Ahmed’s Story

I started losing my hair at around the age of 19, my eldest brother also experiencing hair loss at around the same age. I felt really bad seeing my bro having to go through that especially during his years in 6th form but i never thought for once that it would happen to me. I actually thought to myself my dad isn’t bald, so i guess it was just bad luck it happened to my brother.

More about Ahmed

I started losing my hair at around the age of 19, my eldest brother also experiencing hair loss at around the same age. I felt really bad seeing my bro having to go through that especially during his years in 6th form but i never thought for once that it would happen to me. I actually thought to myself my dad isn’t bald, so i guess it was just bad luck it happened to my brother.

So it was during the summer time of 2008 was when I started noticing the male pattern baldness kicking in and this was during the time I chose to grow my hair out as I wanted it a lot longer. I knew it had to be mostly genetics because I was stress free and carefree, just enjoying the summer without a worry in the world. However, the baldness seemed to have come on very quickly and my hair loss was accelerating at a scary rate which was a massive shock to me.

I was in denial, trying my best to comb my hair in different directions to try and cover up the baldness but it wasn’t long before my friends started noticing and then one day boom! One of them said are you going bald? I remember that feeling, it really hurt my soul, I tried my best to to hide it but couldn’t. It’s funny because when I had a full head of hair I didn’t care much about it at all, it was just the usual going to the barbers getting it trimmed and then forgetting about it. It was no big deal. But when i knew i didn’t have long left before I went fully bald that’s when I truly valued it.

For the next couple of years I went through a long and painful process of using hair concealers such as Nanogen, Toppik etc. In the beginning it was great because it covered the hair loss and people soon forgot I was going bald. The problem with using concealers is the constant anxiety and worry it brings with it. The thought of if it suddenly started raining or if the wind blew too hard the concealer would start flying off your head. Or the worst part if one of your mates decided to pat your head as a joke (which had happened before) and the concealer came right off, Luckily for me they didn’t notice it coming off because I was quick to put my hoody back on before they saw the bald patches that I had underneath. After a while, I started to lose even more hair to the point where it became pointless using the concealer which relied on attaching on to hair fibres for it to work.It was at this point that I thought, I have to let go because I’m fighting a losing battle.

For weeks I was researching into hair transplants and even sent photos of my head to get advice and an estimate on the costs. Some of the clinics got back to me and said that I was too young for the hair transplant and that it would be better for me to wait a few more years and then try for it, others gave me a quote and when I looked at the price I knew I never would be able to afford it. I was at the point of giving up trying to look for a solution. The hair loss had severely damaged my confidence. I dont think my brother was affected by it as much as I was because he chose to shave it off very early and accepted the bald head whereas I was in denial and held on for years which was horrible and damaging to me mentally and socially.

Somehow miraculously I came across SMP when I was on the internet. I was just lucky I guess. I looked through the website, saw the pictures on the galleries and went though a lot of the forums and I just couldn’t believe it, I thought this has to be the only way. I thought If I’m going to shave my head then why not just have the look of a shaved head which looks like a full head of hair??? It was mainly because of the help and advice from the members in the forums that really made me decide that this was for me. Their contributions to the forum and their journey gave me the confidence to go ahead with this.

After setting my first appointment, I went into the clinic to have my first session. I was so nervous going into the clinic but at the same time I felt safe that I had Brandwood Clinic doing the procedure. After having the procedure done I can honestly say I felt like a new person. They restored my hairline, my youth and my confidence. Such an amazing job. Their talent and experience really showed and I was so happy with the results! It exceeded my expectations and I couldn’t ask for anything better. After having all 3 sessions done, I felt like I could finally live my life without having to worry about my head.

I was able to go to the gym and workout out a lot more, whereas before I was worried about the sweat affecting the hair products I was using at the time. I’m in a lot better shape now and feeling even more confident as it compliments the look even more.

A couple of months later I booked a flight to Turkey. I was doing all sorts of fun activities whilst I was there without a care in the world. but the best part of that holiday was dipping into the ocean for the first time in years. I couldn’t go swimming for such a long time because of concealer use. Submerging my head into the water was the best feeling ever. I felt free.

Amhed After

It has been over a year since I had the treatment done and still so happy that I chose to do this. It took away a lot of the worries and anxiety that I felt when was going through hair loss and it gave me my confidence and my life back. It drastically changed my appearance and how I felt on the inside.

I owe it to the team at Brandwood Clinic who were so wonderful, professional and hospitable. They really took good care of me and I felt comfortable the minute I walked through those doors. I wanted to give a special thank you. They treated my brother and I like we were friends for a long time. They are good hearted and such a genuinely kind team.