I shall be returning home to Chiang Mai shortly,after my first visit back to the UK for 4 years.

Since of have been in the UK I have been diagonised with a melanoma (skin cancer)

I have had treatment and hopefully after my final meeting with the specialist,I will be given the all clear.

I have been informed I will need to see a specialist every 3 months for the first year.

I would like to visit one of the dermatologist recommeded in Chiang Mai but I am not sure if they specialize in this certain area. Has anyone else had any check ups and if so could you please me give your opinion?

I was thinking of booking a return flight from the Uk but did not like the idea of taking my daughter out of school again. Also the price for air tickets will be way more than seeing a specialist in chiang Mai.

But at the same time I do need to feel reasurrance from the specialist I visit that they are more than competent in this field.

Any help or comments would be grateful.

I'm presuming your melanoma was malignant. Therefore, I'm also presuming you had a wide incision to remove it and other treatments. If it was malignant you should also know from the lab report, the Clarkes Level (1-5) and the Breslow's depth of the melanoma, as these are the major indicators for 'the (your) future'.

If it were me, I would go and see Dr. Siri at his office near Thapae Gate or at Sripat Hospital and lay all the information in front of him and see what you think.

Good luck, wherever you go.

Edited January 19, 201214 yr by uptheos

Yes to malignant and yes to the wide incision. The first biopsy indicated a thin melanoma less than 1mm. This meaning it has not spread beyond this point. I am still awaiting further biopsy of 3 other melanoma. Which I should receive in the next week.

Upon these results giving me the all clear,I shall return to Chiang Mai and seek out the expertise of Dr.Siri.

Many thanks

Many thanks for this information .

The best derma dr in CM is the lady dr in the CMram hospital. Not too many other drs that I would give my recomendations, but she does know falang skin and all the surgical and medical equipment is there under one roof at Ram. And a bonus is that she is the most beautiful dr I've seen in Asia.......

Just make sure you ask for the lady dr, as the male dr is a quack. Sorry, I forget Thai names easily....

The best derma dr in CM is the lady dr in the CMram hospital. Not too many other drs that I would give my recomendations, but she does know falang skin and all the surgical and medical equipment is there under one roof at Ram. And a bonus is that she is the most beautiful dr I've seen in Asia.......

Just make sure you ask for the lady dr, as the male dr is a quack. Sorry, I forget Thai names easily....

Sure, the OP can choose one of any recommendations and I wish him well.

Malignant Melanoma is not dependent on knowing a farang's skin as all the major factors regarding mortality, is how far it has grown beneath the skin, which is determined by Clarkes Level and Breslow's Depth.

The best derma dr in CM is the lady dr in the CMram hospital. Not too many other drs that I would give my recomendations, but she does know falang skin and all the surgical and medical equipment is there under one roof at Ram. And a bonus is that she is the most beautiful dr I've seen in Asia.......

Just make sure you ask for the lady dr, as the male dr is a quack. Sorry, I forget Thai names easily....

I would say that the 'best' in C.M. is Dr. Siri. There may be other good dermatologists here but if you require serious skin surgery then in almost all cases (regardless of the hospital) Dr. Siri will be called in to cut you open. He is considered by many doctors in Thailand and abroad as one of the best in the country. I'm fairly confident in saying that not too many others doctors in Thailand will bring up 16 pages of google hits!

I have nothing to do with him and don't know him other than having been a patient for 5 years now and every Thai I know in C.M. knows of him and has seen him at some point. He did surgery on me and not a single scar. I had skin surgery in Europe and have horrible scars from the doctors there.

Also I don't know the male doctor at Ram who you call a 'quack'. I'm guessing there are a few dermatologists there. But Dr. Siri no longer does clinics there but still does surgery at Ram.

Edit: Dr. Siri also practiced in the USA.

Edited January 20, 201214 yr by elektrified

The best derma dr in CM is the lady dr in the CMram hospital. Not too many other drs that I would give my recomendations, but she does know falang skin and all the surgical and medical equipment is there under one roof at Ram. And a bonus is that she is the most beautiful dr I've seen in Asia.......

Just make sure you ask for the lady dr, as the male dr is a quack. Sorry, I forget Thai names easily....

Easy name to remember and pronounce ...... Dr CHATBONGKOCH KHEMACHEEWAKUL

Again many thanks to all your comments and help. Much appreciated.

You may want to consider visiting an oncologist as well.

You may want to consider visiting an oncologist as well.

Good advice, but an oncologist would need to have the original slide read or a full report of the two levels previously mentioned. These are essential for treatment and prognosis of survival rate.

Breslow's Thickness:

Approximate 5 year survival <1 mm 95-100%1 - 2 mm 80-96% 2.1 - 4 mm 60-75%> 4 mm 50%

Five anatomical levels are recognized in Clarkes Level, and higher levels have worsening prognostic implications. These levels are:

• Melanoma confined to the epidermis (melanoma in situ)
  
• Invasion into the papillary dermis
  
• Invasion to the junction of the papillary and reticular dermis
  
• Invasion into the reticular dermis
  
• Invasion into the subcutaneous fat
  

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breslow's_depth

Edited January 21, 201214 yr by uptheos