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Repaired and improved By Dr Mwamba

fanto

fanto

Member
It €™s been approximately 6 weeks since I had a combined technique surgery with Dr Patrick Mwamba at his clinic in Brussels, Belgium. I had meant to write a report, review etc long before this but a mixture of being involved in work, life and general laziness just stopped me doing so. But for the record - here it is now:
My surgery took place on the morning of Feb 4 2012. I had travelled from England via the Eurostar train the night before and booked into a great little hotel literally 2 minutes walk from the clinic. The weather was freezing (-10) and ice and snow were all around - I was very glad it was a short walk back.
I arrived at the clinic at 8:30 a.m. and was greeted by the good Doc and his wonderful team. I hadn't really felt anxious until this moment - then suddenly the realization that I €™m going to be cut, stitched, injected etc hit me but one of the nurses, a lovely American lady called Mindy put me totally at ease. It was Mindy and 2 other nurses: Claudine and Giselle who for the most part, worked on me and my head - they were all very sweet and caring people. Dr Mwamba shaved my head and then the stubble was dyed a light brown colour for easier visibility - all relevant photos were taken and then I took some valium to settle nerves - it does the trick;-)
I €™d been dreading the injections - not just the pain but also the possibility of the heart racing adrenaline effect. I can truthfully say that the pain was minimal and very bearable and the heart racing never happened at all. I sat on the chair and was given a pile of DVDs to choose and watch - I chose a whole season of Seinfeld and chuckled my way through the entire procedure. Like I said, the efficiency, professionalism and caring nature of the Doc and the team was outstanding and made the whole op seem effortless and strangely, the most relaxed I €™d felt in ages.
Just a brief reminder about my case - I am, by society €™s viewpoint: Middle aged and closer to 50 than 40 - However I €™ve never really adhered to all that ageist nonsense and lived life as a free and youthful spirit. Most people seem to think I €™m 10 years younger and I €™ve had 20 odd years of yoga, pilates, barefoot running, weight lifting and a fantastically healthy diet - I €™m a primal/paleo eater but have also been raw. I €™m 5ft 10, weigh 10 stone and am lean, cut and toned with a low body fat percentage - so biologically younger than some guys half my age - Think of Sting at 46 but with a bit less hair :) But I do have that older guy mentality of realistic expectations - I know I €™m not going to have the thick, lustrous hair of boys in their teens and early 20s nor the sumptuous waves of certain older foxes like Clooney et all. I am a repair and I am looking for an improved version of what I have - I €™m still vain enough to care but do accept that there will be limitations.
In the late 80s I was sort of conned into a stupid pluggy HT and stupid enough to return to them for more - my donor was ravaged as a result and the cosmetics were not great but bearable - for a while. In 1998 I saw Dr May in London who did improve it, a little, with two small strip repairs but despite good haircuts and my red/blonde turning to white and thus softening the whole effect, I was never happy ( that €™s an understatement).

Here is what Dr Mwamba predicted might be possible after our first consult in July €™11:

PLAN/COMMENTS

Reddish blonde hair before  turn to white now

Goal: Increase density from front to back.
Plan:
1. Poor Donor density with open donor scars+ linear scars from FUT
2. White hairs €“ white skin  Less contrast. Very favorable for the patient.
3. Surface to treat by order of priority
Central part (55 cm2)to graft at 15-20 FU/cm2
Crescent moon (25 cm2) to graft at 15-20 FU/cm2
Frontal Zone (20 cm 2)
Top R-L (16cm2)
Frontal Zone + Top R-L : to graft at 10 FU/cm2
Vertex R: 28 cm2

Range total: 2000 to 2500 grafts
Procedure recommended: Combo Strip (600-1000)+FIT(600-1000) shaven+BHT(remaining with beard hair)


And here is what actually happened:

Day one
A 21cm long and 1cm wide strip harvested 840 grafts most of which had 2,3 and 4 hairs
The average density in my virgin scalp had a follicle density of 71 FU/cm2 - Hair density 150 hairs/cm2. The FITs harvested a further 948 grafts using a 1.0mm punch
1,s 95 grafts 2 €™s 470 grafts and 3 €™s 383 grafts.
Day Two
The BHT harvested 1 €™s 600 grafts, 2 €™s 69 grafts and 3 €™s 30 grafts.

So, in summary, The first day strip and FIT got 1150 grafts and the 2nd day FIT and BHT got 1337.

So I appreciate that for some of you 2500 might be nowhere near enough for what you want but I €™m very pleased and am just keeping my fingers crossed that all goes well. The grafts, during surgery, were non problematic - no popping out. And Dr Mwamba told me that I exhibited absolutely no signs of further thinning or loss so you never know, this could be good enough for me for the rest of my time - tho €™ I am aiming for 105 years of age:)

The grafts were divided evenly with most of the BHT going in the crown/vertex area, the FIT and strip all going into the central part and some more BHT going into the pluggy area at the front. I intend to keep the style short and forward

The first night post op was mildly painful -but one pain killer was enough to take it away and I never needed another after this. The scabs all fell, cleanly, off after 7-9 days and the scar feels pretty much healed - still a little pink and visible - all the absorbable sutures fell off naturally after 4.5 weeks. I €™ve had a few little sore pimples but no problems at all.

During my time at the clinic I and my girlfriend were treated like royalty - not like the experience of those British Clinics - We ate with the Doctor and staff and it was some seriously good fare : I had a Belgian steak and masses of salad and cooked vegetables which kept me going all day. The days are long, I wont deny that - 12 hours at a time in the chair but, hey, that €™s a small price to pay, right? Throughout my stay I was treated kindly and respectfully by the team and loved them for that.

I €™m now looking at my thin scalp, still pinkish, and hoping for the growth to begin
I €™m still apprehensive about hitting the exercise regime again - I was told it may be ok after 4 weeks but you hear different stories about weight lifting causing scar stretching and some guys even leaving it for 6 months whereas others hitting the gym again after 3 weeks. I €™m going to go slowly and light and see how I feel.

Would i recommend Dr Mwamba and the MWHT clinic? Yes, at this point most certainly and if I get the results I €™m looking for within the 4-9 months, then most wholeheartedly.
Wish me luck, fellas - and the same to u all.
 
Bigmac

Bigmac

Administrator
Staff member
Thanks for sharing your story and yes, we`d like to see your pictures, you can upload them to your gallery by clicking the gallery at top left of page.

Cheers Bm.
 
Mythek1

Mythek1

Valued member
Great write-up ¬b` brings back good memories of my procedure with Dr Mwamba and his team.

Expecting good things from your H/T

Hoping to arrange further treatment with him soon.:::C
 
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N

Nasser

Member
Hi,

I would really appreciate if you share photos with us. I am interested.
 
fanto

fanto

Member
Have not forgotten - just involved in other things - will get round to this asap.
 
fanto

fanto

Member
hi folks - been busy hence quiet on the forum. Nearly 4 months post op. Got a few pics together - still got to get round to posting them.
In the meantime.....ANYone know where Dr Mwambas site has gone? Has it vanished? Or is this just me? IF u click on any of the surgeon's icons below, they all work and take u to the site EXCEPT WHTC! where it leads to a dead end.

What's going on here then?
 
janna

janna

Valuable Member
fanto wrote:
hi folks - been busy hence quiet on the forum. Nearly 4 months post op. Got a few pics together - still got to get round to posting them.
In the meantime.....ANYone know where Dr Mwambas site has gone? Has it vanished? Or is this just me? IF u click on any of the surgeon's icons below, they all work and take u to the site EXCEPT WHTC! where it leads to a dead end.

What's going on here then?

I clicked on Dr. Feriduni's and WHTC's cards at the bottom and they each led me to their respective websites.
 
Bigmac

Bigmac

Administrator
Staff member
Yup, both sites seem to be working fine.

You can email me your pictures and i`ll add them for you.

Cheers Bm.
 
C

Christel

Valued member
Hello Fanto, it's been about 5 months, how are you doing?
 
W

wiseone

member
Hey Fanto, I know this is a long shot, if you still frequent the forum could you post your final result? I've recently had a consultation with Dr Mwamba and looking to confirm a date with him early February when I sort my time off work.
 
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