• Welcome to Hair loss Experiences hair loss forum.

    Free impartial hair loss advice, hair transplant advice, hair loss medications and hair loss news.
    You can contact us directly at [email protected] if you experience any problems.

My Story

Mythek1

Mythek1

Valued member
I have been finding it hard to get on a couple of hairloss forums. I registered with 'Stophairlossnow' and 'Hairlosshelp' but in both cases my login details have been rejected . I'm beginning to feel there is a conspiracy. But then again this could be down to the inferiority complex I've carefully nourtured over the years.

I have had conversations about my circumstances with 'Spex' who I imagine most people who have researched hairloss will know. I know he is a 'go between' for Dr Feller and his advice was gratefully received.

THE NOBEL CLINIC

Ok, here we go: I started to feel self-conscious about my hairloss at around 18-20 years old, and some 25 years ago I decided to do something about it. The internet wasn't really available in those days so options were very limited . So I acted on an article in the paper by 'THE NOBEL CLINIC' in Horley, Surrey! At that stage hairloss was just minimal in the temple region. So a private doctor in Guildford who was paid by Nobel Clinic recommended Minoxidil. I was on this for a couple of years until I felt more drastic action was needed. He said that if a transplant was required in the future the Nobel Clinic was the place to go

To be honest the dates are a bit fuzzy. I probably blanked them out of my mind due to the trauma of the experiences. I went for my first transplant 20 odd years ago. I will have to look for the original paperwork. But the first op was for a couple hundred grafts and cost 2 or 3 grand.

The first one was pretty scary. The clinic was in a 4 storey victorian detached building in Horley with its own car park. The staff were friendly enough and I think they thought they were doing a good job. I went throught the paperwork, they assessed me and I payed the money. The thing that gave me false confidence was the certificate they gave me. 'We guarantee that the transplanted hair will grow for the rest of the patients life'. I didn't realise at the time that any grafts that failed to grow would just be discounted off the amount I owe in any subsequent transplant.

I had a medical by a doctor from a local surgery. They gave me a valium and they numbed me up - flippin' ouch! The clinician was not qualified as a doctor, I think she was a nurse. My hair was only cut in the donor area so hair would cover the surgey. They anaesthetised me front and back and set to work punching out 3 and 4mm grafts. This was quite traumatic to the scalp. I remember her getting frustrated when I sunk into the chair, under the force of her plunging the tool into my head. And had to keep pulling me back up! The holes were then sutured shut.

They then punched 4mm holes in the recipient area the 3mm ones towards the front. How they could have believed 3mm plugs could look natural in a hairline is beyond me! They then bandaged up my head really tightly.

The whole thing took only a couple of hours...it felt longer!

At that time the clinic had hotel facilities. So I was able to have a meal there. Unfortunately I had a really bad night. The trauma made me throw up, and the tight bandage made my head really throb all night. The next day I had the bandage removed and went home.

A couple of years later after I lost some more hair so I went back for more, a similar amount of grafts again. I was given a discount for the previous grafts which had failed to grow. I was so nervous this time that I had a panic attack on route to the clinic. I had to stop the car and get my courage back enough to go through with it. I arrived a bit late and was faced with the 'surgeon' who was pretty pissed off with me. The procedure was pretty much the same as last time.

The last op was in 2001. The plugs were starting to be betrayed by my hairloss even more. There were gaps in my hairline and this was not remedied by this last go by the Nobel Clinic. This time the op was done by the nurse of the previous 'surgeon', (in affect the nurses nurse!). She had obviously risen up the ranks.

RECENT YEARS

Things looked ok with my hair brushed forward for a while but my confidence was waning year by year. As I started to lose hair from my crown my plugginess was starting to become even more obvious. I started to retreat into my shell. I didn't want to go out and meet people, but when I did I would wonder if they were looking at my hairline. I found it hard holding a conversation when I was thinking they might consider me a bit 'freakish.' After all a bad hair transplant isn't like a disfiguring illness it's the result of a lifestyle choice.

So I had some useful conversations with Spex. I did a lot of research and considered my options. I had a consultation with DR MWAMBA in London. He works in Brussells but consults throughout Europe. He recommended 1000-1500 grafts in the frontal 1/3. He said the scarring means that blood supply isn't guaranteed. So a staged approach would be sensible. Also after three op's the back of my head lacked laxity.

I emailed some pictures of my hair to Spex and he reconed I would need at least 3,000 grafts. He said that a strip procedure was the best way to get good results more quickly. He said money and geography shouldn't be a factor in making a decision. He is obviously right. But my concern was the strip scar. I will attach an image of my 'shot gun blasted' back of my head to illustrate my point. Spex had only seen a picture with my hair covering the area so He could not have known how mutilated it was. I knew that I needed FUE.

So I decided to go to DR MWAMBA in Brussells. And he has given me my life back. I will post my experiences and results of this surgery in another post if I haven't outstayed my welcome.

 

Attachments

  • Back_6_Days_Post.jpg
    Back_6_Days_Post.jpg
    57.9 KB · Views: 2,126
Last edited:
janna

janna

Valuable Member
Hi!

First of all, WELCOME!

I was having trouble with HLH myself today too. Hmmm, we'll have to check into the conspiracy theory there.

It's tough to comprehend just what they were thinking with the 3-4mm punches. They devaste the donor area and isn't much better for the recipient area either.

Do you think you can post a picture from the front as well? I've heard very good things about Dr. Mwamba and I'm glad you're on your way to restoring the previous poor work.

All the best to you.
 
Shang

Shang

Sheepish Member
Mythek1



Welcome to the forum and thanks for sharing your story, unfortunately another UK clinic horror story, I really feel for you mate, there are a number of chaps on here with the same kind of horror stories so you €™re not alone they have lost a lot of donor hair and £ £ £ also. However, the more horror stories which are published the better as it may stop others from getting butchered by these clinics. I €™m really glad you €™ve got your life back and am looking forward to seeing your pictures. Another forum you can try is €˜thebaldtruth €™ forum if you want to get your story out there. Best wishes.



Shang
 
Mythek1

Mythek1

Valued member
Hi Janna

Thanks for the welcome :)

I'll sort out some pictures as soon as possible.

BTW, I had 2,350 grafts in the end, over two days and around 18 hours of actual surgery.

Dr Mwamba is a highly skilled surgeon and a real gentleman. The whole team were unbelievably attentive, skillful and competent. They worked from 9am to 11pm in rotation on two consecutive days. I can't express how fantastic they were. :)
 
Mythek1

Mythek1

Valued member
Shang wrote:
Mythek1



Welcome to the forum and thanks for sharing your story, unfortunately another UK clinic horror story, I really feel for you mate, there are a number of chaps on here with the same kind of horror stories so you €™re not alone they have lost a lot of donor hair and £ £ £ also. However, the more horror stories which are published the better as it may stop others from getting butchered by these clinics. I €™m really glad you €™ve got your life back and am looking forward to seeing your pictures. Another forum you can try is €˜thebaldtruth €™ forum if you want to get your story out there. Best wishes.



Shang


Cheers Shang :)

I haven't posted on any forum about my experiences over the past 20 odd years. I guess there must be a few of us out there.

Cheers for the heads up about the forum. I'll have a look there now. :)

I'll be paying financially for quite along time for my latest treatment. But it's the best money I've, or rather the loan company have spent. :q

 
Bigmac

Bigmac

Administrator
Staff member
Glad you found the forum and welcome.

Its good to hear Dr Mwamba was able to restore your hair and repair the previous work.

Be great to see your pictures.

I know HLH had a few log in issues but Farrel will sort them for you through the link it provides,dont know of any issues with shln.

Cheers bm.
 
Mythek1

Mythek1

Valued member
Bigmac wrote:
Glad you found the forum and welcome.

Its good to hear Dr Mwamba was able to restore your hair and repair the previous work.

Be great to see your pictures.

I know HLH had a few log in issues but Farrel will sort them for you through the link it provides,dont know of any issues with shln.

Cheers bm.

Hi Bm

I know I haven't got the perfect outcome so far. Dr Mwamba said I would benefit from another session after the results from this one became clear. But my aim for the procedure was to restore a natural hairline and thicken the middle front 1/3rd, and I think it is on the way to achieving that.

Here is a picture 6 days post op.
 

Attachments

  • Top_6_Days_Post.jpg
    Top_6_Days_Post.jpg
    44.6 KB · Views: 1,822
T.C

T.C

Member
Looks like a well designed hairline and very neat work.Can you post a photo of your donor area also when you get the chance ?.
 
Bigmac

Bigmac

Administrator
Staff member
Hi Mythek1

Unfortunately the old punch sizes were state of the art 20 odd years ago and there are lots of people suffering now because of this.

Fortunately these days as you have found out there are many skilled doctors who are able to repair the old work and give people their lives back.

I take it by the length of surgery you had it was fue.I take it after your previous ops a scar recision was not recomended.

The placement looks good and should provide you with a nice result.It will be great if you can document all the stages of your present and future work.

Thanks bm.
 
Mythek1

Mythek1

Valued member
TC wrote:
Looks like a well designed hairline and very neat work.Can you post a photo of your donor area also when you get the chance ?.
I'll start a thread in the results section with some pictures.



Bigmac wrote:
Hi Mythek1

Unfortunately the old punch sizes were state of the art 20 odd years ago and there are lots of people suffering now because of this.

Fortunately these days as you have found out there are many skilled doctors who are able to repair the old work and give people their lives back.

I take it by the length of surgery you had it was fue.I take it after your previous ops a scar recision was not recomended.

The placement looks good and should provide you with a nice result.It will be great if you can document all the stages of your present and future work.

Thanks bm.
Cheers bm.

It was fue. I think the scarring from the previous plug removals made this the only real option.

I quite liked my hair after it was cropped. So much so that had I not had the previous transplants, I think I could have lived without hair. Unfortunately the scarring closed that door to me.

If I want to revise the scar, I think we are looking at body hair and loads more dosh.





 
Top