiety rather than offering real solutions.
When people come in to see me, many are feeling panicked because they don’t understand why something is happening or what their options are. Sometimes it’s about having an honest conversation – understanding lifestyle factors, possible medical routes, or treatments that could help slow or manage what’s going on.
The earlier you address it, the more options you tend to have. Even if someone is only just starting to experience thinning, SMP can sometimes be used to add the appearance of density to the hair you still have, alongside other changes that may make a real difference.
There is support available. People are always welcome to get in touch and have a conversation – there’s no pressure and no obligation.
Even if Headstrong isn’t the right fit, I’m always happy to offer advice or point someone in the right direction. The most important thing is knowing you’re not alone.
To book a consultation with Russ, visit headstrongclinic.co.uk/contact.
