Dr Suradej Pong Chiangmai

[araveang]

i just had mine done also 3100 grafts, thanks to bro roger for its photo and experience which he shared with me...., which gives me encouragement to go ahead.

 

Dr Pong and its staff is very kind and attentive, only thing i wished i have chosen a much lower hairline. he is very conservative in choosing the hairline. well maybe he know better.

 

i am quite impulsive so i didnt think much of the hairline design, if you are going... a tip , take your time in drawing your preferred hairline.

 

dont stay too long in Chiang mai, should have copied roger to just stay for 2 days. cause there is nothing much to see in chiangmai, its really a very small town and nothing to shop either unless you are into traditional crafts.

[organix]

Thanks for the reply, I might even do some photoshop trickery to show him the exact hairline! I was actually going to spend all my time in Chiang Mai, as my gf said it's really beautiful - I may have 21 days to kill. If you say it's boring then I might re-think that. Don't want to do anything that puts the grafts in jeopardy though, so partying, gym, scuba diving and rainforest walks are out I guess! How long did you stay for? Did you spend your recovery in Thailand?

[araveang]

im more to urban traveller kind of guy, if you are into temples and cultural sightseeing chiangmai might be ok, not for shopping etc.

 

u cant party since your head will be swollen or go do guys activities , the pain will go away after first day, but the swelling will last about a week or so, i would suggest you stay about 2-3 nights, that would suffice unless u want to travel to outskirts like chiang rai etc but there are floods so i dont really know whether its safe to travel. go search for news, if possible just travel to other country or take ur time resting somewhere. are u from sg as well?

 

bring your laptops and ipads or any other electronics , wifi is free at the hotel and its safe enough to keep in the room.

[organix]

yeah I had a transplant back in 2007 with an awful doctor and my head swelled up like a pumpkin! I actually looked completely difference, I had black eyes too - like a boxer. I've been checking the updates on the floods and apparently Chiang Mai etc are free from flooding - the water has moved down to around the centre and Bangkok as it makes it's way to the sea. I was initially going to get the HT done in Bangkok, but this flood is looking like it's going to creep into the inner city centre. I have a lot of work to get through so the free wifi will help!

 

I'm from the UK by the way but living in Australia

[BaldWhisky]

Thanks for the reply, I might even do some photoshop trickery to show him the exact hairline! I was actually going to spend all my time in Chiang Mai, as my gf said it's really beautiful - I may have 21 days to kill. If you say it's boring then I might re-think that. Don't want to do anything that puts the grafts in jeopardy though, so partying, gym, scuba diving and rainforest walks are out I guess! How long did you stay for? Did you spend your recovery in Thailand?

 

Chiang Mai is a quite small city, but very exotic so in my opinion definately worth staying a few days. For shopping it's two things. Local handycraft which is very cheap. And, if you're into that kind of stuff: it's maybe the "fake-capital" of the world. It's close to the chinese boarder and therefore a lot of the fake things produced there is sold in Chiang Mai.

 

However, there is another thing which is the main reson for travellers to Chian Mai: Trekking.

They have trips of varying length into forests, and villages which basically takes you 100-200 years back in time and of course the touristy things like elephant riding. Definately worth spending a few days at if you are in the area.

[organix]

sounds good, I thought as much. it all depends on whether or not i choose Dr Pong though. araveang, have you made a blog or do you have photos? When did you get your surgery?

[tarepanda]

i am also going for Dr Pong with my HT. Haven't decide how many days i gonna stay in Chiang Mai yet, but most probably will be about a week or so.

 

maybe we can talk about tour itinerary in Chiang Mai/ Chiang Rai here? lol...

[organix]

when are you heading over there? I am going to try and get booked up in Chiang Mai beginning of next month. I think I have pretty much decided Bangkok is out for an op by Dr Path'. The flood situation seems to be getting worse by the day, i reckon in the next week or so the water will be in their street!

[tarepanda]

hi organix

 

i will be in chiang mai from 13 dec onwards. however, i have not decided how many days to stay there yet.

[organix]

i may see you there, I might be getting surgery done on the 14th! However I am yet to take the plunge

[tarepanda]

i may see you there, I might be getting surgery done on the 14th! However I am yet to take the plunge

 

I think the slot on the 14th had been booked by .... Lol

[botak]

I've decided to visit Dr Pong next Feb '12. Need advice from fellow patients who have visited him before.

 

Q1) Does Dr Pong really answer all email questions personally? His response has been very quick!

 

Q2) Operating hours/days e.g. any particular days that the transplant can be done and certain days for post-ops check-up? Does Dr Pong operate on weekends? e.g. Sat/Sun?

 

Q3) Post-ops check-up and hair-wash: how long does it take? and usually at what time? This is to help me to decide which flights to catch.

 

Q4) Nearby Lotus hotel PSK looks interesting that links to a shopping mall. Everyone recommends its new Deluxe rooms & avoid the old Superior rooms. Would the clinic be able to help making room reservation on behalf, as its booking website doesn't seem to be working?

[Tiztom]

I'd say he has a lot of set answers which he probably pastes for people with the same/similar amount of hair, his girls have been with him for many years and would be more than capable of giving simple answers too, it's a very relaxed atmosphere in there & everyone gets on very well.

 

Hair washing happens around 8.30am if possible because he conducts interviews & does checks on patients around this time before surgery which starts around 9.15am.

 

He will want you in the office early on the day of surgery to take pics, fill in forms, do aids test then get you up stairs for the fun part of the day.

 

So far I'm over the moon with my results & I'll be going back around June/July to have the crown area filled in.

 

Do scalp stretching exercises too, he recommends them for better results & more harvest, he didn't say anything before I went but gave me instructions on my last visit.

 

I don't come here much but I check my secondary email every couple of days if you have any more questions.

 

libertysti@yahoo.com

 

Tom.

[botak]

@Tom: Thanks for your sharing. Great info! You've given me confidence to go over next March.

[Tiztom]

I've pasted pics here..also he'll work the odd Sat if requested but I doubt they will help with hotel bookings, maybe just recommend something , the clinic is at a pretty boring end of town, you'd be better off getting something near the markets etc so you have something to do and find a regular taxi driver to take you in, wait & bring you back. I did post details of where I stayed on this thread somewhere, my driver was charging me 150 per day and waiting up to 40min before the return trip......you'd save more than that by staying closer to the "fun" area. I stayed there for 2 1/2 weeks but I went during the off season so it was cheaper.

http://www.hairrestorationnetwork.com/eve/158800-dr-pong-chaing-mai-thailand-6.html

[botak]

I've seen the pics. Looking good.

 

I would be running a tight schedule like this:

Day of arrival: (Tue) ~1pm. Will drop by the clinic for consultation in late afternoon.

Day 1 (Wed): Hair Transplant day

Day 2 (Thu): Post ops check-up

Day 3 (Fri): Post ops check-up at 8a.m. Depart Chiang Mai (Flight time: 11:30a.m)

 

As for hotel, I have booked Lotus PSK via Agoda.com. I've read that the hotel is linked to a major shopping mall, so I could just walk to the "fun" area. And most importantly, it seems that the hotel is just a street opposite of the clinic here: Near by Hotels. A check on tripadvisor.com would recommend a stay on its new wing (deluxe) over the old wing (superior).

[Tiztom]

I remember walking to a big new shopping mall to buy a pillow on the second day but nothing much really opened before 11am from memory................that really is a tight schedule.

 

It's a good 10 - 15min from the main tourist strip by car and you won't feel like walking I can assure you, probably cost you about 70 - 100 by tuk tuk & make sure you have the exact address of your hotel for getting home written down in both Thai & English (worth trying to get before you arrive because very few drivers speak or read English...I wish I had) Best starting point is the Night Bazaar as all the drivers know it and it's furthest from the surgery, everything of interest is pretty much on one main one way street starting from there heading back in the direction of where you came from.

Edited November 27, 2011 by Tiztom

[noobineub]

Hi rogeryap and HarrHarr, you guys got any pics of your surgery? I'm also considering Dr Pong, but just want to do some more research first...

[HARIRI]

The problem with Dr. Pong is that he doesn't accept all patients. He prefers virgin patients most of the time. My workmate is a repair patient who had a bad 2400 grafts hairline job in Dubai was rejected although he was accepted by many clinics. I sent him finally to Dr. Radha and she accepted him directly. It seems Dr. Pong is a good doctor but not good in handling challenges like recommended doctors here. Also he only practices FUT (Strip). I tried to search him in the net and unfortunately he is not recommended in any networks or any forums but the great thing about him that his after photos is very good and very clear that he has a section in his thai hair clinic website called (Illusions vs real objects) discussing lightining techniques used in many top clinics in the world. He is using the "open technique" just like Dr. Path " which is using a single-bladed knife along with a pair of skin hooks inserted into the small stab wound and pulled in the opposite directions while cutting perpendicular to the line of tension between the hair follicles. This enables individual hair follicles to be directly visualized and protected from transection during the harvesting process. This technique is extremely efficient since it allows the surgeon to visualizethe hair follicles before cutting, without needing to constantly guess the correct angle, while it requires more time and more experience, it provides an invaluable benefit to you. Higher and healthier grafts are obtained as a result." Addition to that they use "Fascial and Trichophytic Closure Techniques" to minimize donor area scarring. He charges $2 per graft up to 2500 grafts then every 100 grafts the rate goes $0.4 lower onward. Good luck :-)

[Tiztom]

Maybe he has enough work to not worry about go to the hassle of fixing another doctor's mess.

 

After nearly 9 months.

 

[HARIRI]

Maybe he has enough work to not worry about go to the hassle of fixing another doctor's mess.

 

After nearly 9 months.

 

 

If that is the case really Tiztom then this type of behavior from a HT doctor is so unprofessional :confused:

[Tiztom]

I've got no idea what his reasons were and personally couldn't give a rats arse, his surgery so he does what he wants to do or doesn't want to do!

 

My care factor.................Zero.

[RodG]

Hi Guys,

 

I'm totally lost with your comments. The latest photos shows a person and his hair but I can't fathom the context or understand the comments.

 

I hope you can clarify this for me and the community.

 

Cheers Rod

[Tiztom]

It's my hair at 9 months after going to Dr Pong..... Harari got annoyed because Dr Pong refused to see his friend who had had a bad transplant by another doctor in the past and I suggested maybe he didn't want to fix another doctors mess....I have no idea why Dr Pong didn't want to do it but Harari got all uppity saying he was very unprofessional if that was the case and I said I didn't care........pretty much what it boils down to.

[jimmybald]

Tiztom, the hair looks great man. Dr. Pong and his crew did a great job.

 

I