2nd Thoughts .. New Member

[Vanman]

Hello Everyone,

 

I am very new to this forum, tho I have been interested in, and investigating HT surgery for a few months. I was hoping and planning to have the procedure done during my upcoming trip to Thailand in July, but to be honest, I am starting to get cold feet. Perhaps if I share with you my feelings, some of you will have some thoughts to share that will help.

 

I have had hair loss since my early to mid twenties, and had pretty much accepted it and dealt with it. Most remedies for baldness did not really appeal to me as I felt it was just the card I was dealt, and just got on with my life. Being married for thirty-four years now, and with a wife who was never bothered by my lack of hair, I just never felt it was an issue.

 

However, when I started reading about the newer techniques of hair restoration surgery, I became very intrigued and wondered if this was something I should look into more closely. Suddenly the idea of full head of hair again became an exciting idea. Cost was an issue, as I did not see the justification of spending a rediculous amounts of money for the procedure. However, when I checked out the clinic of Dr.Pong in Chiang Mai, Thailand, I could not argue with the fact that the price was low enough that I could easily afford it and justify the cost.

 

There was some concern about the skill of Dr.Pong, as he is not one of the "recommended" doctors on this website's list. However, all I have been able to read up on him has been positive, and I have yet to read of any negative experiences associated with either him or his clinic.

 

Now I had already been planning to take a holiday to Thailand, and in fact, to the Chiang Mai area this year for three weeks, and began to think that maybe I should take that opportunity to get the procedure done while I am there. It seemed the perfect fit, as I will be in Chiang Mai for almost two weeks, and Dr.Pong is willing to schedule the surgery at the beginning of that time, so that I would have ample opportunity to drop in if there were any complications and for post op shampooing etc.

 

However, after reading some more of the posts on this site, particularly the FAQ thread, I am wondering if that is such a wise idea. I was planning this as holiday first, and the HT was a late addition to my planning. Here are some of my concerns that are starting to give me cold feet.

 

First, the advice in the FAQ talks about days of swelling, and 10 days with little or no physical exertion, to the point of not even bending over, but rather "bending at the knees." This does not sound like much of a holiday, but rather sounds like I'd be a semi-invalid for at least a week after the operation. This did not match much of what I had read before, that it was an out-patient surgery, and had a very fast recovery time. I am thinking now, that maybe if I want this done, I should come back for just a week at such a time that I can just have the surgery, lay around the hotel for a week, and then fly back to Canada. The cost of a flight on top of the surgery cost with Dr.Pong is still less the half the price of getting the procedure done here in Vancouver, so maybe that is something I should consider. I guess what I am asking is, is the HT going to completely trash the majority of my vacation?

 

Another concern is that some are talking about the need to take additional time off work. I drive a city bus for a living, and so its not stenuous physical activity, and on top of that, I always wear a baseball type company hat while driving, but will there really be a need for additional downtime if I have the surgery a full 2.5 weeks before I'd need to be back to work?

 

A further concern is simply appearance. I did not have great concerns over post op appearance, but again after reading some of the posts, there were comments about shocking people and looking horrible, etc. How severe is this? I do not want to be touring northern Thailand for two weeks looking like a freak! lol

 

I would really appreciate some comments, either good or bad, on these issues. I know some will suggest a different doctor, but I have to be honest, if I could afford to go to Dr.Path in Bangkok I would, but his cost is more then double, and for two sessions would be just two expensive. Getting the surgery done here at home in Vancouver with H&W would double Dr.Path's cost, and be more then four times the cost of seeing Dr.Pong. So please, in this thread at least, refrain from my making my choice of doctor the main issue. It is the other concerns that are on my mind at this time.

 

Thanks!

[Spanker]

I would not do it if I planned on being too active on the vacation. You could have very heavy swelling,black eyes, etc for a bit.

 

Personally, for the first 10 days post-op, following physicain instructions would be the most important part of my life. Not doing so could cost you yield and donor hair.

 

I prolly would not get an HT at all if a vacation even came close to trumping the HT.

 

I think that 2.5 weeks is plenty to go back to work, especially if you can wear a hat.

[haircut]

What I have done in the past has been to go on vacation and see my HT doctor on a return leg of the flight.

 

As an aside, the old adage of 'you get what you pay for' could well apply to your choice of HT doctors.

[Vanman]

I would not do it if I planned on being too active on the vacation. You could have very heavy swelling,black eyes, etc for a bit.

 

Personally, for the first 10 days post-op, following physicain instructions would be the most important part of my life. Not doing so could cost you yield and donor hair.

 

I prolly would not get an HT at all if a vacation even came close to trumping the HT.

 

I think that 2.5 weeks is plenty to go back to work, especially if you can wear a hat.

 

It is not that the vacation trumps it, so much as I do not want one to lessen he other, and it works both ways. If I become too active on the vacation, I may hurt the overall effectiveness of the HT, while on the other hand, the HT may very well lessen the enjoyment of the vacation.

 

I was excited about combining both, but now I am wondering if they are a good mix.

[Vanman]

What I have done in the past has been to go on vacation and see my HT doctor on a return leg of the flight.

 

 

This may be an option for me. My vacation is three weeks, and I was planning to have the procedure on the Monday of week 2. I could probably change that date to the middle of Week 3 and still have the 4 days in Chiang Mai for followup.

[Tao]

In my experience, I felt pretty crappola after my HT surgeries for a couple days after (valium had to wear off, making me feel pretty out of it - that could just be my reaction to valium though). I had some pretty wicked swelling in my eyes after the first one for a couple days too and no way would have wanted to appear in public looking like a klingon. It takes about 8 - 10 days for the grafts to be totally secure in your head so I'd take at least that long before you do anything resembling strenuous or start wearing a hat. I went back to work 10 days after my second HT and was totally fine. However, I had hair to cover up most of the work.

 

You could combine vacation with HT if you plan on having a very relaxing, laid back vacation. But if you plan to be active, then I wouldn't plan them together.

 

You lucky dog. You live in Vancouver, which is beautiful and home to H&W. I'd save my clamolas over the next couple years and get my HT done right there. Seemingly cheap HTs can be much more expensive in the long run - both monetarily and emotionally. Good luck to you, Vanman.

[Al - Moderator]

I would do the HT at the beginning of the 3rd week, giving you 2 weeks enjoyable vacation, 1 week for the HT to heal, and back to work wearing a hat with no problems. Remember that you'll have forehead swelling sometime during days 2 through 5 after the HT and even with a hat this can sometimes be noticeable depending on how bad your swelling is, so allow some time for that just to be safe if you don't want anyone to know you did anything.

[Vanman]

Awesome responses, thankyou so much.

 

My wife just suggested another option, so I'll see what you all think. I have one week of holidays the first week in May as well, and she said, "Why don't you fly to Chiang Mai then, get the HT, stay there for about four days afterward, and then come home?" My dad, who dosn't travel much anymore as he is in his mid-80's, has a suitcase full of airmiles, so the flight would be virtually free, it would just be spending 30+ hours in a plane that sounds most dreadful. I have just sent off an email to Dr.Pong to see if those days might be available, and if they are, its a definite possibility. It means returning to work about a week after the surgery, however. Again, I drive city bus at night in Vancouver, wearing a hat, so not sure that should be much of a problem.

 

What do you think? I will be going back to Thailand and Chiang Mai in July for the vacation, but this way I could do the HT first, and it would have two months to heal before the trekking and white water rafting.

[largechris]

I was in a similar situation and combined my Thailand HT with a fantasticc holiday straight after, you can check out my profile. I was maybe lucky or a good healer, but I literally came back to the hotel from the procedure, slept like a baby, had a headband on the next 3 days, and carried on touring the day after surgery. I realise not everyone has been so lucky, with nausea, swelling etc. But everyone is different.

[Levrais]

Definitely go with the idea of doing the vacation separately if you can get that much time off work. Although many people go back to work 1 week later, as you probably can with a hat, it would be hard to enjoy a vacation.

Ok, on the "minor" issue of the doctor, I'm not familiar your chosen doc and for all I know he is qualified and can produce a good result. However, based on research I did for my ht, if I were going for a strip procedure of the size you are considering I would only go to H&W. My first reaction when I started my research was that thebprice was over the top even for a small procedure. But, after looking at hundreds if not thousand of results money really become the less critical issue.

[Dutch]

I would either do the op a week or two into the holiday or have the op and then go on holiday at another time or vice versa.

I would research the doctor extensively. Don't rush. Make sure he's the man. Ask around & send photos & emails for an online consultation.

 

Wish I lived in Vancouver, I know who I'd go to

[Vanman]

Ok, after emailing Dr.Pong regarding my week off in May, it seems he is solidly booked during that time, so that option is out, unfortunately. So its back to having it done during my trip in July. From the comments, and further reading in other threads, it appears I would be much better off having the surgery on my last week, rather then the second week, so I can fully enjoy the maximum amount of holiday time, then I will just have to deal with the post-op effects on that last week.

 

This was not something I wanted to get into in this thread, but from numerous comments, I do understand that for those of you with far more experience then I have, going to a lesser known practitioner like Dr.Pong is a mistake when there are far more well-known hair restoration surgeons like H&W in my own home city, and Dr. Path in Bangkok. I very much appreciate your well meaning comments, and they do have me thinking hard about my decision.

 

However, here is my rational to this point. Please feel free to comment on it as you like. I have a very thick skin and do not mind in any way receiving advice, as long as it is not "flaming."

 

I am just a working guy, with limited resources, still paying a mortgage on a place my wife and I bought just a few years ago. I have extensive hair loss, so I am not looking at just one, but two and perhaps three large procedures of at least 3500 grafts per session. I have had that assessment from the three doctors that I have sent photos to. These are H&W, Dr.Path and Dr.Pong.

 

I have to look at not just the cost of one procedure, but the cost of the entire process of two or possibly three procedures. H&W is, of course, the most expensive. I finally got a full quote from them, and the first procedure would cost $16,500. They have confirmed that I am looking at the same breakdown for the other procedures, as they will roughly be the same size. Dr.Path came it at $11,000 for the first procedure and similar for the others. Dr.Pong came it at $5,000 for the first and similar for further procedures.

 

Now if I look at needing three surgeries, that will be a total cost of $49,500 with H&W, $33,000 with Dr.Path, and only $15,000 with Dr.Pong. $15,000 over three years is affordable for me. However, with my wife and my income level, and the debt load we carry on our mortgage, there is no way that I will get financing for close to $50,000 for what is essencially cosmetic surgery. I emphasize ... not a chance. I hope you can understand that, as I would love to go to H&W if it was within my financial ability to do so. Dr.Path is the middle ground, but even so, I would still have no hope of getting financing for $33,000 over the next three years.

 

So that brings me to Dr.Pong. His costs are radically less then the other two highly reputable doctors with impecable credentials. I fully agree that he is not even close to being as well known, he is younger, runs his own clinic in Northern Thailand which is well off the beaten path, and has not been in the field for nearly as long.

 

However, I looked and looked for any negative comments about his work and have been unable to find any. There are a few testimonials on this forum, but all of them are positive. On his own website, www.thaihairclinic.com there are numerous testimonials, all of them very positive, and 174 patient photos in his "Patient Gallery." To my untrained eye, his work looks to be highly successful.

 

So I am left with a choice. Do I not get the surgery at all, because I can simply not afford to go to the more a more renowned surgeon, or do I choose a lesser known surgeon who seems to have a great track record, and is one I can afford. It really is a choice of nothing or Dr.Pong. I am sure there are other lesser known surgeons, who's price may compare, but I do not know of them, and I was planning to be in Chiang Mai in July anyways.

 

This is a great site, and it is the bringing together of many concerned individuals with far more experience in this area then I have, to be sure. Yet could there not be an upcoming surgeon like Dr. Pong that could be just as skilled as some of the other surgeons that have been recommended here, but simply not as well known at this time? Perhaps in a year or two, this very doctor could be on your recommended list as his reputation grows, as his lists of successes becomes more evident. Yes, I am taking a chance with a lesser known, but then it is a least a chance, rather then no chance at all.

 

I hope I have made my rational clear on this. There is no sure thing in life, and sometimes we have to step out and take chances. This is one that I feel I can take with some confidence, but only time will prove me right or wrong.

 

I am open to all the input you want to send my way.

 

As a final note, if there is anyone who has had this procedure done while on holidays, I would love to here how it impacted your vacation.

 

Thanks again for your posts so far, and I look forward to reading your further comments.

Edited April 1, 2011 by Vanman
spelling and grammar

[RodG]

Hi Vanman,

 

I totally understand your position and I faced a similiar position that you do and unfortunately I don't earn a six figure income either. If some members can afford to spend $50K on a hair transplant then good luck to them .

 

I originally looked closely at having my procedure done with Doctor Pong but in the end I decided to have it done by DHT Clinic in Bangkok. My reasoning was that I only ever intended to have one procedure completed and I hoped that I would get the result that was predicted for me.

 

I have researched this forum and like yourself whilst I could only find a few posts they were all positive regarding Doctor Pong. I would suggest that he provide you with references for you to check by email or telephone. Perhaps he has client who resides in Canada? I think that if you do decide to have the procedure with Doctor Pong then you need to accept that you are taking a higher risk than going with a doctor is who recommended on the forum.

 

I personally suggest conducting a little more due diligence and check some references and go for it if you wish to.

 

In regard to having a HT whilst on holidays I basically had my holiday first and then had my procedure. I'm glad I did this because I really just wanted to go home after the procedure. It was difficult sleeping at night time and the first couple of days after the procedure I tried to go out shopping but had to cut it short due to pain I experienced.

 

Good luck with your decision and please keep the forum up to date with your progress if you do have the procedure completed by Doctor Pong.

 

Regards

 

Rod

[Vanman]

I have researched this forum and like yourself whilst I could only find a few posts they were all positive regarding Doctor Pong. I would suggest that he provide you with references for you to check by email or telephone. Perhaps he has client who resides in Canada? I think that if you do decide to have the procedure with Doctor Pong then you need to accept that you are taking a higher risk than going with a doctor is who recommended on the forum.

 

I personally suggest conducting a little more due diligence and check some references and go for it if you wish to.

 

In regard to having a HT whilst on holidays I basically had my holiday first and then had my procedure. I'm glad I did this because I really just wanted to go home after the procedure. It was difficult sleeping at night time and the first couple of days after the procedure I tried to go out shopping but had to cut it short due to pain I experienced.

 

Good luck with your decision and please keep the forum up to date with your progress if you do have the procedure completed by Doctor Pong.

 

Regards

 

Rod

 

Thanks Rod, I have acted on your advice and sent a request to Dr.Pong for any email addresses or phone numbers of past patients that I could contact as a reference. It is Sunday now in Thailand, so Iwill need to wait a day or so for a reply. He has been very quick with his replies to this point, tho his reply emails tend to be very brief.

 

One thing I have noticed from both Dr.Path and H&W, is that they have both had a more high pressure selling strategy. Neither really took no for an answer when I indicated I would be looking elsewhere. In neither case was I communicating directly with doctor, but rather with an employee who's job it is to provide information and relay on their respective doctors assessments. Dr.Pong, on the other hand, emails his own replies, so I can understand their brevity.

 

If I do go ahead with the procedure with Dr.Pong, I will definitely keep the forum up to date with pre and post op photos.

[Levrais]

Vanman,

You are correct that there could be up and coming doctors who are not yet known and are very qualified. This site is a great research tool and probably the best place to get educated on ht. However, this site is paid advertising for the docs. I don't think it's correct that ALL of the good docs are on this site. While there are plenty of good docs on and off of this site, another question is if the doc can handle mega sessions for nw 6 and 7's. I suggest finding out if your docs has handled the larger cases as a part of your research. I think the reason that people are trying to steer you to H&W is not just because you are in bc but also because of your profile pic which looks like you're a nw 6 to 7. Anyway best of luck. It will be exciting to follow your progress.

Edited April 3, 2011 by Levrais
typo

[lorenzo]

Good luck with your hair transplant with Dr. Pong. I have never heard of him but regardless I am sure everything will be fine.

 

One thing I have noticed from both Dr.Path and H&W, is that they have both had a more high pressure selling strategy.

 

I cant speak for Dr. Path but with all my years of experience I have never witnessed high pressure from H&W. If fact the complete opposite more of a layed back attitute. Its understandable to base your decision financially.

 

Good luck!

[Vanman]

Good luck with your hair transplant with Dr. Pong. I have never heard of him but regardless I am sure everything will be fine.

 

 

 

I cant speak for Dr. Path but with all my years of experience I have never witnessed high pressure from H&W. If fact the complete opposite more of a layed back attitute. Its understandable to base your decision financially.

 

Good luck!

 

Thanks Lorenzo, and let me claify. Perhaps "high pressure" was not the right choice of words, rather I should have used "persistent." Even after I indicated I was not going ahead with H&W, I have continued to get very friendly emails wanting to set up a personal consultation with Dr.Wong and a hint they have a good financing plan for me. However, at the overal cost I would be looking at, even a good financing scheme would would be a pretty hefty long term loan, and I just do not want to go there. However, Joe, the rep from H&W I have been emailing with, has been very friendly and respectful, so I have no complaints, and I appologize if I gave that impression.

[horses12]

I had alot of the same questions about the same age. I worked at the job were i couldn't wear a hat and dealt with the public in a casino. The new procedures for ht are different than those from the 80's and 90's. You really can't tell if you have a ht. I originally took off 6 weeks from work praying that would be enough time but went back after 2 1/2 weeks as everything was fine. First you won't have to worry about hair lost shock since you are vi. When you first get the ht, my worst part of the procedure was the pin pricks from the numbing med, and that was only for a few seconds. You will probably swell up in your face in the fore head and around the eyes starting 2-4 days, you will wonder why you ever did this. You won't be able to sleep right for the first week because of the donor area and you are afraid anything you do will cause the grafts to fall out. You will have minor pain in the donor area none in the recipent this can last until you have the staples or stiches out. Make sure to see how your doc closes the donor area hopefully using the newest method. After 2 weeks you should be fine the grafts will be set you can wear your work hat. The reason they want you to bend the knees is for the donor scar so you don't pull on it. Next after about a month you will lose the donor hair and be back to where you started. Next comes the worst part the waiting for the new hair to grow this could last 3-5 months from the time you had ht this is another time you will wonder why you ever did this.this is where i'm at i'm at 7 weeks and like they say it is the waiting for the results that is the hard part. If i could give you some advice it is to maybe do the first procedure in canada as they will start in the front and hairline i think this is the crucial area and this has to be right and then using thailand for the top and crown.this will give you more time to research this doc.also if something happens you will be right there in your home town .i wouldn't go to a ht doc that i wasn't completely sure of as your face and hair is the first thing people will see. It is because of the plug look they did in the 70/80's that people can't tell we have had an ht today it gotten that much better, good luck on your ht journey.one more thing you will probably need 1 year between each ht this is for the scar in donor to heal also check to see how many scars you will have, you should still end up with one instead of three separate ones.

[Tao]

Vanman,

 

I totally understand the financial restraints involved for you. When I first began looking into HTs, I thought the most I could ever afford was $4-6k total. Hearing that I was looking at $10K, $20k or $50k would have killed the idea forever in me. Fortunately, my finances changed for the better in the ensuing years and then I got 0% financing for a year, which alllowed me to put a down payment in and finance the rest as if I just had a car payment. I did the same with my second HT as well and will have it paid off at the end of this year. I stil can't believe I put down over $20k and to be honest, if my situation was a little different, no way could I have done it. That said, it's been a helluva ride and all good in my case.

 

I would definitely do your research on Dr. Pong, talking to clients, and seeing results from people with similar starting points. To be honest, I can totally understand why $5k per session is enticing. $50k just puts HTs out of the question for many of us. Good luck to you and please keep us posted!

[lorenzo]

Vanman understood no problem you are entitled to your opinion but thanks for clarifying it.

 

I would definitely do your research on Dr. Pong, talking to clients, and seeing results from people with similar starting points. To be honest, I can totally understand why $5k per session is enticing. $50k just puts HTs out of the question for many of us

 

Its definately important to research that is for sure. I believe Dr. Pong charges 5k for 3500 grafts plus you need to take into consideration the cost of the trip as well as staying there. Lets say thats another 3k so $8k in total. First of all 3 session of 3500 grafts is 11500 grafts that is probaly not possible. So I am going to say 7k is a good number. Two session over in Thailand will cost you around $16K and if you bring your better half that may cost closer to $20k but you get a vaction out of the deal. At H&W you may be able to get that much in one session (depending on many factors). If that is the case then your total price would be around $25k plus you get a world class doctor in your hometown. Plus you get it done in one session rather than two meaning less downtime as well as missing less time at work.

 

Once again I wish him 100% success!!!!

[Vanman]

 

Its definately important to research that is for sure. I believe Dr. Pong charges 5k for 3500 grafts plus you need to take into consideration the cost of the trip as well as staying there. Lets say thats another 3k so $8k in total. First of all 3 session of 3500 grafts is 11500 grafts that is probaly not possible. So I am going to say 7k is a good number. Two session over in Thailand will cost you around $16K and if you bring your better half that may cost closer to $20k but you get a vaction out of the deal. At H&W you may be able to get that much in one session (depending on many factors). If that is the case then your total price would be around $25k plus you get a world class doctor in your hometown. Plus you get it done in one session rather than two meaning less downtime as well as missing less time at work.

 

Once again I wish him 100% success!!!!

 

Thanks for the wishes for success! I have surgery booked with Dr. Pong at the Thailand Hair Transplant Center for Monday, August 1st. For whatever reason, and the pros may think me ill-informed and naive, I feel as condident before this surgery as I did before getting full dental reconstruction from my "unknown" dentist in Surrey. That was a huge undertaking costing $28,000CAN, but in that instance I had a great dental plan covering the vast bulk of the cost, and only had to pay 5k. My dentist was not found on any website, was virtually unknown, but he knew his stuff, and I now have a great set of new teeth and virtually a new smile that still looks fantastic even after four years. I have that same feeling of confidence going forward with Dr.Pong. Only time will tell if I am right or wrong.

 

You are absolutely correct Lorenzo, that Dr.Pong charges 5k for 3,500 grafts. I was planning this holiday anyways, and actually would be taking it even if I was not getting a procedure, so there is no extra expense involved there. The last week of my holiday I will be spending in Chiang Mai, in a great hotel for only $40 per night. Food is about $5/meal. So considering my itinerary already had me in Chiang Mai on my vacation, my total extra expense is pretty much zero. THT Center also does not charge for HIV test or consultation, and even gives me a free hat to wear post op! LOL

 

My hotel will be a 10 minute tuk tuk or taxi ride away, so about another 2 or 3 bucks each way. Since the clinic offers free post-op shampoos, I might head over there each day that week. Dr. Pong requests that I see him on day 2 and day 4 if I am still in the city, but I might drop in on day 1-4. =)

 

All in all I am very excited and looking forward to both the trip and having the procedure done.

[1966kph]

hello vanman,All the best with your planned HT with DR Pong,I have been very interested in this thread as i like many others i guess was planning on incorperating a FUE HT into a family holiday,While my procedure will be fue rather than a strip it will definately impact on our holiday.One of my major concerns is weather it will ruin the holiday for the wife and kids,Doe's your wife fully appreciate all the different scenarios that could happen post op and that she may well be left to her own devices if you don't feel up to doing anything?As we do not have much money at all i find it hard justifying the cost to myself never mind my family,All the best and have a nice day....

[Vanman]

Thanks 1966kph. I wired off my deposit to THT Center today, so I've taken that big first step of commitment. My wife is not on the holiday with me. She prefers shopping to travelling! lol I scheduled the surgery for the last week to minimize the impact on the holiday, but I do not expect to be overly active in that last week. The first two weeks, however, I plan to do a lot of trekking and sightseeing, elephant rides, all that usual touristy sort of thing. During that last week, if push comes to shove, I'll just have to avail myself of the abundant and affordable access to Thai massage .. roughly $9/hour! ... so I won't be suffering too much. I'll just have to warn them to stay away from the head!

[Vanman]

One month and one day away from my flight to Bangkok, where I am spending a couple of days sightseeing, then a flight to Chiang Mai. I have my first consultation with Dr.Pong on July 25, with the surgery scheduled for August 1. Starting to get excited!

[TakingThePlunge]

Vanman,

 

Best of luck! Don't forget to take some pre and post-op photos to share with us.