Super Member Ulic posted an excellent thread in January about her 80-year-old mother wanting a face lift and I totally used its excellent responses for guidance and am delighted that I did.

I am 69 and have had two major face lifts, (eyes, forehead, mid-face, lower face, and neck,) at age 51 and 62 and in November 2012 at 67, I had an upper and lower bleph in CA. Both major surgeries gave excellent results, in Miami and Kaunas Lithuania, the bleph not so good, the lady didn't take enough of the loose skin from the Restylane.

About 12 years ago, I had a lot of Restylane put under my eyes to make high cheekbones. It looked great for about a month then it crystallized and made large deep water blisters that remained for years even long after the fill was removed. The blisters had stretched the delicate skin under the eyes, still had lots of unnatural looking folds on my cheeks when I smile. Also, lower face needs a light lift, too deep marionette lines and nasal labial folds to fill successfully. Was also interested in tightening skin as I've lost weight and have hanging skin on upper arms, inner thighs and sagging butt. Budget (well under $4,000) wouldn't go that far but didn't know what I'd find either.

Senior member, the Magician, recommended Dr. V. and Dr. Kunaporn. Kunaporn no longer does faces, only does lady boy conversions now. His office sent me to Dr. Rushapol at PIAC. Rushapol said he doesn't usually consider cosmetic surgery on people over 65 but I clearly had so much energy and strength going that he would consider doing major surgery on me. And what he recommended was truly major. He said he would cut basically from ear to ear across the top of the head avoiding earlier scarring, lifting the forehead and improving the under eye somewhat and also do the lower and neck. I said that'll cost 10 grand and he said "no, no, this is Thailand, it'll be half that." Well, he's out of touch with his own pricing. The hospital quoted $11,700 for what he proposed.

Phuket Bangkok Hospital quoted $12,700. I can't tell you how disappointing these prices and suggestions were for me. I have spent most of my life savings on successful alternate cancer treatment (hallelujah!!) and have very little money for cosmetic. I despaired that I would ever look younger/good again, and painfully resigned myself to looking like an old lady the rest of my time on the planet.

My last Phuket appointment was with Dr. V. He said I didn't need a facelift yet and wouldn't for five years and why didn't I look into what Dr. Nantapat at Apex could do with laser and the latest equipment. Apex and SK Clinic had both been mentioned several times on thaivisa. I went directly from DMK airport to my appointment with Nantapat. With all the latest equipment she has, she recommended Botox and fill, which really opened the door to other establishments which don't have her expensive equipment. She quoted 110,000 bahts, $3,400, that I need four fills of Voluma at 20,000 baht each, 80,000 baht $2,500 for four., and another 30,000 bahts for Botox. I took a cheap Bangkok taxi ride to my second appointment of the day at SK Clinic.

The trick with botox and fill is to find someone who is really a GENIUS and an ARTIST and who works at a facility that has very INEXPENSIVE pricing. I was sure Nantapat was good but her prices too high for me. The same quantity of Voluma is 8,000 baht each at Dr. Boong's SK Clinic, $1,000 for four. We did not choose to use this form of fill for me.

Dr. Boong at SK Clinic said she could change the shape of my face and do a botox face lift. I now know that Dr. Boong is a genius at rejuvenating and an artist with faces (and butts) and her knowledge of what is available and how she does it is amazing.

I got 150 needles that day, a Botox face lift, 15,000 baht, $450, and found a lovely place to stay with airbnb.

Next day, another $450 and 150 needles of Botox, this time, a little in the upper arms and neck and a Botox butt lift!!

Third day, got some blood removed, plasma isolated/stem cell isolated and mixed with saline and with tons of the latest and the best filler, at a cost of 30,000 baht, $900 (including $30 which is all she charged for melting a bit of fat on the outer thighs so the thinner thighs would make the butt look fuller.)

I waited two weeks before I wrote this up as the botox takes two weeks to set up fully. I have to marvel at my good fortune and thank those who posted here which led me eventually to a truly excellent newly-renovated face for $1320 and newly-renovated booty and arms for $480. Dr. Boong is 30 years old, beautiful, she works all the time and is brilliant with that needle. I cannot recommend her highly enough. My face looks so soft and so fresh, so natural. Recovery a piece of cake compared to major surgery, and the results sweeter. Ulic, do have your mom see Dr. Boong before choosing the knife. My ex who nastily criticized my face after the cheekbones and the Lithuania surgeries thinks I look wonderful, and I do.

I'll be going to Thailand a couple of times a year from California and I'd be happier to go with someone rather than by myself again. I flew on a frequent flyer ticket for free and stayed at a palace of a whole apartment in a fashionable area for $40 a night. So if you'd like to know more or go when I do, let me know. Thanks to all for so generously sharing your experiences. I am so happy.

Geri

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