Is it a Red Flag Having Surgery on the Weekend?

[HappyMan2021]

I'm having surgery this year with Dr. Mwamba and its scheduled over 3 days - Sat/Sun/Mon. 

Is it a red flag or in any way potentially detrimental having surgery on the weekend?

I don't want to read too much into this if there is no concern, but just curious.

[NARMAK]

57 minutes ago, SadMan2021 said:

I'm having surgery this year with Dr. Mwamba and its scheduled over 3 days - Sat/Sun/Mon. 

Is it a red flag or in any way potentially detrimental having surgery on the weekend?

I don't want to read too much into this if there is no concern, but just curious.

As long as you have chosen a clinic properly with good patient reviews, ethics etc. then it should not matter. The difference between a hair mill and a top clinic is their professionalism regardless of when the procedures taking place. 

At the end of the day, the clinic shouldn't be booking you in for the weekend if they're not prepared to put in the required diligence. 

Dr Mwamba seems highly regarded on here. I think you should be fine. 

[RTC]

What makes you think surgery on a weekend is dodgy in any way?

[HappyMan2021]

18 minutes ago, Aslitarcan sucks said:

What makes you think surgery on a weekend is dodgy in any way?

I probably am really overthinking it, but idk a thought that has crossed my mind is perhaps the doctor is max booking in patients overcapacity, maybe working on 2 or even 3 patients a day, very rushed, etc. and that leads to a very hectic workload that spills into the weekend.

I know there is nothing inherently wrong with weekend surgery, and it is with Dr. Mwamba so I know I'm in good hands, idk it just seems a tad bit unusual to have an elective cosmetic surgery on the weekend. 

[BaldingtimetoLdar]

17 minutes ago, SadMan2021 said:

I probably am really overthinking it, but idk a thought that has crossed my mind is perhaps the doctor is max booking in patients overcapacity, maybe working on 2 or even 3 patients a day, very rushed, etc. and that leads to a very hectic workload that spills into the weekend.

I know there is nothing inherently wrong with weekend surgery, and it is with Dr. Mwamba so I know I'm in good hands, idk it just seems a tad bit unusual to have an elective cosmetic surgery on the weekend. 

Overworking can for sure lead to less than desirable results, I mean I think this goes for most jobs. The more tired you are the more mistakes you will probably make. This would probably depend on his scheduling though of course as he may have the days before your surgery off.

I'm actually considering Mwamba and I did wonder how he operates so many clinics and whether or not this would have an effect on his results.

Edited March 20, 2022 by BaldingtimetoLdar

[HappyMan2021]

35 minutes ago, BaldingtimetoLdar said:

Overworking can for sure lead to less than desirable results, I mean I think this goes for most jobs. The more tired you are the more mistakes you will probably make. This would probably depend on his scheduling though of course as he may have the days before your surgery off.

I'm actually considering Mwamba and I did wonder how he operates so many clinics and whether or not this would have an effect on his results.

yea idk, im too deep in to the process, I'm not going to bring it up with the clinic, and I think I am just overthinking it, so I guess I will just have faith in Mwamba and his method. There is a reason he has such a good reputation. 

Also everything I've heard about Mwamba's work ethic is he really goes ham on his work and alot of effort into his surgeries. His clinic said my surgery each day will start in the morning and can potentially last well into the night. So I doubt he's cutting corners or 'cheating' somehow with weekend work. And I'm seeing him over 3 days which seems like more than enough time to get everything in. 

And - to your point - for all I know he has days off before my surgery, so at this point it really is just my mind worrying and coming up with every scenario imaginable haha.  

[JoeMan]

2 hours ago, SadMan2021 said:

yea idk, im too deep in to the process, I'm not going to bring it up with the clinic, and I think I am just overthinking it, so I guess I will just have faith in Mwamba and his method. There is a reason he has such a good reputation. 

Also everything I've heard about Mwamba's work ethic is he really goes ham on his work and alot of effort into his surgeries. His clinic said my surgery each day will start in the morning and can potentially last well into the night. So I doubt he's cutting corners or 'cheating' somehow with weekend work. And I'm seeing him over 3 days which seems like more than enough time to get everything in. 

And - to your point - for all I know he has days off before my surgery, so at this point it really is just my mind worrying and coming up with every scenario imaginable haha.  

I'm not sure it's just your mind. I think the concern is valid and it's reasonable to ask the clinic about this. I wouldn't be crazy about it and imply that he's overbooked but asking them if it's normal for weekend surgery doesn't seem out of line. Maybe you'll get an answer that puts you at ease. 

I do think that it's a little odd but really good Dr's are usually addicted to their job. 

My orthopedic works like 15 hr days 5 days a week and then performs emergency surgery on weekends. He basically has no other life. He's a top surgeon in the US. This is just an example of course. For a HT this seems a little odd but like I said, what's the harm in asking. 

 

[JoeMan]

Also, you're never too deep into the process to cancel if you see red flags. Not at all implying this is one but I'm just saying that if you start to feel uncertainty about other things as well, canceling is always an option.

[civic]

2 minutes ago, JoeMan said:

Also, you're never too deep into the process to cancel if you see red flags. Not at all implying this is one but I'm just saying that if you start to feel uncertainty about other things as well, canceling is always an option.

He will most likely lose the deposit, but peace of mind is priceless.

[deeznuts]

I booked my surgery with Dr. De Freitas on a Monday (I was pretty insistent on that) just cause statistically, Monday is the day when people are most productive.

Also, it seemed really nice to me that I would be able to fly in any day from Friday to Sunday and have an entire weekend off to figure things out

[JoeMan]

2 minutes ago, deeznuts said:

I booked my surgery with Dr. De Freitas on a Monday (I was pretty insistent on that) just cause statistically, Monday is the day when people are most productive.

Also, it seemed really nice to me that I would be able to fly in any day from Friday to Sunday and have an entire weekend off to figure things out

I like this plan. I think Dr. Mwamba has multiple clinics as well so this could also be an explanation. Maybe he's at his other clinic like Mon - Wed then travels? Certainly I'd ask though. My main concern would be the staff. Most Dr's don't mind putting in longer hrs but usually the staff isn't thrilled about it. 

[civic]

30 minutes ago, deeznuts said:

I booked my surgery with Dr. De Freitas on a Monday (I was pretty insistent on that) just cause statistically, Monday is the day when people are most productive.

Also, it seemed really nice to me that I would be able to fly in any day from Friday to Sunday and have an entire weekend off to figure things out

Same here, i booked Mon-Tuesday, 2 day FUE with my doc,  wanted to make sure the doctor is well rested, but from OP, it seems some doctors work weekends, i guess we just gotta trust the universe, not dwell on what's beyond our control

[Z--]

Dr. Mwamba produces great results. Honestly, I wouldn't worry. Hopefully, you'll miss a bit less work that way in any case!

[HappyMan2021]

4 hours ago, JoeMan said:

I'm not sure it's just your mind. I think the concern is valid and it's reasonable to ask the clinic about this. I wouldn't be crazy about it and imply that he's overbooked but asking them if it's normal for weekend surgery doesn't seem out of line. Maybe you'll get an answer that puts you at ease. 

I do think that it's a little odd but really good Dr's are usually addicted to their job. 

My orthopedic works like 15 hr days 5 days a week and then performs emergency surgery on weekends. He basically has no other life. He's a top surgeon in the US. This is just an example of course. For a HT this seems a little odd but like I said, what's the harm in asking. 

ugh crap, just another thing for me to worry and agonize over lol. I guess I have nothing to lose by asking the clinic. I just feel I will come off as an obsessive crazy person.

I'm not sure I will get a clear answer from the clinic, based on previous communication with them. And even if I don't like the answer, I don't think its a big enough issue for me to cancel. 

But I shall see. 

[JoeMan]

7 hours ago, SadMan2021 said:

ugh crap, just another thing for me to worry and agonize over lol. I guess I have nothing to lose by asking the clinic. I just feel I will come off as an obsessive crazy person.

Really I think it's a valid question to ask. I'm not sure how much he charges but I'd like to think a well respected Dr can answer this question and understand the concern that you have. I bet most Dr's don't do weekend procedures but I'm just guessing here. 

I would just ask if it's normal for weekend procedures? How often do you schedule weekends? 

 

[Rahal Hair Transplant]

Sadman,

The day of the week or whether or not you’re having hair surgery on a weekend shouldn’t matter as long as you’ve selected a hair registration surgeon with a proven track record of producing outstanding results.  What makes you think that having surgery over the weekends would be a problem or red flag? Did somebody express those concerns to you?

It seems to me that you are stressing a bit over something rather trivial. If you are confident in the surgeon you’ve selected and their ability to produce excellent results then, I wouldn’t worry about such a trivial detail.  That said, for peace of mind, I suggest asking the clinic and why he’s booked you for over the weekend and share your concerns with them. And then listen to what they have to say.

Best wishes,

Rahal Hair Transplant

[lakes9925]

3 day surgery? how many grafts you getting

[HappyMan2021]

2 hours ago, lakes9925 said:

3 day surgery? how many grafts you getting

appx. 2000 grafts to lower the hairline and fill in the crown. In addition I have appx. 2000 or so existing badly angled grafts that he will be redirecting/re-angling. 

It was originally scheduled for 2 days but I questioned the clinic if that was enough time (I'm not sure Mwamba saw the full extent of my bad angles during the webcam consult) and the clinic then made it 3 days. 

So IMO its a generous amount of time which is great. And I'll be going back on the 4th day for a cleanup with the tech. Possibly a post op inspection with Mwamba as well, not sure on that part.  

Maybe I am being somewhat Karen-esque with this whole weekend thing. But unfortunately I've been burned before on my HT journey so, even though Mwamba has a fantastic reputation, I'm still feeling uptight and just kind of anxious about every aspect of surgery. 

[RTC]

I wouldn't worry, Mwamba's work and reputation seems stellar.

Wy not just ask Joshua?

[dearwarsaw]

On 3/20/2022 at 6:01 PM, SadMan2021 said:

I'm having surgery this year with Dr. Mwamba and its scheduled over 3 days - Sat/Sun/Mon. 

Is it a red flag or in any way potentially detrimental having surgery on the weekend?

I don't want to read too much into this if there is no concern, but just curious.

SadMan2021, I had surgery with Dr Mwamba in mid November 2021. The consultation with him was in Atlanta, GA, on a Sunday and I thought it was odd that it was on the weekend, especially on Sunday. In fact, when I got to the place I was supposed to be at, Northwest Medical Center, it was not clear to me how to find the doctor because the place was empty and the entrance doors I could find were locked.

 

This is the exact message I got from their customer service rep several weeks before the consultation:

 

 

Northwest Medical Center is not a small facility and I couldn't figure out how to get to Suite 200. Eventually, I ended up calling one of the phone numbers on the email and fortunately somebody answered (on a Sunday). The customer service representative told me he would get ahold of Dr Mwamba to let him know I was there. Eventually, the doctor came down from his office and unlocked the door. Everything went smooth after it.

So, a few things. Things seem to be disorganized with his team and it looks like they don't have a process to make things nice and easy for the patients/customers. This is a known problem. I exchanged emails with Matt Dominance who started helping Dr Mwamba with the educational side of things around November 2021 and he was aware of this.

Even though I knew about the good reputation of Dr Mwamba because of this forum and because of the surgery Matt Dominance had with him, I felt very uneasy on that particular Sunday when I couldn't find how to get to his office and the most helpful email I had was the one you see above. SadMan2021, you have reasons to feel like you might be scammed but the doctor is legit.

Something else that I want to mention is that I was given a place in NJ for the surgery because the dates that worked for me and the doctor were in that state. I live in Columbus, OH, so travel distance is about the same. The day before the surgery, late at night, I realized that I was not given a TIME for the surgery, only a place.

 

 

I decided to show up at 7:00 am only to find more locked doors, and feelings of potentially being scammed after having put my deposit down. I called customer service, which sounded like it was too early to pick up the phone, they checked with the doctor and confirmed that 9:00 am was the time of the appointment. Once I finally got to see the doctor and his team, everything went really well. As everyone has mentioned, they are all amazing, very caring people.

On a different note, I will eventually post my surgery and results but I'm giving it time so I can have enough material from the beginning all the way up to at least 6 months. Maybe more, I haven't decided on that yet. I took daily pictures on the first month and every week there after. Things are going well. You will see.

 

[JoeMan]

40 minutes ago, dearwarsaw said:

SadMan2021, I had surgery with Dr Mwamba in mid November 2021. The consultation with him was in Atlanta, GA, on a Sunday and I thought it was odd that it was on the weekend, especially on Sunday. In fact, when I got to the place I was supposed to be at, Northwest Medical Center, it was not clear to me how to find the doctor because the place was empty and the entrance doors I could find were locked.

 

This is the exact message I got from their customer service rep several weeks before the consultation:

 

 

Northwest Medical Center is not a small facility and I couldn't figure out how to get to Suite 200. Eventually, I ended up calling one of the phone numbers on the email and fortunately somebody answered (on a Sunday). The customer service representative told me he would get ahold of Dr Mwamba to let him know I was there. Eventually, the doctor came down from his office and unlocked the door. Everything went smooth after it.

So, a few things. Things seem to be disorganized with his team and it looks like they don't have a process to make things nice and easy for the patients/customers. This is a known problem. I exchanged emails with Matt Dominance who started helping Dr Mwamba with the educational side of things around November 2021 and he was aware of this.

Even though I knew about the good reputation of Dr Mwamba because of this forum and because of the surgery Matt Dominance had with him, I felt very uneasy on that particular Sunday when I couldn't find how to get to his office and the most helpful email I had was the one you see above. SadMan2021, you have reasons to feel like you might be scammed but the doctor is legit.

Something else that I want to mention is that I was given a place in NJ for the surgery because the dates that worked for me and the doctor were in that state. I live in Columbus, OH, so travel distance is about the same. The day before the surgery, late at night, I realized that I was not given a TIME for the surgery, only a place.

 

 

I decided to show up at 7:00 am only to find more locked doors, and feelings of potentially being scammed after having put my deposit down. I called customer service, which sounded like it was too early to pick up the phone, they checked with the doctor and confirmed that 9:00 am was the time of the appointment. Once I finally got to see the doctor and his team, everything went really well. As everyone has mentioned, they are all amazing, very caring people.

On a different note, I will eventually post my surgery and results but I'm giving it time so I can have enough material from the beginning all the way up to at least 6 months. Maybe more, I haven't decided on that yet. I took daily pictures on the first month and every week there after. Things are going well. You will see.

 

Yes please create a thread and post your results. This always helps. While I don't think this Dr is scamming anyone, I think the OP is wise to be mildly concerned about a weekend surgery. If this is normal for this Dr then I guess it's not a big deal. Either way I'd just ask for your own peace of mind. Sure, it's probably nothing to worry about but asking someone about it can only ease your mind as well. 

[HappyMan2021]

52 minutes ago, dearwarsaw said:

SadMan2021, I had surgery with Dr Mwamba in mid November 2021. The consultation with him was in Atlanta, GA, on a Sunday and I thought it was odd that it was on the weekend, especially on Sunday. In fact, when I got to the place I was supposed to be at, Northwest Medical Center, it was not clear to me how to find the doctor because the place was empty and the entrance doors I could find were locked.

 

This is the exact message I got from their customer service rep several weeks before the consultation:

 

 

Northwest Medical Center is not a small facility and I couldn't figure out how to get to Suite 200. Eventually, I ended up calling one of the phone numbers on the email and fortunately somebody answered (on a Sunday). The customer service representative told me he would get ahold of Dr Mwamba to let him know I was there. Eventually, the doctor came down from his office and unlocked the door. Everything went smooth after it.

So, a few things. Things seem to be disorganized with his team and it looks like they don't have a process to make things nice and easy for the patients/customers. This is a known problem. I exchanged emails with Matt Dominance who started helping Dr Mwamba with the educational side of things around November 2021 and he was aware of this.

Even though I knew about the good reputation of Dr Mwamba because of this forum and because of the surgery Matt Dominance had with him, I felt very uneasy on that particular Sunday when I couldn't find how to get to his office and the most helpful email I had was the one you see above. SadMan2021, you have reasons to feel like you might be scammed but the doctor is legit.

Something else that I want to mention is that I was given a place in NJ for the surgery because the dates that worked for me and the doctor were in that state. I live in Columbus, OH, so travel distance is about the same. The day before the surgery, late at night, I realized that I was not given a TIME for the surgery, only a place.

 

 

I decided to show up at 7:00 am only to find more locked doors, and feelings of potentially being scammed after having put my deposit down. I called customer service, which sounded like it was too early to pick up the phone, they checked with the doctor and confirmed that 9:00 am was the time of the appointment. Once I finally got to see the doctor and his team, everything went really well. As everyone has mentioned, they are all amazing, very caring people.

On a different note, I will eventually post my surgery and results but I'm giving it time so I can have enough material from the beginning all the way up to at least 6 months. Maybe more, I haven't decided on that yet. I took daily pictures on the first month and every week there after. Things are going well. You will see.

nice this is exactly what I needed to hear and puts me at ease as I will be at the NJ location as well. 

I'm curious, did any other dr. operate on you at all or was it all Mwamba? How were the techs? I've been told its his Belgian techs and they fly with him everywhere. 

[dearwarsaw]

I previously posted this on a different thread:

They were 3 in total. Dr Mwamba, Dr Onumah and Carine, who I believe is a nurse/technician. Dr Mwamba and Carine did the whole procedure. Dr Onumah looked like she was being trained and I perceived she did only a very few things on my head. The surgery was done at Dr Onumah’s office in NJ.

Carine told me she has 10 years of experience doing hair transplants. Dr Mwamba has 20+.

Dr Mwamba and Carine do hair transplants in Belgium as well. I don’t know if there’s other people who might be part of the team over there.

[Gatsby]

My first day of surgery was scheduled for Sunday but my flight landed one day later. My last day of surgery was on a Saturday.

[Melvin- Admin]

I had my surgery on New Years eve and New Year. Did it matter? No. Many world renowned surgeons operate on weekends. 

This is a free market, which means supply and demand. If there’s a high demand for surgeries on weekends, then the surgeons must supply. Why on earth would this be an issue, seriously sometimes these threads get ridiculous.