Asim Shahmalak
Dr Asim Shahmalak (born 2 April 1961) is a British hair transplant surgeon, broadcaster, and proponent of such surgery. He performed the UK's first eyelash transplant in 2009, and has treated a number of British celebrity patients.
Asim Shahmalak
British
Surgeon and broadcaster
Dr.
Shahmalak began his career as a general surgeon in the Republic of Ireland in 1990, he joined the National Health Service (NHS) as a specialist doctor in general surgery in 2001, practising until 2011 when he dedicated himself full-time to private hair transplant surgery at his own Crown Clinic. He has appeared as an expert on a number of television and radio programmes, including the Channel 4 show Embarrassing Bodies, talking about his techniques and demonstrating his surgery. He also written and commented on hair transplant surgery and associated issues for a number of UK media publications and blogs.
Early life and career[edit]
Shahmalak was born 2 April 1961 in Karachi, Pakistan, the son of Hatimali Shahmalak and his wife Mehfooza Shahmalak. He was educated at St Bonaventure's High School, Sindh, before studying for his medical degree (MBBS) graduating at the Sindh Medical College, University of Karachi, Pakistan, in 1988. He trained as a general surgeon, moving to the Republic of Ireland in 1990 to take up a post as a Senior House Officer in General Surgery. In 1997 he qualified as a Specialist registrar in general surgery. He became a member of the Fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons (FRCS) in 1995 before moving to the UK in 1996.[1]
Shahmalak worked as a specialist doctor in General Surgery for the Warrington & Halton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust between 2001 and 2011. He worked privately as a hair transplant surgeon for The Hospital Group from 2005 to 2007. He founded his own Crown Clinic in 2007 alongside work for the NHS and The Transform Medical Group (2007–10). In 2011 he left the NHS to devote himself full-time to hair restoration at the Crown Clinic in Manchester[2] and Harley Street.
Shahmalak is a member of the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery [3] and takes an active part in the society's charitable initiative Operation Restore, which provides free surgery for patients suffering hair loss due to disease or trauma.[4]
Voluntary work in Pakistan[edit]
Since 2013, Shahmalak has been travelling to Pakistan to help the victims of acid attacks.[11] In 2014, Granada Television broadcast a report on the surgeon's self-funded trips to Karachi - with a team from the Crown Clinic - to perform surgery on women disfigured in assaults by ex-lovers, jealous friends or obsessive stalkers. Shahmalak carried out eyebrow restoration and hair transplants in addition to pioneering operations to replace eyelashes. The surgeon - who is reported to be only one of nine professionals in the world qualified to perform the surgery - also provided training for local doctors in order that they, in turn, can support other victims.[12] His work, which is carried out in association with the charitable Smile Again Foundation set up by former beauty therapist Masarrat Misbah, has helped victims such as 27-year-old Kanwal Qayum, who was doused in acid as she slept by a friend envious of her new job as an air hostess.[13] Another victim, Kanwal Ashar, had surgery to replace her eyebrows and eyelashes after being attacked by a man she refused to marry.[14] "I was devastated to hear these stories," explained Shahmalak. "I had tears in my eyes. How could one person do this to another? It is beyond belief."[15] According to the Granada report, prospective patients had travelled hundreds of miles - some on little more than donkey carts - just for the chance to get a consultation.[16] However, Shahmalak found that more than half of the women had to be turned away because their scarring was so bad, surgery would not work.[17] "It is heartbreaking," added the surgeon.[18] Shahmalak's pioneering work in the region has been covered by ITV's Good Morning Britain, ITN News and Granada TV among others. He was voted Man Of The Year at the North West's Fusion Awards in recognition of his efforts.[19] He continues to travel regularly to Pakistan - where there are around 300 acid attacks each year[20] - in order to help victims. Writing in The Times, journalist Carol Midgley described it as an "outstandingly generous, life-affirming act".[21]
In 2017, Shahmalak was interviewed by the BBC's Jane Hill about his charitable work in Pakistan and the spate of acid attacks in the UK.[22]
Early in 2018, Shahmalak returned to Pakistan to operate on more victims of acid attacks and his charitable trip was covered by the BBC on North West Tonight where he was interviewed by presenter Annabel Tiffin.[23] He performed eyelash transplants on two women as part of their facial reconstructions at a hospital in Karachi.[24]