My Cosmetic Surgery Journey

[fifobeauty]

MY PLASTIC SURGERY JOURNEY – INTRO

(Rhinoplasty Reduction, Cheek Implants, Aquamid Lip Enhancement, Tickle Lipo)

I’m sure you have all gathered from the heading that I am having or have had surgery, and both are correct, however this post will mainly focus on the surgeries I am going to have this year.

After months of research, the information I found the most helpful was peoples actual firsthand surgery experiences (or their friends or families experiences), however it is very hard to find information that tracks the whole the process from start to surgery and beyond, so that is what I am going to do whether it be good or bad, in the hope that it will help other people in their decision making.

Surgery is a very personal thing and a lot of research should go into it, as well as if you suffer from any mental illness it can in some cases make this worse, so I would always suggest seeking your own medical advice from your regular GP, Psychologist etc prior to having surgery.

This post is my own personal experience and you can take what you like from it, however please refrain from making any negative, derogatory or rude comments. If you do not agree with plastic surgery, that is fine, however this is not the forum to air those ideals. This forum is to provide information and support to people considering getting surgery.

I welcome all questions as well as suggestions/other people experiences etc as you can never have too much information and I will also be taking photos along the way which you can PM me with your email and I am happy to provide them.

This Blog/Forum will be available on Plastic Surgery Forum, Thai Visa Forum, Trip Advisor and RealSelf and my account name is the same for all (in case you have friends or family wanting to read this but aren’t using the same platform was you)

A LITTLE ABOUT ME

I am 32 years old and single with no children, 167cm tall and 60kg.

I work in Administration in the Oil and Gas/Construction Industry doing FIFO to remote parts of Australia and Overseas.

People have asked why I bother getting surgery on my body as due to my work, people only see my body for 12 weeks out of the year. Let’s get that part straight first, you should not get surgery for anyone but yourself, unless of course it is for medical reasons J

When I look in the mirror I want to love what I see and I am comfortable turning to surgery to achieve that. Some people believe you should love your natural self, and if that makes you happy, then great, but everyone is different.

My first surgery was when I was 15 years old, I had Otoplasty for my sticking out ears. The surgeon said it was the worst case he had operated on (I am serious, they were at a 90 degree angle to my head).

The surgeon that performed this was Dr Daniel Fleming and due to the brilliant job he did, my mother saw him a few years later to get Breast Augmentation and I then followed suit.

My breasts were pretty much flat, verging on concave and would not even fill the smallest bra size, it was chicken fillets and crop tops all the way for me. I chose a med profile silicone round 360cc implant which has now given me a DD cup size.

Again, Daniel was brilliant and I would recommend him to anyone considering surgery, however I believe now he only specializes in BA’s thus why I cannot see who has been my favourite surgeon to date.

I also have filler in my lips and get Dysport around my eyes and sometimes on my forehead (when I don’t have a fringe). I have suffered from dark circles since I can remember so I get filler in my tear trough to reduce these circles.

I am not a fan of makeup and rarely use it, especially having to wake at 4am to go to work, the last thing you want to do is put on makeup, so I do look after my skin – regular microdermabrasion, peels, drink a ton of water and use clinician skincare (Skinstitut, DMK, Ultraceuticals and Dermalogica)

MY SURGERIES THIS YEAR

April – Dr Mark Doyle – John Flynn Hospital – Gold Coast, QLD

Tickle Lipo (Cankles and Above Knee) – Regardless of what size I am (I fluctuate between 56kg and 65kg), these areas of fat will not budge L

August – Dr Undecided – Hospital Undecided – Bangkok, THAILAND

Rhinoplasty Reduction (to remove the hump on the bridge of my nose)

Cheek Implants (to fill out my cheeks and provide more defined cheekbones)

Aquamid Filler in Lips (I currently have filler in my lips and LOVE IT but it is temporary. Aquamid is a permanent filler)

My Mum is also coming to Bangkok, she is 59, to get the same surgeries as me. She won’t be writing about her experience (ours will be similar in some respects anyway), however for the over 50’s out there, she is happy for you to contact me to request her before and after photos as they will be more relevant to you and no doubt more helpful than mine will be to you J

I am booked in for my consult with Dr Doyle for the Tickle Lipo in a couple of weeks’ time and I will report further on that once done J

I am currently researching my Thailand surgeries however have decided on Bangkok, for the fact that I love the place (I have been 3 times for holidays so far) and the reports coming out of there on surgery are fabulous. Phuket is very popular also due to the high level of great surgeries and also the fact you can have a lovely island holiday while you recover. I live on the Gold Coast and overlook the beach so am not a fan of “beach/island” holidays.

I have been researching this for some months now and have found the most important thing is to select the right surgeon, this is the most important aspect, not the hospital. Majority of International Hospitals in Thailand are better by far than Australian hospitals so I personally am not looking too much into the hospital but using my time to get the best/right surgeon for my needs.

I have a short list of surgeons prepared and these were chosen based on the below:

• CV – Study completed, length of time in profession, Member of a board related to PS, Professor of Medicine/Surgery at a University, International Qualifications etc
• Reviews I have found on Forums such as Trip Advisor, Beauty Heaven, Thai Visa Forum, Plastic Surgery Forum
• Number of those particular surgeries they have performed

My short list is (and this is where I need your help):

Dr Suthat Koonnawarote – Yanhee Hospital

Dr Somsak Chuleewattanapong – Yanhee Hospital

Dr Greechart Pornsinsirisak – Yanhee Hospital

Dr Sukit Worathamrong – Yanhee Hospital

Dr Somyos Kunachak – Yoskarn Clinic

I am leaning very much towards Dr Somyos based on his extensive study and specialization in Facial Reconstructive Surgery plus the reviews on this man for Rhinoplasty are brilliant.

I know I said this is a forum for me to help others, however, I would very much appreciate any information, feedback, suggestions, experience anyone has had with the above surgeons and the surgeries I am getting done.

I would like to be armed with as much information as possible before making my final decision.

Also, if anyone has had a great experience with any other surgeon not listed, I would love to hear about that too!!

The only thing I will ask though, is I am not after information or experiences for any other type of surgery (I have in the past been inundated with stories about BA’s, I appreciate they are trying to help but it is not relevant to what I am having done) J

FIRST CONTACT WITH HOSPITALS/CLINIC

Over the past few days, I have emailed both Yanhee Hospital and Yoskarn Clinic and my file is with the surgeons for review.

The information I provided to them was:

• Current Photos – front, both sides and both sides on an angle
• Photos of my desired results for each of the surgeries (I sent 3 photos of noses, cheeks and lips that I liked)
• Yanhee had a medical questionnaire to fill in

The questions I have asked are:

• What is the cost of surgery?
• What Anaesthetic is used for these procedures?
• What pain medication is prescribed after procedure?
• How many nights stay are required in hospital/clinic?
• What is the cost, if any, for the accommodation at the hospital/clinic?
• Are meals included for the stay?
• Do you have double rooms so Mum and I can stay together?
• Can we have the face to face consult and surgery on the same day?
• Or consult when we arrive in BKK (nighttime) and then surgery the next day?
• Can you please send through some before and after photos of Rhino Reduction, Cheek Implants and Aquamid Lips?
• Can you please confirm how many of each procedure Dr _______ has performed of Rhino Reduction, Cheek Implants and Aquamid Lips?
• Can the surgeon achieve the results I want based on the photos provided?
• Can I book face to face consults with 2 or 3 surgeons before deciding?
• Have any previous patients allowed you to provide their email address to possible future patients so they can ask questions and find out about their experience?
• Can you recommend a hotel nearby the clinic for our first night stay and can a pick up from the airport be arranged?

And that is where I am at for now J

I will post again once I have received replies from the hospital/clinic and I will await your replies with any questions you have or any advice/information that you think may help me!!

Till next time xx

[Sheryl]

A few comments;

1. Aquamid is long-lasting, but it is not permanent. It does however last much longer than most other fillers, usually 5 years or more.

2. The only fillers I have been able to find used in Thailand are HA. Are you sure you can get Aquamid here? If so, please share where. I haven't even been able to find radiesse.

3. Check implants: fillers can work wonders in the cheek area and might be worth considering rather than surgery. Especially if you can get a long-lasting filler.

[fifobeauty]

Hi Sheryl,

If you Google "Aquamid Thailand", I think it's the 5th one down "Laser-Surgery-Bangkok"

This is Yoskarn Clinic, one of the places I am looking at going.

5 years is better than 6 monthly

I did think about Filler in my cheeks, however looking at Before & After photos, the results are very subtle and they would need to use a lot of ml's thus my decision for implants (plus it's permanent)

I am guessing you live in BKK, have you had any experience with Yoskarn Clinic or Yanhee hospital? Or the surgeons I have listed?

[sam sen]

before, after and during(?) photos?

[fifobeauty]

Hi Sam, I will be taking before photos, as well as daily after surgery photos that people can request if they PM me. I will also take photos of the hospital/clinic, rooms etc, pretty much anything that will be helpful to people.

[Sheryl]

I had a consultation once with Dr. Greechart at Yanhee and he struck me favorably. I have also seen a lot of positive feedback on him on this board (do a search in this forum for his name).

Feedback on Yoskarn has been more mixed and their prices tend to be unusually high, much more so than Yanhee.

BTW I note that one their website under Aquamid they say "not recommended". Also a lot of negative feedback on it online, you might want to read this http://www.realself.com/review/injecting-aquamid

[fifobeauty]

Hi Sheryl,

I am concerned about getting General Anaesthetic in a clinic and I believe they will operate in an affiliated hospital for an additional charge, I am just waiting to find out what hospital it is.

Dr Sukit no longer does noses, so I am now looking at Greechart. I only preferred Dr Sukit due to his membership with ISAPS.

Aquamid is very popular here in Aus..... What type of filler have you come across in BKK? Only HA? As that is what I have in my lips now.

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

[fifobeauty]

Oh my goodness, injecting it themself, that is very game!! They have to inject so deep a local anaesthetic is needed!

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

[Sheryl]

Hi Sheryl,

I am concerned about getting General Anaesthetic in a clinic and I believe they will operate in an affiliated hospital for an additional charge, I am just waiting to find out what hospital it is.

Dr Sukit no longer does noses, so I am now looking at Greechart. I only preferred Dr Sukit due to his membership with ISAPS.

Aquamid is very popular here in Aus..... What type of filler have you come across in BKK? Only HA? As that is what I have in my lips now.

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

HA is all I have been able to find, in fact I get my Radiesse in the US for that reason.

Indeed you should absolutely not undergo any procedure involving general anesthesia in a clinic in Thailand, only a hospital.

[fifobeauty]

A quick update, Dr Sukit and Dr Greechart don't do nose surgery anymore

My mother is happy with her choice of Dr Somsak, however now I am stuck!

My International Liaison lady recommended Dr Suthat who was on my list and another surgeon Dr Vitawat or I can go with the same surgeon as my mum, Dr Somsak.

The recommendation from Dr Somsak for me is Rhinoplasty Reduction with Cartilage Graft plus the Cheek Implants.

I researched the cartilage graft and it is very common to get that done when a rhinoplasty is performed.

I am awaiting a response from Yoskarn Clinic - Dr Somyos, to see if they can do the surgery in a hospital as I won't get General Anaesthetic done in a clinic.

My mum and I are wanting to spend a few days in Chiang Mai so we have asked the surgeon if post surgery we can have 5 days BKK, 4 days Chiang Mai then 2 days BKK before flying home.

Will see what they say.

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

[shakun]

Hi

interesting thread. Am eager to know how you will fare/.

With regard to surgeons you haven't considered Dr. Preecha (of Preecha Aesthetic Institute), an excellent surgeon. He doesn't do fillers.

All the best,

Shakun

[fifobeauty]

Thanks for your suggestion Shakun, I'll research him today!!

I'm currently thinking Dr Suthat as the feedback from previous patients is wonderful and when I googled Dr Vitawat, a few negative stories came up in the first couple of web pages.

Very happy to get more suggestions though!

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

[fifobeauty]

I have now decided on Dr Suthat and my Mum has decided on Dr Somsak.

Dr Greechart and Dr Sukit no longer do Rhinoplasty procedures and the hospital recommended a few surgeons, one being Dr Suthat, who was on my short list anyway.

After more research, I am very happy with my decision and am looking forward to getting over there!

Yoskarn Clinic recommended a lot more surgery than I was comfortable with to get the desired result and a whole lot more was recommended for my Mum.

The prices also were comparable to prices here and I was not comfortable getting a General Anaesthetic in a clinic.

My recommendation included Nose Reshaping with Cartilage Graft and tip-plasty plus the cheek implants at a cost of THB128,000 ($4500 AUD) with a 2 night stay in the hospital.

I was advised to discuss the “Lip Plumping” once I got there with the surgeon and the options are Restylane (which I currently have), Aquamid or Fat Transfer.

I did research the Cartilage Graft and Tip-plasty and found a lot of surgeons worldwide use these methods when doing a Rhinoplasty procedure to balance the nose out.

This put my mind at ease that they weren’t just trying to “upsell” more procedures that may have been unnecessary.

My mums recommendation included a standard nose reshaping with a combined sub malar cheek implant rather than the standard one I require at a cost of THB157,000 $5400 AUD)

The implant needs to be ordered after the consultation as they need to measure the cheek area first to ensure the correct size.

The nose reshaping for both of us requires shaving of the bone and cartilage rather than breaking of the nose which I am more happy with.

The recommended time to spend post op in BKK is 7-10 days, which is the amount of time we were planning on staying anyway.

Our surgery confirmation emails have been received and we are now looking into flights and accommodation.

I had my consultation today for the Tickle Lipo and am booked in for April.

I was initially getting my “Cankles” and above my knees done, however while in the consult I also asked for a quote to do the little fat pocket on my lower stomach and my love handles, which regardless of clean eating and exercise, will not disappear!

This procedure is priced on the time it takes not the area size so I was very happily surprised when my quote, for all 4 areas plus the compression garments came in at $5000. I agreed on the spot to get all 4 areas done at the same time.

It is a 3 step process, whereby local Anaesthetic is applied to the area before a small incision is made. A thin cannula is in inserted and a mixture of Saline Solution, Adrenaline and Local Anaesthetic is squirted into the procedure area. This is left for approx. 20 mins and then the tube is inserted to remove the fat. The tube does vibrate and that is what causes the “tickle” feeling, it is the vibration that breaks up the fat and the fat cells are then removed.

It is not recommended for people who require a large amount of fat removed, it will only be performed on generally healthy/fit people that have small areas of hard to shift fat.

The whole procedure is done under Local Anaesthetic (they do offer a Valium to take the edge off if you’re a little nervous), and you can return to work within 2-3 days and start exercising again in 7-10 days.

Due to being a less invasive procedure than standard lipo, there is less swelling and bruising involved as well.

The compression garments are to be worn for a min 6 weeks but the longer the better. Some people continue wearing them to bed only a few nights a week as you will get better results.

Results are seen immediately, however the best results are seen in about 2 months.

Overall, I am very very excited about everything and just want it all done NOW, hahaha

I will touch base again in April with my Tickle Lipo experience.

J xx

[uptheos]

Hi Sheryl,

I am concerned about getting General Anaesthetic in a clinic and I believe they will operate in an affiliated hospital for an additional charge, I am just waiting to find out what hospital it is.

Dr Sukit no longer does noses, so I am now looking at Greechart. I only preferred Dr Sukit due to his membership with ISAPS.

Aquamid is very popular here in Aus..... What type of filler have you come across in BKK? Only HA? As that is what I have in my lips now.

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

HA is all I have been able to find, in fact I get my Radiesse in the US for that reason.

Indeed you should absolutely not undergo any procedure involving general anesthesia in a clinic in Thailand, only a hospital.

100% correct

[FBN]

Spam post deleted.

[sophs]

Just seen your topic which I'm interest in as I'm planning to go to Yanhee in January. How have you gotten on with the procedures/experience?