Frequently Ask Question

Over three million people travel abroad every year for cosmetic surgery and dental treatments. But why travel when we have very good surgeons in Australia who can do the work? Why are an increasing number of us travelling to Thailand to improve looks and health?
Cost!

Lower labor costs and the good exchange rates help drive down the price.
This certainly does not mean a lesser quality providing you choose the right doctor.

If Medicare or your Health Insurance can cover your surgery then we suggest that you opt for surgery in Australia otherwise Thailand is a better option.You would have seen the disaster stories on the internet and TV. Don’t be fooled they are VERY REAL in Thailand but if you obtain an excellent surgeon and a hospital that has the same standards as we are use to in Australia then you can obtain exactly the same outcome at probably half the cost.

Risks and Complications

Cosmetic plastic surgery, like all surgery, has risks. Plastic surgeons perform thousands of successful operations each week, but as with any type of surgery, a patient can have an adverse reaction to the anesthetic or be affected by postoperative complications. These problems can occur even when the surgeon has performed the operation with the utmost skill and even if done in Australia.
Look to minimize the risk ie: Tier 1 hospitals only, Leading surgeons only, Nice hotel to recuperate.

Thailand is home to large private health hospitals that target international patients. A large hospital in Thailand may attract over 400,000 International patients every year. At such hospitals you will find very, very modern, high-technology, use of clinical methods developed in the USA and provision of individual care at the absolute highest standard – standards we expect and have in Australia.
The leading Surgeons are equally as well qualified and experienced as Australian surgeons.
WE WILL NOT RECOMMEND a ‘Tier 2 type Hospital ’ or a ‘corner milkbar’ Medical Clinic
The ‘corner milkbar’ Medical Clinic and the ‘Tier 2 type Hospitals will be slightly cheaper but Why would you risk your health with anything of lesser quality?
Do you think the best surgeons want to work in a ‘corner milkbar’ clinic or a lesser ‘Tier 2 Hospital’ or do you think they would want to work at a Tier 1 Hospital?

Yes.
Many of the surgeons we use are US-board certified, and many others were trained and certified in Europe, Japan, or Australia.

We are aware of Australians in Thai Management positions.
Some doctors have studied in Australia but we are not aware of any Australian Dental or Plastic Surgeons are operating in Thailand.

Nurses, pharmacists, imaging and lab technicians must undergo schooling and pass certification exams to obtain licenses to practice in Thailand. Nurses are re-certified at 5-year intervals. Those with special responsibilities (such as ICU nurses) must receive special training and be certified as competent in those areas. Thailand has programs where nurses also receive special English language training and ongoing continuing education covering a wide range of patient safety issues.

Your absolute first priority MUST be your Surgeon/Doctor!!!!

arranges your procedures in private hospitals. The hospitals are amazing. We ensure that we are only using hospitals that hold the highest International accreditation with facilities second to none.

We visit all hospitals many, many times and we also receive feedback from all returning clients hence we are confident of the high standards of the hospital.

Using an Australian operated Medical Tourismcompany (us) means you are organising your trip with someone that is a Native speaking Australian and a company that really understands exactly what you are after.

There are a number of hospitals in Thailand where you are left wondering if the surgeon/dentist really understands what you are asking. We only use hospitals where English is widely spoken.

Most importantly we ensure the Doctors we use have good English skills
(again the absolute importance of using a local company that meets and knows your Doctor).

1.  Shouldn’t you know who you are using?

Silly as it may seem but many websites don’t tell you are who owns and runs the business. Avoid such companies.

2. Some websites put up Australian flags and the company is not Australian. If you discover such deception then you really must wonder about what is being offered.

Some companys even have ‘02’ telephone numbers listed which are ‘link numbers’ to other countries.

Choose an Australian company to Trust

3.It may seem obvious but your FIRST STEP should be to ensure you speak to your consultant before you proceeding with anything. If you don’t have confidence in the company that you are dealing with then details about hospital, costs, hotels etc are irrelevant.

Business owners are more passionate about ensuring you have a good experience.
Look for the details of the directors / owners and speak to them about their personal experience and background- Are they arm chair experts? Find out exactly what operations they have had in Thailand.

4. The best Thai hospitals have independent consultants.Consultants that have seen outcomes of thousands of operations and therefore know particular surgeon’s results.
Use a company where the consultant can ‘bother’ to ring you and discuss your personal needs before putting an individual plan together for you.

5. Local knowledge is critical. Local knowledge means that your local consultants often meets surgeons, often travel to hospitals and regularly meets with hospital management (not the consultant that has never been or only been a few times to Thailand)
They will also understand where there are safe hotels, time and distances to travel etc.

The end result, even before you leave, has to be that you know exactly each step of your trip and your procedure will follow. Confidence is mirrored in the experience you have.

Because of public health cover in Australia we find that the majority of patients obtain dental and cosmetic procedures. The most common procedures are tummy tucks, face lifts , liposuction , breast operations and Hair operations. Dental operations are as equally popular.

We have been operating since the year 2000 and we have not had such an issue !!!

We believe it is important that prior to travelling your local doctor is involved in your decision. In the unlikely event that there is a complication and where appropriate, your doctor should put you in contact with a local surgeon and action determined. (the same as if you were interstate and there was an emergency then you would seek help in the state you were visiting)

If it is determined that a complication is as a result of surgery then we will meet the Hospital’s Highest Management to assist with a review.

Your concern about your physical appearance is a normal human trait. We understand that you may be sensitive and we ask that you have faith that we will respect your feelings in what for many is a very big step.

We deal with patients on a daily basis. It is unlikely that you will be asking for a procedure that we have not arranged before.

We can help you acquire a healthy attitude toward cosmetic surgery and dental surgery by giving you information to help lessen your fears and anxiety.

An honest appraisal of the likely outcome that can be  achieved through surgery will assist in your understanding.

This is one the most frequently asked question. Patients often select their surgeon, based on the lowest price that they can get for a particular procedure. Surgery in Thailand is already very cheap compared to home, the costs of most cosmetic/aesthetic procedure by board-certified plastic surgeon is very affordable.

Many sites advertise save 60% or 70% of Australian costs . By the time you pay for flights, hotels etc you will find that a major operation costs about half of the Australian total cost.

The same is the case for dental surgery.

Bank or Credit Union personal loans are often the cheapest option
or try your Royal Automotive Club
or a company specialising in Medical Personal Loans is http://www.maccredit.com.au/

(i)Fees – cosmetic plastic surgery is generally paid prior to surgery, after your face to face consultation with your surgeon and once you reach Thailand.
You should not consider paying for Plastic Surgery or Dental Surgery before you travel.

(ii)CostsThai hospitals have ‘package costs so you should be aware of the cost before you leave home. Naturally the cost depends on the complexity of the operation and the anaesthetic administered.
Unfortunately some hospitals add on extra costs once you arrive. By using an experiencedMedicalTourism company you should not be charged ‘extra’s’ once you arrive.

As a rule, cosmetic plastic surgery is considered “elective surgery” and is not covered by most insurance plans. Some operations that have a significant functional aspect – such as breast reduction, if the weight of your breasts causes pain or interferes with normal activities – may be considered reconstructive rather than cosmetic. Check with your plastic surgeon, who may recommend that your insurance company be contacted before surgery to determine whether coverage is available.

(iii)Doctor Choice
Never choose a doctor solely on the basis of lowest cost.

Does having ‘ten degrees’ mean the doctor is a good surgeon?

eg:

JayantMukundray Patel (born 10 April 1950) is an American surgeon who is at the centre of a 2005 scandal in which he was accused of gross incompetence while working at Bundaberg Base Hospital in QueenslandAustralia. In June 2010, Patel was convicted of 3 counts of manslaughter and one case of grievous bodily harm, and sentenced to seven years imprisonment – He was supposedly well qualified !

– again your trusted medical tour company can help.

(iv)Surgical Facilities –Cosmetic plastic surgery should only be performed in a leading Tier 1 hospital – speak to your Medical Tour company

(v)Recovering from Your Surgery –For most cosmetic plastic surgical procedures, you will need to restrict your normal activities for a time following surgery. You must stay in the same location as where your operation occurred and until the end of your required recuperation period. Plan your work and social activities to allow sufficient time for recovery.

Recovery time varies greatly depending on the specific surgery you have and individual expectations. Most patients are able to return to their usual social activities (school, work, etc.) within a week or two.

Aerobic activities should be avoided for at least three weeks following surgery. Any activity that leads to an elevation in your blood pressure will increase the amount of time it takes for postoperative swelling to resolve. You will also likely notice an increased aching or throbbing to your surgical site as well. After about 3 weeks of recovery you can start to ease back into exercising. It is recommended that you start off slowly at first and then build up. Your body will let you know if you’re over-doing it. Additionally, contact sports should be avoided for six weeks following nasal (rhinoplasty) surgery.

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle in the weeks before and after surgery will help maximize your chances for an optimal recovery. This includes following a healthy, balanced diet, staying well-rested and keeping well-hydrated.

To prevent any effect on normal blood clotting it is recommended that before your procedure you avoid a variety of medications or herbal supplements that act as blood thinner. Examples include aspirin, ibuprofen/Motrin/Advil, vitamin E, ginkgo biloba, and ginseng. You should alsorefrain from using these medications or supplements for 7 to 10 days after your procedure.

Surgeons will not operate on you if you are a smoker.

No, there is no absolute limit to the number of revision procedures you can undergo. However, often there are diminishing returns as scar tissue develops after each procedure. Only by examining you in person can a surgeon accurately assess your revision surgery options.

Pain is limited or entirely avoided during a cosmetic surgery procedure with local or general anesthesia. During your recovery however, you would typically experience a range of feelings from mild discomfort to some pain, which would be managed with pain medication. The extent of the cosmetic surgery will determine the potential for pain and the time it will take you to recover. A tummy tuck for example, is a cosmetic surgery that affects a larger portion of the body compared to a brow lift. You should also note that pain is typically controlled immediately after surgery with long lasting anesthetics at the surgery site. This process will ease you into recovery. Because of long-lasting local anesthetic commonly used during the procedure and pain medicines taken after the surgery, most people don’t complain much about pain.

Although some procedures are only applicable to individuals approaching or experiencing middle age, such as a facelift, this does not mean that younger people never get cosmetic surgery. Younger people often get rhinoplasty, breast augmentation or other procedures to change a body feature as opposed to alleviating the effects of aging. As long as you are over age 18, you can freely pursue cosmetic surgery but it would be important for you to seriously consider your motivations and not change something about your body lightly.

( we just had a 78 year old Queensland lady who had a face lift and we previously had a gentlemen in his late seventies obtain a hair graft)

The type of cosmetic surgery you have generally determines the type of anesthesia used but you can discuss your preferences with your cosmetic surgeon. For less-invasive procedures, a local anesthetic that blocks nerve impulses at the site of the surgery combined with a sedative to calm you would be used. General anesthesia, in which you are made completely unconscious and oblivious to pain, is necessary for more extensive surgeries.

Oh, recuperation varies so much from patient to patient but we will try and provide a general indication

Common for all patients is that  Rest is absolutely necessary immediately post surgery.

Your time in Thailand is about sitting in your hotel and ‘reading your new John Grisham book’  NOT out and about
If you tire of hotel food then ensure you pop out for  eating early in the day before the heat of Thailand’s day takes effect Similarly pop out late in the day for a night meal At other times you should be ‘stuck’ in the hotel taking it easy
It is for this reason that it is best to opt for a larger accommodation rather than cramped in a small hotel which is common in the popular tourist locations

Usually the worst day for swelling and bruising is day 4 or day 3 after surgery
Whilst the swelling and bruising apears quickly it unfortunately does not disappear with the same speed

Naturally healing will depend on how healthy you are, prior to surgery and your bodies ability to heal
We have had patients that  a week post surgery have looked as if they never had surgery (except looking lots younger)  but that is not the norm and with most patients they are still having swelling when they depart Thailand and sometimes some bruising too

Conversely to the  quick healing patient  – we had a recent patient that prior to surgery advised she was a a very slow healer and it took about 3 – 4 weeks for all the bruising to go and some two months later she had minor swelling

Typically after 3- 4 weeks the swelling has reduced significantly and the full surgical results are showing By this stage you are usually back to all of your normal activities but do not rush it – remember Face and Neck lift surgery is MAJOR surgery so ‘hasten slowly’

Obviously your facelift / neck lift will be significantly affected by the surgeon’s experience and training.

We have seen many satisfactory surgeries and we have also arranged surgeries that really stand out as providing significant improvement and look extremely natural. Whilst all plastic surgeons are able to conduct face lift surgery some focus in this area and you should consider this as your preference.

Your surgeon’s ability to picture the outcome is one of the important factors that will determine the surgical outcome.

An exceptional facelift and neck lift surgeon will be very, very practiced and precise as well as having the surgical ability and can clearly envisage what improvements his surgery will provide. We have arranged literally thousands of Face and Neck surgeries – let us help you today.

Deep Plane Facelift in Thailand, Mid Facelift Surgery in Thailand, Micro Face lift in Thailand or even non-surgical face lift in Thailand.

It’s all sounds very complex however we can absolutely guide you to an amazing Facial & Neck expert in Thailand.

First of all we should talk about why patients require Face lift operation and Neck Lift surgery in Thailand and what is a Facelift. Face lift Surgery in Thailand ( Rhytidectomy in Thailand) is designed plastic surgery for jowls and sagging of the face and neck brought on by mother time.

Surgery aims to tighten the underlying tissue and sagging of your skin of both the neck and face areas so as to make you look more youthful. As part of surgery your doctor can excise excessive hanging skin and also provide a reduction of deep creases around nose and mouth areas.

Typically for your cosmetic plastic surgery in Thailand females require face neck lift surgery whereas males usually only require Facelift surgery.

A male requiring neck corrections or a mini neck lift procedure is far from unusual however a female not requiring neck lift surgery or even a mini neck lift procedure is not that common.

Whilst there are a number of non- surgical procedures they will never compare to face and neck lift surgery.

There is Lower Face Lift in Thailand:

which is also known as Rhytidectomy.

There is Mini Face Lift in Thailand:

which addresses lower face and involves minimal skin sag.

There is Mid Face Lift in Thailand:

which addresses cheek sag and helps with deep creases

There is Deep Plane Face Lift in Thailand

which address face and neck and usually has excellent effect on sagging mid face area. This type of face and neck lift tends to provide longer lasting results. Some surgeons suggest this procedure is not the preferred procedure for patients under 70.

There is SMAS in Thailand

Superficial Muscular Aponeurotic System facelift in Thailand which address the traditional approach to facelifts of lower face however it does not necessarily assist with mid face sagging and deep folds.

There is Neck lift in Thailand

which addresses the area you can see from the lower area of your face and down to you t-shirt area. It is often combined with neck liposuction.

Our free consultation service will provide a doctor’s recommendation for the type of surgery you require and therefore providing you with the opportunity to consider if the recommendation is right for you.

(Thailand Rhytidectomy)A facelift is typically surgery for men and women over the age of 40 and well into their late 40’s, 50’s and 60’s (we even had one lady that was nearly 80 having face surgery) Moreover women usually require facelift and neck lift and men often only require facelift however many men do require neck lifts too.

In the case of aging we start to lose fat and muscles which causes your cheeks to start to fold inwards and your eyelid skin starts to become loose and hang and for some their forehead starts to hang and result in creases. Additionally for some their upper lips become longer too.

As we all age at different rates there is no exact age however ideally typical age is 45 – 50.

What must be remembered is that the younger you have your surgery the less invasive it will be because quite simply you have not aged as much and additionally your skin will be stronger and more healthy.

Additionally the ‘younger’ you have surgery the easier it will be to correct deep wrinkles and sagging, When we commenced arranging face and neck lifts in the year 2000 typically our patients’ average age was in their 60’s however these days it is around 50.

We have even assisted a number of patients in their 80’s! The main consideration for surgery is that you are strong and healthy. If this is the case then may be you are a good candidate to achieve a more youthful outcome. A patient having facial and neck procedures in their 70’s and 80’s will find the outcome does not last as long as someone having surgery when they are younger.

Whilst you can often camouflage your facial situation with cosmetics it in not the case with a saggy neck.

Health Before Surgery
For any surgery especially cosmetic plastic neck lift surgery combined with facial surgery you must be in good health. Doctors may in fact not take on your surgical case if you have high blood pressure, a bleeding disorder or a smoker.

It is important to be as closed as possible to your ideal weight as this will provide you with the best surgical outcomes.

Thai surgeons will only operate on patients with the correct Body Mass Index (BMI)
Ideally your BMI should be 20 – 26 and less than 30.

Pre-operative preparations:

 

 

Before surgery

 

Medications to stop

 

Side effects/adverse reactions

6 months

Stop taking Isotretinoin for acne (commonly called Roaccutane)

Drug affects wound healing, such as bad scarring, or cause severe capsular contracture.

4 weeks

Stop smoking

Smoking may cause blood supply compromise and delay wound healing.

14 days

Stop taking anticoagulants (blood thinners), such as Aspirin, Coumadin, Ticlid,

Plavix or Aggrenox. Make sure to inform your primary care physician before stopping any medication.

A complete list of medications is available on request from a PPSI coordinator.

Anticoagulants will lead to increased bleeding or hemorrhage after surgery.

14 days

Take off any body piercings.

Remove at least 2 weeks before surgery in order to detect and treat any underlying infection.

10 days

Stop taking supplements, such as Multivitamins, Vit. E., Fish oil tablets, Omega 3, Ginseng-

Ginko, Evening Primrose oil, and herbs.

These may cause unnecessary bleeding

10 days

Stop taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications (such as Ibuprofen, Advil, Motrin, Nuprin, Aleve, Relafen, Naprosyn, Diclofenac, Naproxen, Voltaren, Daypro, Feldene, Clinoril, Lodine, Indocin, Orudis and others). For a complete list of medications and supplements, please contact PPSI.

These may cause unnecessary bleeding

Evening before surgery

Wash hair and take shower, using no cosmetics or lotions.

Remove acrylic nails and nail polish.

It’s recommended that you remove cosmetics, grease and nail polish, as it could interfere with equipment monitors.

6-8 hours before surgery

No food or drink

Prevent lung aspiration in case of vomiting from anaesthesia

 

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