Hi all, just swung by to share my hair transplant decision and journey with you all.
So I think it was from about my mid to late 20s that I really began to notice my hair loss and receding hairline, I wasn’t too fussed about this at first because I felt I still looked okay and confident in myself. However, as time went on, my hairline gradually kept creeping further and further back, aswell as my confidence being sapped, and every time I’d shower, I’d feel hair in my mouth when I shampooed. The more time that went on and the worse it got, I’d feel more and more conscious of how it looked and always worried of how it was sitting (if you know, you know on that one) 😅 I began to think of options of how I could alter this. I changed to a thickening, hair loss preventative (claiming) shampoo as a cheap option but I came to realise, even if it did work, it wasn’t going to fix my already tragic hairline. Therefore I began to delve into the hair transplant route, BEFORE IT GOT TOO BAD, which I personally feel is quite a big factor in this process! Hence the capitals! I done a bit of research, following hair transplant journeys on YouTube and what not and made the decision that this was the route I was going to take, seeing such good results and barely any negatives, if any!
Having made the decision to go for a hair transplant, the next step was to find someone to do it. I was very reluctant to follow the crowd and go to turkey for this as I was and am a little sceptical of work done for so cheap. I’m a believer in you get what you pay for! 😬 I found a local clinic who recommended me Dr Mani Mittal who I couldn’t have been more pleased with! A very down to earth man who will tell you exactly how it is with regards to your hair and realistic expectations.
Day of the surgery 😬
My mum and her partner kindly drove me to London, to the clinic, as you’re not allowed to drive home after having the procedure due to the anaesthetic. I was greeted by Dr Mani upon arrival where we consulted about how the day was going to pan out and his aim and expectations for my hair transplant. This was the first time we met due to covid restrictions at the time. He was very clear with his instructions, detailing how many grafts I was to have, the process of how it was done, marking out my new hairline and confirming we were both on the same page with it. I was thinning on the crown also but he recommended not touching that on the day which I was very surprised by but he proved to be very right. He also talked about the aftercare that I had to carry out and the importance of following it to a T to achieve the very best results, providing a little aftercare bundle/goody bag which was a nice touch. He also discussed the effects of taking Finasteride in this process, pros and potential cons, which is a very common plan with hair transplants. He made it clear that it is a tablet that will help reduce hair loss in the future and also potentially thicken hair up over time. This was one of the best choices I took in the journey as I feel it’s really assisted the transplant and transformed my hair, it has really thickened it up… evidence to follow 😅
Time for surgery 👨🏻🦲
Having finished with the consultation, Dr Mani took me up to where the procedure was going to take place. By this time we were chatting as if we’d known each other a few years and he really made me feel at ease with a really nerve racking situation. He introduced me to his lovely team who regrettably I can’t remember their names 🤦🏼♂️ but they were amazing! Aside from when they shaved my head, not a pleasant look or feeling as I hate the bald look on me with a passion! 😂 After this, the team sat me in the operating chair ready to start the procedure and Dr Mani began by making the incisions on our mapped out hairline ready to take the extracted follicles. A few minutes into this part of the procedure, I came over all faint and clammy, Dr Mani recognised this and stopped to allow me some time, giving me some water and a tablet that he recommended I take before the procedure but refused due thinking I’d be alright without it… wrong again! I got over my little spelt and Dr Mani cracked on as planned. This first part of the procedure took about an hour/hour and a half. The next part, I flipped onto my front where 1800 follicles were extracted from the back and side of my head. This was a strange yet painless feeling due to local anaesthetic. Finally, back onto my back for the follicles to be inserted into the already made incisions. This whole process started at about half 10 and I was out by 6, lunch break included which was very much needed.
Post op care 🕰️
Post operatively, I carried out Dr Mani’s instructions exactly as he said. The first week was tough due to sleeping and washing requirements and also to be very cautious of my head as even a slight knock could result in follicles being knocked out and hindering results. After this first week/2 weeks was out of the way, it was just a matter of time and patience to watch my hair grow as the healing process is generally compete after 2 weeks and you can carry on your life as normal.
Now 🧔🏼♂️
I am currently 10 months in to my hair transplant journey at the time of writing this and I can honestly say it’s the best money I’ve ever spent! I get compliments almost everyday on how good my hair looks and has bought back all my confidence. If your hesitant about having this done for whatever reason, JUST DO IT, you really won’t regret it.
Dr Mani 👨🏾⚕️
Furthermore to this, I couldn’t recommend Dr Mani enough for this procedure! Such an assured surgeon in this field and a too bloke aswell. I’ve been a bit lax lately of how my transplants going (as I feel like I’m there with it) but he’s been on top of me checking up on how the how’s growing and what the results are like. He’s passionate about what he does and he cares about his patients. 10/10 from me.
