Dr. Pong in Thailand / Asia ? Any experiences ?

[Cryingoutloud]

Sorry but WTF is going on with that donor scar?

 

Never seen one of those before. Doesn't that just make it more difficult to conceal the fact that you've had a procedure?

[bambam101]

Hi mate,

 

Ill give you a quick run down on how it went.

 

i met with Dr Pong on the Wednesday morning, at about 9am i think. Sat in his office when he arrived, We had a quick chat about how id found him and my previous surgery with another Dr in Australia. He showed me all his awards/certificates etc. He had a good look at my hair and lightly drew an outline on my head with a purple ink to show me where he would implant the grafts.

 

I told him that I was happy with that but did make a small change which he was fine with. I guess ultimately its up to you where you have the grafts and how your hairline is re-created but he will advise you based on his experience. Listen to him! He knows what hes doing funnily enough. He told me to come back in the next morning for the surgery at 8am. All up, the consultation took about 45 mins? Maybe only half hour? His only advise was not to get drunk that night. 1 or 2 beers only! (I did not adhere to this advice!)

 

The day of the surgery i woke pretty early and has a small breakfast. Was a little nervous. Not really about the surgery itself as i knew it wasnt painful, but more so nervous about the night following the surgery. My previous experience wasnt pleasant. Almost ended up in hospital because I was in excruciating pain. That was when I was 23 and living at home with mum to look after me. This time i was alone in a foreign country.

 

I got there on time and changed in to a gown. Theres no farting around. The nurse just takes you at the back to a change room as soon as you walk in the door. They then washed my hair. I then sat in Dr Pongs office and he came through and went through a few more questions with me and then proceeded to take what felt like 500 photos of my hair. Then he drew the grafting area on my head again. Checked with me that I was happy and we then went upstairs to the operating room.

 

Forgot to mention, prior to all this, the nurse gave me a quick HIV test witch was just a little stab on the finger with a testing kit. I think that was the most pain i felt all day. lol. Negative thankfully! She also gives you a couple of valium to relax you.

 

Up in the operating room, you sit on a chair with a face pillow and lean on a table. The nurse then tapes your hair out of the way and shaves the donor area. Dr Pong then draws on the donor area with the purple ink, and outlines where he is going to cut. This seemed to take forever. I was actually getting a bit nervous now. I kinda just wanted to get it over and done with.

 

Finally, you go and lay on what looks like a dentist chair come massage table. You lay on your stomach with your face in the pillow. Its a donut pillow so you wont suffocate! lol. Nurse attaches a heart rate monitor to your finger and then they start putting ice block on the back of your head to numb you a little for the injections. The ice stings more than the injections!! You feel the first couple of needles but as your head numbs, you feel nothing. It was no worse than a dentist needle. Plus, the valium is just starting to kick in now so you probably wouldnt give a shit regardless!

 

You spend a few hours laying like this whilst Dr Pong removes the donor grafts and stitches you back together. You dont feel a thing. You can hear him making the cuts though. I actually fell asleep during this bit. Eventually you get up and youll probably be a little wonky on your feet from the valium but Dr Pong might take you over and show you the nurses busily dissecting the grafts and prepping them for implant. Then, its in to another room for lunch with another valium for dessert. And outside for a smoke!

 

After lunch, its back to the chair. On your back this time. More ice block on your forehead and then some more needles. Again, you feel the first couple but after that, nothing. The nurses spend the next few hours grafting. I spent the first hour or so in la la land and the next hour or so alseep. Could have taken an ipad and watched a movie or listened to music, but I knew I slept through the first op i had and was pretty confident I would do the same this time.

 

Finally its all over and youre changed back in to your clothes and sitting downstairs waiting for Dr Pong. Hell give you a hat or a bandanna to wear home and a nice big bag of drugs to take. Pain meds, antibiotics etc. Theyll give you a good rundown on what to take and when. I paid by credit card and said see ya later. Walked back to my hotel. About 20 minutes away. Felt great! That night, I had no pain at all. I actually walked to a restaurant and had dinner and 4 or 5 beers. I did wake up during the night in a little bit of discomfort though. Not hurting as such, but just a slight discomfort. Popped a few tramadols and went back to sleep. Dr Pong gives you a neck pillow similar to one you would use on a plane so as you can sleep upright. I did this for the first 3 or 4 nights.

 

First thing the next morning, I was back to the clinic to get my hair washed by the nurses. The relief you feel when they take the pressure bandage off to wash your hair is amazing. The pressure bandage kinda feels like youve been wearing a hat that is 2 sizes too small for a week! I think this was the cause of most of my discomfort over the next few days but you do get used to it. You only need to wear it for 10 days. I only wore mine for 6.

 

After the hair was, Dr Pong will come and check the stitches and grafts. Have a quick chat and before you know it, the nurses have you bandaged up again and your on your way. You can go in every morning to have your hair washed by the nurses. I was in Chaing Mai for the following 6 days so I went every day. Only takes about 10 minutes.

 

I cant remember what else you asked!! haha. Chain Mai felt very safe to me. Truth be told, I actually found it to be rather boring. I stayed at Kantary Hills Hotel which was extremely nice. Great food and service. Great facilities. There isnt a lot to do in Chiang Mai unless you like insect museums or sex with prostitutes. If either of those two float your boat then youll have a blast! Although, no sex for 2 days after the surgery.

 

I pretty much spent most of my time by the pool, drinking beer, at restaurants and a little bit of shopping. Couldnt wait to get home by the end of it!

 

All in all, I totally get why people would be nervous about doing something like this and I have to say, my first op I was terrified. But honestly, Dr Pong and his nurses were in a different league to the Dr I saw here in Australia. A real professional. Once youve had the op, youll wonder why the hell you were nervous about it in the first place!

 

Im heading back next year to have another one done!

 

Good luck buddy!

[bambam101]

Hi mate,

 

Ill give you a quick run down on how it went.

 

i met with Dr Pong on the Wednesday morning, at about 9am i think. Sat in his office when he arrived, We had a quick chat about how id found him and my previous surgery with another Dr in Australia. He showed me all his awards/certificates etc. He had a good look at my hair and lightly drew an outline on my head with a purple ink to show me where he would implant the grafts.

 

I told him that I was happy with that but did make a small change which he was fine with. I guess ultimately its up to you where you have the grafts and how your hairline is re-created but he will advise you based on his experience. Listen to him! He knows what hes doing funnily enough. He told me to come back in the next morning for the surgery at 8am. All up, the consultation took about 45 mins? Maybe only half hour? His only advise was not to get drunk that night. 1 or 2 beers only! (I did not adhere to this advice!)

 

The day of the surgery i woke pretty early and has a small breakfast. Was a little nervous. Not really about the surgery itself as i knew it wasnt painful, but more so nervous about the night following the surgery. My previous experience wasnt pleasant. Almost ended up in hospital because I was in excruciating pain. That was when I was 23 and living at home with mum to look after me. This time i was alone in a foreign country.

 

I got there on time and changed in to a gown. Theres no farting around. The nurse just takes you at the back to a change room as soon as you walk in the door. They then washed my hair. I then sat in Dr Pongs office and he came through and went through a few more questions with me and then proceeded to take what felt like 500 photos of my hair. Then he drew the grafting area on my head again. Checked with me that I was happy and we then went upstairs to the operating room.

 

Forgot to mention, prior to all this, the nurse gave me a quick HIV test witch was just a little stab on the finger with a testing kit. I think that was the most pain i felt all day. lol. Negative thankfully! She also gives you a couple of valium to relax you.

 

Up in the operating room, you sit on a chair with a face pillow and lean on a table. The nurse then tapes your hair out of the way and shaves the donor area. Dr Pong then draws on the donor area with the purple ink, and outlines where he is going to cut. This seemed to take forever. I was actually getting a bit nervous now. I kinda just wanted to get it over and done with.

 

Finally, you go and lay on what looks like a dentist chair come massage table. You lay on your stomach with your face in the pillow. Its a donut pillow so you wont suffocate! lol. Nurse attaches a heart rate monitor to your finger and then they start putting ice block on the back of your head to numb you a little for the injections. The ice stings more than the injections!! You feel the first couple of needles but as your head numbs, you feel nothing. It was no worse than a dentist needle. Plus, the valium is just starting to kick in now so you probably wouldnt give a shit regardless!

 

You spend a few hours laying like this whilst Dr Pong removes the donor grafts and stitches you back together. You dont feel a thing. You can hear him making the cuts though. I actually fell asleep during this bit. Eventually you get up and youll probably be a little wonky on your feet from the valium but Dr Pong might take you over and show you the nurses busily dissecting the grafts and prepping them for implant. Then, its in to another room for lunch with another valium for dessert. And outside for a smoke!

 

After lunch, its back to the chair. On your back this time. More ice block on your forehead and then some more needles. Again, you feel the first couple but after that, nothing. The nurses spend the next few hours grafting. I spent the first hour or so in la la land and the next hour or so alseep. Could have taken an ipad and watched a movie or listened to music, but I knew I slept through the first op i had and was pretty confident I would do the same this time.

 

Finally its all over and youre changed back in to your clothes and sitting downstairs waiting for Dr Pong. Hell give you a hat or a bandanna to wear home and a nice big bag of drugs to take. Pain meds, antibiotics etc. Theyll give you a good rundown on what to take and when. I paid by credit card and said see ya later. Walked back to my hotel. About 20 minutes away. Felt great! That night, I had no pain at all. I actually walked to a restaurant and had dinner and 4 or 5 beers. I did wake up during the night in a little bit of discomfort though. Not hurting as such, but just a slight discomfort. Popped a few tramadols and went back to sleep. Dr Pong gives you a neck pillow similar to one you would use on a plane so as you can sleep upright. I did this for the first 3 or 4 nights.

 

First thing the next morning, I was back to the clinic to get my hair washed by the nurses. The relief you feel when they take the pressure bandage off to wash your hair is amazing. The pressure bandage kinda feels like youve been wearing a hat that is 2 sizes too small for a week! I think this was the cause of most of my discomfort over the next few days but you do get used to it. You only need to wear it for 10 days. I only wore mine for 6.

 

After the hair was, Dr Pong will come and check the stitches and grafts. Have a quick chat and before you know it, the nurses have you bandaged up again and your on your way. You can go in every morning to have your hair washed by the nurses. I was in Chaing Mai for the following 6 days so I went every day. Only takes about 10 minutes.

 

I cant remember what else you asked!! haha. Chain Mai felt very safe to me. Truth be told, I actually found it to be rather boring. I stayed at Kantary Hills Hotel which was extremely nice. Great food and service. Great facilities. There isnt a lot to do in Chiang Mai unless you like insect museums or sex with prostitutes. If either of those two float your boat then youll have a blast! Although, no sex for 2 days after the surgery.

 

I pretty much spent most of my time by the pool, drinking beer, at restaurants and a little bit of shopping. Couldnt wait to get home by the end of it!

 

All in all, I totally get why people would be nervous about doing something like this and I have to say, my first op I was terrified. But honestly, Dr Pong and his nurses were in a different league to the Dr I saw here in Australia. A real professional. Once youve had the op, youll wonder why the hell you were nervous about it in the first place!

 

Im heading back next year to have another one done!

 

Good luck buddy!

[Johnny2go]

Nothing that hasn't already been said, but all going great guns 1 year post op. Going back in 3 weeks for the crown. I posted my own thread in detail about my experience, you can find it on the forum search.

Personally I rather enjoyed Chiang Mai, did stuff all first few days as I recovered and waited for the swelling to go down. After that I was doing tours, elephant rides, white water rafting, quad bikes, pubs at night and plenty of bed gymnastics with a kiwi bird I met while there

 

This time I'm going back for 2 weeks but might shoot off to Chiang Rai for a couple days this time

[thickandthin]

Thanks very much Bambam for your very detailed experience.

 

 

How long ago was your surgery and how does your hair look now, are you happy with it and is it dense?

Which area of your head are you going to do next?

[Johnny2go]

Sorry but WTF is going on with that donor scar?

 

Never seen one of those before. Doesn't that just make it more difficult to conceal the fact that you've had a procedure?

 

Actually no. It's procedure he developed himself and it's a way to maximise extraction over the existing scar but minimizing the look of the scar itself. Going by the pictures he showed me when I was in to have my 2nd op for crown area I agree with him. It was very difficult to see any scarring even with the photo blown up.