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Introduction
From the outset I want to establish that whilst I am not particularly vain, I am self-conscious maybe as a result of poor parenting or whatever but this lack of self-worth led me to embark on 30 years of Hair-Transplant surgery. Maybe a bit of psychotherapy back then might have given me the courage to have just shaved my head and saved me from the scars both physical and mental which resulted from an ill-informed decision to go to the Nobel Clinic.
It was the scarring and pitting that has kept me on this path ever since.
Lets be honest hairloss isn’t cancer, but in an age where we are bombarded by a media obsessed with appearance, I felt pretty miserable with my situation: unsightly scars gradually being exposed by further loss of native hair.
So in 2008, eight years after my last round of carnage at the Nobel Clinic I went to have a repair with Dr Mwamba after some considerable research and correspondence. He basically gave me my confidence back in both myself and this industry.
In 2011 I went for a further consultation with the good Doctor in London. I had been concerned about the density and the midscalp since losing more native hair. And it was only this year, (2013), that I could afford to get this addressed. The lack of an option to shave my head had again driven my decision and a desire to benefit from Patrick Mwamba’s skill to restore my hair.
Getting there
I live in the South West of the UK so I had to get to London in order to cross into mainland Europe on Eurostar. The day before my procedure I caught the train from Reading to Paddington and the Tube to St Pancras International via the Circle Line Tube. On arrival at Brussels Midi Train Station I decided to take a Taxi to the hotel Axl Flathotel. It is actually less than a 20 mins walk away but longer by Taxi due to the road system but I didn’t know that at the time.
I chose this hotel because it is only a 10 minute walk from the clinic and the rooms are self-catering with cooker, fridge etc. So if I felt self-conscious about my scalp I could prepare my own breakfast etc rather than having to eat with hotel guests, (I brought my own cereals, milk etc).
Arrival/Assessment
On the morning of the op I had a good breakfast, (as advised in the pre-op instructions). This is very important as you require the energy for a few hours in the chair. I walked to the Clinic for 7.45 am and was greeted by Olivia a tri-lingual member of Dr Mwamba’s team. She was very friendly which basically set the scene for my entire time with them. I can only remember about three of their names but frankly they all need a mention as they all show the same skill, friendliness and commitment to their profession.
A word about the Clinic. It is a far cry from the Bed And Breakfast with makeshift operating room that was the Nobel Clinic. ))N_)(: It is a seriously well-equipped and welcoming purpose-built facility which inspires confidence.
Dr Mwamba arrived and we discussed my aims and objectives as is normal procedure. In my case I wanted to resolve the issue of density in the Forelock and the mid-scalp area which has a number of grafts from my infamous time with the Nobel clinic decades earlier. My hairstyle has been limited to brushing long hair back over the ‘missing’ area for some time now.
After the consultation followed the photographs and shaving of the donor.
Because of the depleted donor and scarring it was in the best interest that this area was shaved. But Patrick said leaving the hair at the front would not hinder his work. There is NO ONE I would trust more to navigate their way around and cherry pick grafts than Dr Mwamba.
I am not sure of the exact number of grafts but it was in the region of 1500-1700 in addition to the grafts already present in the mid-scalp. This may not seem like a big number but I have the plugs in the front from the NC and from my H/T in 2008. Also there was a lot of 3’s and 4’s. But one thing I know from my previous session with Dr Mwamba is that his placement of grafts really maximises the effect. With the 2,500 grafts he transplanted last time he virtually eliminated the visibility of my pits, plugs and scars.
The procedure
I was given Anti-Biotics but I did not require a Sedative.
Now I had the option of watching TV/a film but I always bring a guided meditation tape which is actually designed to avert Panic Attacks but it is priceless when it comes to staying relaxed and distracting from the noises of the procedure. I would HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS and if anyone would like these downloads let me know.
Olivia started to anaesthetize the donor area and I can tell you she was incredibly gentle.
All the staff were in good humour all the time and the banter between them and Patrick really felt reassuring. In my experience people who are happy in their work are often the most proficient at it. I admit that the language barrier could have been a problem but Olivia has a degree in English. French and Spanish.
Dr Mwamba worked his way around the donor area and created the plugs and the staff in rotation removed them. He then made the incisions in the recipient and the staff in rotation placed the grafts. This continued until lunch when where I had the meal I ordered during the procedure; eating with the staff.
The same system continued until about 8pm. There was a real sense of pride in their work; and attention to the seating of each graft was continual throughout the process.
At the end of this session of around 1200 grafts I was sat under a Lazer hood on a Shiatsu Chair for 1/2. This is believed to promote healing. After which I walked back to the apartment.
Next Day
I had a good night. Little bleeding, no swelling, little pain. I had a good breakfast and walked back to clinic.
The process was pretty much the same with a further few hundred grafts. Patrick, as discussed in the consultation, resolved an area which he pointed out was devoid of hair and would draw the eye. He did this with a smallish number of grafts. I was finished by mid-afternoon
I again had the Lazer treatment and was issued with meds and a folder with Post-Op Instructions.
I was offered the opportunity for them to wash my hair the following day, further Lazer Therapy and I had a final conversation with Dr Mwamba before leaving for Brussels Midi Station.
Conclusion
My time at the WHTC was as good as I could have hoped: Skilled and committed staff. A friendly atmosphere and a culture of excellence.
I would I recommend Dr Mwamba to anyone for the reasons as stated above. I have absolutely no affiliation to him or the WHTC other than as a patient. But if you are looking for someone who has the skill to harvest grafts safely and judiciously, can place them in the recipient areas to maximize their effect, and the artistic flair to create a natural hairline, then Patrick Mwamba is your man.
From the outset I want to establish that whilst I am not particularly vain, I am self-conscious maybe as a result of poor parenting or whatever but this lack of self-worth led me to embark on 30 years of Hair-Transplant surgery. Maybe a bit of psychotherapy back then might have given me the courage to have just shaved my head and saved me from the scars both physical and mental which resulted from an ill-informed decision to go to the Nobel Clinic.
It was the scarring and pitting that has kept me on this path ever since.
Lets be honest hairloss isn’t cancer, but in an age where we are bombarded by a media obsessed with appearance, I felt pretty miserable with my situation: unsightly scars gradually being exposed by further loss of native hair.
So in 2008, eight years after my last round of carnage at the Nobel Clinic I went to have a repair with Dr Mwamba after some considerable research and correspondence. He basically gave me my confidence back in both myself and this industry.
In 2011 I went for a further consultation with the good Doctor in London. I had been concerned about the density and the midscalp since losing more native hair. And it was only this year, (2013), that I could afford to get this addressed. The lack of an option to shave my head had again driven my decision and a desire to benefit from Patrick Mwamba’s skill to restore my hair.
Getting there
I live in the South West of the UK so I had to get to London in order to cross into mainland Europe on Eurostar. The day before my procedure I caught the train from Reading to Paddington and the Tube to St Pancras International via the Circle Line Tube. On arrival at Brussels Midi Train Station I decided to take a Taxi to the hotel Axl Flathotel. It is actually less than a 20 mins walk away but longer by Taxi due to the road system but I didn’t know that at the time.
I chose this hotel because it is only a 10 minute walk from the clinic and the rooms are self-catering with cooker, fridge etc. So if I felt self-conscious about my scalp I could prepare my own breakfast etc rather than having to eat with hotel guests, (I brought my own cereals, milk etc).
Arrival/Assessment
On the morning of the op I had a good breakfast, (as advised in the pre-op instructions). This is very important as you require the energy for a few hours in the chair. I walked to the Clinic for 7.45 am and was greeted by Olivia a tri-lingual member of Dr Mwamba’s team. She was very friendly which basically set the scene for my entire time with them. I can only remember about three of their names but frankly they all need a mention as they all show the same skill, friendliness and commitment to their profession.
A word about the Clinic. It is a far cry from the Bed And Breakfast with makeshift operating room that was the Nobel Clinic. ))N_)(: It is a seriously well-equipped and welcoming purpose-built facility which inspires confidence.
Dr Mwamba arrived and we discussed my aims and objectives as is normal procedure. In my case I wanted to resolve the issue of density in the Forelock and the mid-scalp area which has a number of grafts from my infamous time with the Nobel clinic decades earlier. My hairstyle has been limited to brushing long hair back over the ‘missing’ area for some time now.
After the consultation followed the photographs and shaving of the donor.
Because of the depleted donor and scarring it was in the best interest that this area was shaved. But Patrick said leaving the hair at the front would not hinder his work. There is NO ONE I would trust more to navigate their way around and cherry pick grafts than Dr Mwamba.
I am not sure of the exact number of grafts but it was in the region of 1500-1700 in addition to the grafts already present in the mid-scalp. This may not seem like a big number but I have the plugs in the front from the NC and from my H/T in 2008. Also there was a lot of 3’s and 4’s. But one thing I know from my previous session with Dr Mwamba is that his placement of grafts really maximises the effect. With the 2,500 grafts he transplanted last time he virtually eliminated the visibility of my pits, plugs and scars.
The procedure
I was given Anti-Biotics but I did not require a Sedative.
Now I had the option of watching TV/a film but I always bring a guided meditation tape which is actually designed to avert Panic Attacks but it is priceless when it comes to staying relaxed and distracting from the noises of the procedure. I would HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS and if anyone would like these downloads let me know.
Olivia started to anaesthetize the donor area and I can tell you she was incredibly gentle.
All the staff were in good humour all the time and the banter between them and Patrick really felt reassuring. In my experience people who are happy in their work are often the most proficient at it. I admit that the language barrier could have been a problem but Olivia has a degree in English. French and Spanish.
Dr Mwamba worked his way around the donor area and created the plugs and the staff in rotation removed them. He then made the incisions in the recipient and the staff in rotation placed the grafts. This continued until lunch when where I had the meal I ordered during the procedure; eating with the staff.
The same system continued until about 8pm. There was a real sense of pride in their work; and attention to the seating of each graft was continual throughout the process.
At the end of this session of around 1200 grafts I was sat under a Lazer hood on a Shiatsu Chair for 1/2. This is believed to promote healing. After which I walked back to the apartment.
Next Day
I had a good night. Little bleeding, no swelling, little pain. I had a good breakfast and walked back to clinic.
The process was pretty much the same with a further few hundred grafts. Patrick, as discussed in the consultation, resolved an area which he pointed out was devoid of hair and would draw the eye. He did this with a smallish number of grafts. I was finished by mid-afternoon
I again had the Lazer treatment and was issued with meds and a folder with Post-Op Instructions.
I was offered the opportunity for them to wash my hair the following day, further Lazer Therapy and I had a final conversation with Dr Mwamba before leaving for Brussels Midi Station.
Conclusion
My time at the WHTC was as good as I could have hoped: Skilled and committed staff. A friendly atmosphere and a culture of excellence.
I would I recommend Dr Mwamba to anyone for the reasons as stated above. I have absolutely no affiliation to him or the WHTC other than as a patient. But if you are looking for someone who has the skill to harvest grafts safely and judiciously, can place them in the recipient areas to maximize their effect, and the artistic flair to create a natural hairline, then Patrick Mwamba is your man.
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