Dr Pathomvanich past patients

[mi$$ionHAIR]

Hi guys

 

I am a 26 year old based out of India, looking to get a HT done in March 2010

 

I am close to finalising on Dr Pathomvanich as a surgeon for this. His prompt and detailed email responses have won my heart. However, I have not been able to get in touch with any of Dr P's past patients. Dr P himself has been unable to help me on this and has cited confidentiality issues. While this is someting I do appreciate, I see merit in speaking to a few patients before taking a final call

 

I just wanted to check if any of his past patients (preferably from India) are active on this forum and would be willing to share their experiences with me.

I assure you this is purely for personal consumption and that I would not be sharing this information with anyone.

 

 

Many thanks in advance for all the help

[Sunnycoastman]

Hi mission, I had my HT with DR Path 2 weeks ago today. Another member called HST had one about 2 months ago but havent heard from him for about 6 weeks. Would like to know how hes going. I have some pics so click on my link if you want to check out what i had done. Im very happy with Dr Path. i was a difficult customer, thin hair, fine hair, large bald area and laxity was just ok. My surgery took 10 hours. Im just hoping for some sort of coverage. Itll always be thin and see through but gotta be better than now. Feel free to ask anything you want. cheers

 

Sunny

[wb280]

hey mission, u can also search for Tomy A if i m not wrong. u can just browse the website in more detail and u are sure to come across his posts and blogs...

 

And of cos our good friend here sunnycoastman who had it done a couple weeks ago with Dr Path. he will be more than willing to share his experience with u

[ashok]

http://hair-restoration-info.c...=456104652#456104652

 

dont know if you have checked this thread.

[Mich88]

hi guys- just returned from thailand -had a procedure with Dr Path. I have had past procedures in Australia in the 90s through the supposed leading surgeons here. To be frank -there is simple no comparison- Dr Path is great..

 

The procedure was not - I repeat not.. at all painful, and im no hero -

 

The service and support staff I believe surpases all others unless someone proves me otherwise- There were about 8 assisting the doctor which included another doctor nurses and technicians.

 

Someone also massaged my feet and calfs -which kept me very relaxed throughout.

 

My procedure was around 2200 grafts and I walked in at 9am - left at 4.30, so about 7 hours minus the pre med chat and sedatives.

 

The cost is also much cheaper than prices in Australia. I paid a shade under $6000.00 Aus $ for the procedure. I was there for 10 days,stayed initially close by then moved after a few days.

 

Accommodation and flights are cheap to thailand-so im still well ahead of the cost here in Australia- also there is the bonus of having the procedure done in private - where no one will see the initial outcome-which can be evident for the first week.

 

So if anyone would like to ask any questions id be pleased to assist- For me Dr Path is the best option-

1. A very experienced surgeon

2. A great team that assists

3. Affordable ( significantly cheaper than surgeons here)

4. Little to no pain

5. Private

6. Bangkok is a great city and if you had an extra week you could turn your procedure into a great holiday experience- by checking out Phuket or Koh Sumui or many other options. The Skytrain makes it really easy and efficient to get around bangkok as well. I used a taxi from the airport to my hotel and the rest of the time just used the sky train- easy

 

So for me - DR Path is the best option for anyone in Australia looking to have a HT.

 

There has been a changing of the guard in Australia re surgeons- the pioneers of the 80s-90s have either retired or chose to only perform surgery in one state- new surgeons have appeared and whilst they dont have the same runs on the board the costs have blown right out of proportion.

 

Dr Path has a lot of experience- has great staff- and offers a very cost effective and positive experience

 

cheers

[wb280]

hi mich!

 

glad to know another satisfied patient under Dr Path! I am scheduled to have my 1st surgery next may.. postponing due to work commitments!

 

I read that u mentioned there was little pain.. my friend did with another local dr and he said the pain was really unbearable.. he had abt 3k grafts implanted. do u think the number of grafts mattered?

 

Also, how was the donor and recipient areas? I gathered from Dr Oravan that we can start using concealers 1 week after surgery... but i think the wounds must at least close up 1st

 

any pics to show?

 

thanks!!!

[Bill - Seemiller]

Mich,

 

Congratulations on your recent hair transplant with Dr. Pathomvanich. I'm pleased, but not surprised to hear that you had a great experience.

 

Do you have any pictures you can share with us? I encourage you to create your very own hair loss website to document your progress with photos.

 

Heal and grow well,

 

Bill

[Sunnycoastman]

Hi Mich. I look forward to seeing some photos. Im glad you had a good experience with Dr Paths team. I know what you mean about the massage. very nice!! I reckon the prick for the blood test was what hurt the most...:-) It sure was a relaxing day for me I know that. I loved Bangkok and the food there is delicious and cheap. Wish I couldve stayed another week or two. So congrats to you, all the best.

Sunny

[Beachgoer]

Hi Mich

 

Glad to hear of another happy Dr Path patient. I'm booked for March 2010 and with all the recent good remarks coming into the forum I know I will be in good hands over there.

[confused123]

Hi Mission, I just had my HT with Dr. Path yesterday and currently replying from Bankok.

 

My experience with Doc so far is great and the work looks neat. I will explain my experience in detail once I am back in India.

 

Thanks!

[Mich88]

Hi guys

 

firstly to WB280. I understand your concern -re pain - because for someone like myself who has had procedures 10 years before its still scary. This was an issue I raised with Dr Path and his staff. Whilst they told me not to worry I still had apprehension. Sensing this I was given about 3 valium and a sleeping pill pre med and during the procedure I slept. I do recall some initial injections but was suprised as the needle is so fine I couldnt really detect that id had an injection. By the end of the procedure I really did concede that there was absolutely nothing to worry about.I had a great sense of relief-- but also reflected on why id worried myself about it. Dr Path simply explained the apprehension like taking an exam- once its done you wonder what the fuss was about. Having had this experience I wouldnt ever worry about it again- if I ever needed further grafts

 

In answer to your question I dont think more grafts mean any further pain- I agree that its most likely the surgeon who is remiss in not ensuring the area is numbed. Further to this during transplanting I did not feel a thing. I chatted with the Thai nurses and the doctor a little who continuously enquired as to how I was feeling.

 

I met a guy from the states the morning after his op as I was waiting in reception for mine. He had 3500 grafts looked good and said he felt fine- and told me that he was heading to Phuket for a holiday I should actually thank him as he made me feel less anxious while I waited for my procedure

 

The size of the donor area shouldnt really be an issue either- whether 2000- or 3000 -3500 the length isnt that much greater. I admit that this was also a concern for me-as in the past id had procedures that didnt extend beyond 500 grafts and hence the donor scars were small- However I was told by the previous surgeon that in my second grafting session that he would use the same scar line- this I found was not true and in fact he used a donor line above the existing first scar. This reduced my donor area- and I was told by another surgeon in Australia that I had limited donor hair left. Dr Path examined me and assured me I had an abundance of donor hair. However because of existing scars he took the donor strip slightly above- the donor area was obviously longer- a little short of ear to ear. I have plenty of hair coverage there so no issue

Post op first night its uncomfortable - but doesnt throb or ache- its sore as you would expect- it feels tight. But Dr path provides pain medication and sleeping pills if you need it as well as anti biotics to ensure there is no potential for infection. Overall I can assure you that the procedure is not painful with Dr Path

 

Keep in mind if this is your first procedure you'll be a much easy candidate than me. I had by virtue of previous procedures a tighter scalp and less elasticity but it really didnt pose problems for DR PAth or pain - post op for me.

 

BTW- I also had to reschedule a few times before I could settle on a date- no problem with Dr Path as many of his patients are from outside of Thailand

 

To Sunny - I agree the finger prick was about the most invasive thing. Funny really. Overall a walk in the park.

Do you know of any other surgeons team- possibly anywhere else in the world that would administer a foot massage during the procedure?

 

To Beachgoer- great choice - you wont regret it- after the op you feel really positive that youve taken this step which is about improvement- way to go

 

To confused 123- well done - look forward to your pics

 

to Bill- no problem - be glad to post results - will have to source pre op pics from the doc - but that should be easy

 

Ok- first post response and have tried to personalise my response to those who took interest and the time to post. Im 10 days in and feeling good, back in Oz - missing Thailand which is such a great city and the people are really friendly- my only regret is that I didnt stay longer.

 

The best testimonial of Dr Path is from his patients. I have no vested interest other than helping any other brothers out there, concerns with this procedure. Ultimately we'd all prefer we werent in a situation where we had to source a HT procedure. However thats what life deals some of us. The best way to deal with that daily regret when you stare in the mirror- is to realise that you can do something positive about it - really improve your hair - and your self esteem. One thing I truly felt post op- was a confidence that I had taken charge of a situation that many others just succumb to. Its personal choice, but I know i prefer having natural looking hair

 

Once thats determined its finding the best surgeon you can- so research , patient testimonials, location , cost , time are all issues and practicalities , but are not difficult when we have forums like this to exchange information. A real key is patient testimonials though. Many surgeons will make many claims- one surgeon expoused to me that he was the best in the world- yeah right. All surgeons will have lots of before and after pics-some more representational than others. Dr Path gives you a really honest appraisal- void of wonder claims. He also listens to his patients which is very important

 

For me- its Dr Path- in Thailand- no argument. This obviously precludes surgeons outside of Oz or Thailand which I have limited knowledge of. However as indicated this is my third surgeon and by far the best and ... in terms of cost effectiveness- no contest

 

I honestly look forward to returning to Thailand for a longer holiday next year and will drop in on Dr Path again

 

If anyone has any further questions id be more than happy to help

 

cheers

 

Mich

[wb280]

hi mich!

 

hey thanks for explaining! not that i am that scared of pain but my friend had his done ( not with Dr Pat and he kept complaining he shld ve done more research before heading in ) and he was telling me how painful it was so i was slighly chickening out

 

anyway was reading ur below mentioned statements

 

Ultimately we'd all prefer we werent in a situation where we had to source a HT procedure. However thats what life deals some of us. The best way to deal with that daily regret when you stare in the mirror- is to realise that you can do something positive about it - really improve your hair - and your self esteem. One thing I truly felt post op- was a confidence that I had taken charge of a situation that many others just succumb to.

 

honestly i really really feel most, if not all in this community can really adhere to what u wrote. its really tough. its affecting me daily. hence like u said, i m not leaving things as it is and take charge to change a situation i am dissatisfied with

 

anyway thanks for the answers and do post more pics brother!!!

 

hey before i forget, did u ask Dr Pat how come he stopped doing FUE?

[Mich88]

Hi Wb280

 

been holidaying so apologies for the delay in responding

 

to answer your question

[color:BLUE]did you ask Cr Pat how come he stopped doing FUE?

 

No Wb I didnt ask him that, From your question it sounds like he must have stopped doing FUE- but to be honest I dont know whether he has or not.

 

I did check out FUE from the pioneer surgeon in Sydney- I have my share of scars already-and ideally would have liked to avoid another- personally I chose against it for the following reasons

 

Its a very long procedure where a max of 500 grafts are really only possible in one day session- with more sessions over the following days if required. Secondly the cost is much higher given the time intensive nature of the procedure. Thirdly- the after pics I viewed didnt grab me- the transplanted hair looked very sparse- however this is only based on examples on the website and may not be fully representational of the outcome of others

 

The upshot is obviously no scar- but from the after pics ive seen -the donor area does look punctuated with dots- this may change in due time though

 

Another positive is that advances are allowing body hair to be used- ( obviously very helpful for those who have little to no donor hair on the back of their head)

 

Ultimately scars fade and i'm not planning to shave my head in the future anyway- hence why would I be investing in HT-not all of us are lucky enough to have the head shape of Bruce Willis or the looks and hair line for that matter of David Beckam- the shaved head suits them- but not for me

 

cheers

[wb280]

mich, i think the scar is the only thing that is holding me back... nothing else really matters... but dr oravan did inform me that i prob need less than 2k grafts...

 

i did some browsing and realized that most of those who had abt 2k grafts or below had only FUE... it somehow appeals to me that everyone is trying to avoid the strip as much as possible due to the chances of scarring.. though it does not mean FUE does not produce scars... its just that at the end of the day, the FUE does not leave a linear scar... but u r spot on abt the shave off.. i ve nvr ever tote of going down this route...

 

any opinions? bill?

[shines]

mi$$ionHAIR,

 

As of now , you can always try outside (India) HT doctors Like Dr Pat. He is a quality surgeon.

 

Before meeting him just do your home work about requirements and questions.

 

Thanks.

[Mich88]

I understand your concerns regarding the scar-though i'm not sure that everyone is trying to avoid FUT because of the scar-

 

But if thats the way you want to go-FUE- then maybe DR Path will perform that.

 

Sounds like you dont require too many grafts so if you did go with FUT the scar wont be too long- Also the double stiched closure ensures it will be a hairline scar.

 

I had procedures back in the nineties- 2 scalp reductions -which thankfully surgeons no longer perform- as they pushed the limits of the post op pain barrier and a few HT- 10 years on- I wanted to cover areas that had thinned from my remaining existing hair. So ive been around the block a little- can compare surgeons from my experience - and know exactely what your mind is working through pre surgery

 

Now days you have greater choice-different procedures and proscar and minoxidal

 

However ultimately its up to you- if money is not a factor then go with FUE- if Dr Path doesnt perform this anymore- perhaps enquire why? i'm sure he would have a sound reason- if he does then go with FUE.

 

The thought process your experiencing is normal- if you werent weighing this up- then you wouldnt be preparing yourself for your first HT.

 

But I can offer this- dont over analyse - given the magnitutde of information online and this forum be informed-chose a good surgeon- ( which you have) ask questions - then settle on whats right for you.

 

I dont think you would regret either- with the right surgeon-

 

cheers

[mi$$ionHAIR]

Thanks everyone for their comments

 

I am mostly done with deciding on Dr Pathomvanich - there is only one thing holding me back

 

I understand that immediately post an HT - the recepient area would show pin shaped incisions. Roughly, how long does it take for the recepient area to heal and assume its natural look? By a natural look - I mean "scabs falling" and absence of significant redness.

 

This is realy important for me since I am in a client-facing role and it would not be possible for me to wear a hat to work.

 

Many thanks in advance to those who may respond

[mi$$ionHAIR]

Hi guys..any comments on this? Billon? Sunnycoastman? anyone?

[confused123]

In my case redness was allgone within 5-10 days. Scabs in next 5 days. Length of redness varies from patient to patient and i also feel depends upon ur age.

[mav]

Hey missionHair!

 

I went in for an HT by Dr path on the 15th and can assure you its one decision I wdnt regret. I had 2.5 k grafts transplanted over a period of around 6 hours and it was a smooth thing. The Doc and his team is really good at what they do.

 

To answer your q about the look post surgery- Its been hardly a week since mine and I can safely go about doing my thing without anyone having the slightest clue abt my HT. The key here is to keep the surrounding hair long enough to cover the transplanted grafts. I had no noticeable redness to speak of and the scabs are concealed by the native hair.

 

Cheers to the HT...and uhh.. to that place called Bangkok!

[Sunnycoastman]

Hi Mission, my experience after 4100 grafts, with most on the crown and some to fill in the frontal hairline. The crusting started coming off after about 5 days and gradually more came off each day with all gone in 2 weeks. My recipient area in the front was noticably pink for almost 2 months. I wore a hat for a month after my surgery and let my frontal hair grow so that I could brush it forward over the pink area. so after wearing the hat for a month i had my hair brushed forward and I bought some face powder that women use, and used that for the next month and no-one could tell. Now at almost 3 months I can still see a very faint pinkness but no-one else notices. Have a look at my blog and youll see what i mean. Whats annoying me right now is damn pimples on my crown. Ive had a few in the front as well but lots on the crown. cant hide those altho I used some powder there as well. so it sounds like the amount of pinkness and length of time it stays depends in your skin type and how it reacts. cheers,

sunny

[Big Allan]

Hi all,

 

Whoever has HT with doctor Path, can you please post pictures?

[mi$$ionHAIR]

I know this might end up being the weirdest request on this forum, but here goes

 

I was planning to get a HT scheduled with Dr Pathomvanich in first half of April, but for various issues didn't book a date with him till today. Unfortunately, Dr P is totally booked till May (which doesn't work well as I cant take time off from office in May )

 

Does anyone on this forum have an appointment scheduled with Dr Pathomvanich in April - first half, that he/she is willing to trade with a May 3rd appointment?

 

This would be really beneficial for me, as otherwise I would have to postpone my HT till December

 

 

Many Many thanks in advance

[wb280]

mine is end may dude, sorry cant help... but he's fully booked till may? wow..

[Mich88]

Hi Mission - Dr Path is booked 3 months ahead so it was a little ambitious of you to assume you'd get a surgery booking in April- 6-7 weeks re early April. I hope you have luck in trading an appointment- Think ultimately if you want the procedure- which I think you do- you have to commit yourself to it- book it 3 months in advance- pay the deposit - and get organised.

 

Dr Path is a quality surgeon and hence has lots of people booking for a HT. Given the surgery is in Thailand you have to realise that patients who live in many parts of the world book well in advance and only under under exceptional circumstances are likely to cancel or trade surgery times- given the airline tickets -hotel bookings and leave from work. This also makes it near impossible for Dr Path to readjust patient schedules. You may be lucky and someone may cancel- I hope you are.

 

But excuse me for observing this- it does seem when reading your recent posts that its your uncertainty that is still the main issue. We have all reassured you- we have all been in the same position - we all- i'm assuming work amongst others and have initially shared that concern. However we have assured you that ultimately we found it was not an issue.- no one knows unless you tell them- and there are concealers you can use in the event you need to-which I would doubt

 

Maybe try to arrange your schedule around May- if a cancelation doesnt come through soon- If not, book for December as soon as possible-like I did-9 months ahead- so they held the appointment, where I then paid the deposit closer to the surgery. If you really do want to do this - then you have much support-and we can assure you there's nothing to fear-

 

if ultimately you decide against it- then thats fine too. Its really up to each individual. But if your going ahead- plan everything- well in advance- not just holidays or leave from work but importantly the surgery to sync it together. Good luck on getting a cancelation-best wishes