gimpoli

Hey everyone. Long time since my last update. I went AGAIN for another round with Mwamba in July 2022. 4 months later and the results are GREAT. This time he took mostly beard (and more chest) units. I am happy with how things are now. That, combined with oral minoxidil tabs, a good laser cap, things are fantastic. I feel like I am basically restored, even though I keep a short back and sides, no concerns or self-consciousness. Guy is a legend, trust in him!

From a woman called Dayana who works out of Marbella/Estepona in Spain. Dayana Abreu on Linkedin.

I wanted to follow up on this post. As everyone knows I wasn't as happy with the last session somehow. @mustangreminded me that what had probably actually happened was the previous SMP had faded. There's a good chance he was right and when I went back for another session of SMP (so damn painful) it once again improved the donor appearance, particularly when the hair is shorter (0-1 grade). I have actually decided to book another day with Mwamba for 500 grafts in July, @mustangagain, valuable in making my decision. This time I might extract from the beard, coarser hair to sit on the top sections that hair never seemed to 'settle on'. I am wondering if in some places, hair just doesn't settle well (or pigment as in SMP, for that matter) on scar tissue. I know everyone is different and for some it grows out perfectly. Obviously there's less blood supply to a scar so the hair may just fall out. I really hope my next session is more successful but it's definitely good to combine. Get the HTP reparation first and then SMP. I think it really needs 2-3 SMP sessions to get results. Attaching photos PRE SMP and why I decided to go for a third repairation with Mwamba.

That's really awesome to hear. In hindsight I think the effects were more spectacular from just my first, but of course I wanted more. I am wondering now if by doing my second I've actually provoked the loss of more hairs than I've gained. Sometimes when you're quite happy with a result you should probably leave it there. Would be interesting to hear @mustang's opinion on this. Generally I thought it had massively improved, it has, but I saw the back well today in the mirror and it seems to have randomly deteriorated. Not sure why that would be. I will keep the group posted but still 100% recommend Mwamaba and am definitely not trying to create doubt. My donor is 100 x better thanks to him. But it'll never be perfect.

And to further, I had an SMP but don't think it really stayed. Not seeing much help filling in the holes from that, so might need a re-touch up. Unfortunate!

I actually had a better look today with double mirrors and I actually feel I have gone a little bit south. Not sure the second body hair transplant had much of an effect. Still very reliant on the Toppik for the upper sides, and the donor area at the back still very spacey/holey, obviously a demolished donor even when short. I am going to talk to Mwamba again and see if I can fix the donor even potentially at the expense of some of the good quality hairs on top. I'm less pleased today then I was before and will maybe back-track on my 1s and 2s all over. Still seems a bit premature, but will talk to him in case I have options. Moral of the story: get a HTP right (and sparing graft wise) the first time, but if you have suffered a bad job, there are options. It'll never be perfect again though.

Not worried anymore. Been through enough of these things. If it keeps going south, I will just stick to number 1s/2s all over.

Hmmm, I guess it depends per case. He likes to prescribe his protein shakes, I took them for a while but stopped. Also hair vitamins, but I don't take anything for hair now.

No meds at all. Mwamba didn't even recommend I do. That includes applying any creams or sprays. No minoxidil, nothing. I think my hair thinning on top has pretty much stopped. Think I had aggravated hair loss from stress/gym nutrition and doing a better job these days to stop taking dodgy pills and manage stress. The donor area still isn't great I know but why I have a 0 low fade, and really short hair on the back and sides. This was taken before I just went for a chop. Less obvious the thin donor the shorter it is I think. That said, look at the front sides of my donor area. That was never touched. I just have a natural thin hair type.

Hey guys, long time coming I know so apologies for the delay. So I'm now about 7 months since my last (second) repair job with Mwamba. The photos are WITHOUT Toppik of course, and apologies if the light isn't great. As you can all tell from the first set, hair has come on massively since the epic botch job took place in 2019. Mwamba is literally a saint. I have a low fade hair cut so the lack of volume in parts of the donor isn't really a big deal. I've also had a couple of SMP treatments and that seems to extra help with the appearance of volume if you keep your hair short and tidy. As you see, on the upper sides there's still some density lacking and Toppik does a great job at masking those parts. I do admittedly rely on it, and because I have diffuse thinning (even before a HTP) it's a friggin' savior. During my second I tried to add more density there, but obviously the chest hair quality isn't quite up to scratch and several just aren't sticking. That being said, I am happy with the result now, isn't a Toppik overload, takes me about 20 seconds a day to do. I just keep it cut once a week or so. The hair on top I am happy with. Still a more the average visible crown, but the HTPs (especially Mwamba ofc) definitely has helped there, now it doesn't look that bad at all. Have a good day all, and for those with decimated donor areas, body hair DOES WORK! It saved my self-esteem and I have Mwamba to thank. You won't regret going with this whiz! Was well worth traveling over and getting it done RIGHT!

Yep it's doable, but don't ever expect to get back the same density and quality of original hair you remove from the donor. That said, good quality BHT does a pretty damn good job at plugging the hole.

Hey guys, will post some photos soon. I am beyond 6 months now and the results are... EPIC. I did a couple weeks ago SMP for density, and I think that combined with my improving results from my BHT, can hardly tell I had a HTP on my donor now. I put only a tiny bit of Toppik in now, rest fixed itself. Pretty unbelievable, I am 100% happy now and won't go in for more treatments if it stays this way. Top of my head is as if I was never balding, the donor now is basically normalized too. Mwamba is the best and body hair really works...

Hmmm..... So if my top thins out? I think I will give up. I was never that bald to begin with. I had a stupid HT, paid the price for a bad job and Dr Mwamnba cleaned up. He really is a wizard. My body hair saved me. Now I look just pretty normal, fuller on top and slightly less at back and sides, but Mwamba made this a non issue with his wizardry!

Hey guys, I will post some photos soon. This second time repair has actually been a little slow growing in. Not sure what your experience was @mustang? I am nearly at the 5 month point and pretty good now. The right side is still a little off and need Toppik on the upper parts - well actually left side too - I have a low fade hair cut - but starting to improve now. Think I got pretty bad shock loss on the right side which has and still is taking a little long to recover. Let's give it another month and I will post photos. Overall though I am very thankful to Mwamba and his team, they did an insane job using BHT and now it's so much better. Can go out without being self-conscious.

Not long. No. But that's also part of why I went BHT to donor. I think that's its big purpose. It covers the bald spots that ARE detectable even when short, and replaces with an actual follicle, distinct from say a SMP mark. For those with short back and sides style, it is a great option as a filler. It may work grown out, I guess depends on your own donor area limitations.

Your best bet is to take the @mustangapproach. Use your original head hairs in the donor area to transfer to the top, but replace them with BHT, especially if you keep your hair short. The density will never of course be the same as before and it does feel a little finer as it grows out (versus the full donor area before). But the BHT really does work great as a filler.

The only difference really is density, but doesn't seem to matter so much in the donor. I did my second chest>head transplant a month ago and now awaiting the results from that. Overall, this procedure really changed my life. Can you tell/feel the difference up close? Nope. I keep my donor hair relatively short, but no, I would suggest the transplanted grafts blend in quite well. Nothing odd about them at all. Give Dr Mwamba a go and sure will change your life!

Hey Mustang, Only just reading your replies now. I literally just got back from Belgium for my (third) transplant, second with Mwamba. This time we did around 600 BHT - chest > donor. He put in some more into the crown. I am pretty good on the top now and no real issues. Even my donor area is almost perfect now. I went back for the second restoration because I still need to use Toppik on certain parts. Especially on the right side, there were a few holes. With some luck, this latest intervention will help plug the gaps. I do indeed trust Mwamba and his team. I am confident that's it for me. Mwamba commented that I still got 500+ good grafts around my belly region but probably won't need to tap them, unless I keep balding. All in all another fantastic experience, this time over 2 days for the 600. Amazing clinic and team and you always leave in full confidence. I really appreciate them!

Nope, from what Mwamba says, it's the reverse. Grafts transplanted take on the characteristics of where they're going to, not their origins. Blood flow, etc.

Loads fine for me. Will add another, hang on. As you can see from chest, there's no actual lasting damage/scarring. Any minor scarring would be covered by the hairs anyway. And despite that it looked like almost all had been depleted, some of the hairs were in the dormant phase and sprung out later. Mwamba made a really good point that I didn't mention: body hairs that are transplanted take on the characteristics of the area they're implanted. So growth patters while usually shorter in body hair, mimick those of the scalp when moved over there. Nobody talks about this and probably are scared to put their name to such a big claim, but so far I haven't noticed any unusual shedding on the recipient.

Hey, and no problem. 1. Good point. The official line is to sleep face down. I for one can't do that! So I just slept in the orthodox position, face up and made sure not to move or rub. You just have to be statuesque. First night maybe a couple grafts came loose, but not many. 2. Yes it was, but doc deemed my chest to be a better option for me. Plus I have ginger in my beard mixed in with the black hair, so I'm not the best candidate. 3. Yep, attached a shot from today. I guess if you compare to my original, it is of course less dense. But it looks probably better to be fair. The scarring is almost non-existent as I see. Not becauxe it's covered up by chest hairs. It just is barely even noticeable. The dots you see are freckles.

Yep he is. The change especially visible at the back of my head I think. Also should be noted that Mwamba moved nape hair > my crown and it really has improved it. Wizardry!

Correct @mustang - for some reason we have no pics of the chest extractions, but they healed really well in about 2 months. No scarring.

And finally day 2. That is all. I go back for hopefully 1000 or so more chest grafts > donor in August and will keep everyone updated. The left side of head seems to have grown better than right, not sure why. I am at 5 months now. More toppik needed right side.

Now here is the day 1 wet-hair pics.