79 replies to this topic

[holeydood]

Longtime lurker here. Used to find a couple of acne scars on my face cool as a teenager. Til I ended up being too cool. I'm 37 now and have a love-hate relationship with my scars. I usually don't like em but sometimes I think scars make my face more interesting.

I've done lasers like Cooltouch and Erbium Yag, with a few rounds of subcision thrown in. My scars have softened a bit from these treatments. Maybe 10 - 20% improvement. I've also tried temp fillers and enjoyed the short-lived results.

I live in Singapore and will be going to Thailand soon for a couple of months. I may treat my scars too. Medical tourism is huge in Thailand because the services are top notch at a fraction of the cost. Most people go there for lasik, nose jobs, breast enlargement and lots of other procedures, cosmetic or otherwise. The docs there are able to transform guys into beautiful "female" supermodels (google Miss Tiffany). That wasn't a very relevant example but folks who live in Thailand or around the South-East Asian region would understand the high quality of docs in Thailand.

I'm inclined to try dermabrasion and I've emailed these docs with my pictures.

Yoskarn Clinic
*Moderator edit, URL removed - read the board rules. *

The Cosmetic Surgery Clinic
*Moderator edit, URL removed - read the board rules. *

Got a prompt reply from Yoskarn Clinic (Dr Kunachak) who says that my cheek scars are suitable for dermabrasion. He suggested permanent fillers for the temples. Price is US$1500 to US$2000 depending on the type of scar revision I do. I'm still waiting for a reply from The Cosmetic Surgery Clinic.

This price is very much on the high end as I only looked at the bigger clinics in Bangkok. There are other great docs in Pattaya, Chiang Mai or elsewhere that go for much cheaper. Will consult with the Bangkok docs in August and decide from there.

Here are photos of my scars. I tried to take them under the harshest possible lighting conditions but it's not easy. So my scars look better in these photos than they really are.

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Edited by c'est la vigne, 18 August 2010 - 01:21 AM.

[holeydood]

I've been trying to edit my post to make the images show. I'm using the correct img tag syntax provided by the forum's image button. Doesn't work. Even posting the image as a regular link results in the link disappearing from my post. What gives?

[Prettywords]

Research this board for users experience. Most wouldn't do derma again. Especially being asian, they had all kinds of problems. I'm assuming you're asian.

[holeydood]

Yeah, I'm asian. Already read the dermabrasion threads. Mostly negative replies, I know. But I've witnessed first-hand the dramatic results dermabrasion can give. My aunt had icepick scars all over her cheeks and they're practically gone now after 2 dermabrasions. And she did them in the 80s at some budget clinic in the Philippines. Dermabrasion can deliver if done right.

Anyway I'm keeping my options open til I consult with the docs. I'll still have a great holiday there even if I don't proceed. Thailand rocks.

[holeydood]

Went to the highly regarded Yoskarn Clinic on 11 August.

*Moderator edit, URL removed - read the board rules. *

There were a few pretty girls waiting for consultations. That must be a good sign. The facility looks first rate too. I'm not surprised that the Thai celebs visit this clinic to get work done. Dr Kunachak is the man in charge and he speaks good English. He suggested that I do dermabrasion on my cheeks, but to do permanent fillers on my temples as those areas are not so amenable to dermabrasion. I agreed to all of this.

I checked into the Aphrodite Inn just next door.

*Moderator edit, URL removed - read the board rules. *

This hotel is affiliated with the clinic and there's even a door just outside my hotel room that leads directly into the operating area. You don't have to worry about walking outside all bruised and bandaged just to visit the clinic.

I had the procedure done that night on 11 August 10pm. I walked back to my room to rest in the morning. The doctor and nurses have been coming to my room to check on me daily. Everyone takes good care of you here. I'll get my bandages removed one week later. Looking forward to that.

Here are photos of my bandaged face and my hotel room.

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[jackiey]

Wow! You sure didnt waste a minute!
I hope you treatment make you happoer with your skin. Your skin looks almost exactly like mine except i dont have any scarring on my temples. Good luck and please keep us posted.

[FeelsGood]

He suggested that I do dermabrasion on my cheeks, but to do permanent fillers on my temples as those areas are not so amenable to dermabrasion. I agreed to all of this.

When you get the chance, can I see your temples? What fillers did he use?

[Mr President]

great thread and thanks for sharing. out of curosity, how much did your procedure cost?

[holeydood]

@ItHurtsToLook
I'll check with the doc when I see him next. Will post temple pix once bandages are off. I can partially see my temples but they're mostly hidden by bandages and tape. Hard to see anything right now.

@mr_sunshine
$1500 for dermabrasion and $450 for filler. So I paid just under $2000. Your rates may go up or down depending on the severity of your scars and the amount of filler you need ($450 per ML of filler).

[Mr President]

@ItHurtsToLook
I'll check with the doc when I see him next. Will post temple pix once bandages are off. I can partially see my temples but they're mostly hidden by bandages and tape. Hard to see anything right now.

@mr_sunshine
$1500 for dermabrasion and $450 for filler. So I paid just under $2000. Your rates may go up or down depending on the severity of your scars and the amount of filler you need ($450 per ML of filler).

i bet the curosity is getting to you. lol seeing just what your scars look like underneath. i must admit the whole dermabrasion thing interests me. like you, ive read the negative posts in the reviews section, but also have heard of people who have had it done with great results.

you have a few rolling scars and i expect it might work well on those. my scarring is similar to the ones closest to your nose (more ice pick/boxcar ones). the thing that worries me is, id go for a procedure like this and then find the scars are wider underneath the surface. thus being left with bigger scars after the narrower top layer of skin is removed.

anyhoo, please keep posting. i love all your pics and thanks for being so detailed with your treatment. ur hotel room looks great too, the perfect place to relax whilst getting better. *sigh*

i might have a look if that place does strong peels like exoderm..id absolutely love a strong peel.

[jackiey]

I though these were boxcars, ice-picks. I am sco confused. I guess I really cant make out types of scars very well

[Mr President]

I though these were boxcars, ice-picks. I am sco confused. I guess I really cant make out types of scars very well

lol or maybe we are both blind. when i zoomed in the pics, it looks like deep narrow scars near the nose (ice picks or boxcar scars) and rolling scars all over the cheeks. however like most things, its probably open to interpretation.

i always thought you had ice picks and boxcar scars jackiey?

[jackiey]

I have been told that I have boxcars, ice-picks. His skin seemed to remind me of mine though
Im not 100% sure though. I dont know if the lighting that I use in my photos makes them appear to be boxcar. Its hard for me to tell. In certain natural lighting conditions that we all probably feel comfortable in my scars appear to be flat white spots. I have seen 2 derms that said "what acne scars you just have white spots." But they are indented. When I see this new derm in october I will ask her and she what she says.

[holeydood]

I do indeed have boxcars though most are rolling scars. The lighting in my photos feathered the scar details but the boxcars are there on the cheeks.

Today is Sunday, so I was pleasantly surprised when the doctor paid me a visit to check on me. I felt slightly uncomfortable having bandages on my face the past few days. So the doctor got a nurse to clean my face and replace the bandages. I opted not to look at my face yet as the skin probably looks raw still. Don't wanna shock myself too much.


@ItHurtsToLook
The doc said that he used silicone microdroplets to fill my temples.

[Mr President]

[quote name='holeydood' date='Aug 16 2010, 01:40 AM' post='2929937']
I do indeed have boxcars though most are rolling scars. The lighting in my photos feathered the scar details but the boxcars are there on the cheeks
thanks for keeping us updated ! nice of the dr to come in and see you and it sounds like you chose your place well. i hope your healing goes well too. im really curious to hear your results, especially with regards to the boxcars...please keep posting

[holeydood]

Caught the flu. Maybe it's the weather here or the air. The doctor and nurses visited me late last night after one of their surgeries. I received some meds and I'm feeling much better today. The doc seems to be a very busy guy. Doing his professorship thing in the mornings at the university, and running his clinic after. Despite his hectic schedule, he still manages to check on me every single day. Quite a cool cat.

I'm a vegetarian so one of the clinic staff surprised me by buying me a special meal. On the house. Anyway no complaints about the service here. It's great. I hope the treatment results live up to the service. Bandages come off tomorrow.

[Mr President]

oh you poor thing. the flu might be from a combination of the weather and the fact your body is putting so much energy into healing...making your immune system weaker..the fact they brought you in food is really sweet. they sound like they really care about you.

do you leave your hotel room at all...if not how are you spending your days?

very excited to see your results

[holeydood]

Thanks for the concern. I'm much better now. Think my flu is gone after taking the meds. Clinic staff again brought me food, so that was cool.

I spend my days in the hotel room. They have given me 2 boxes of DVDs to help pass time. I'm either on the internet, watching cable TV or DVDs. I'm not ready to venture out yet. Even after bandages are off, I was advised to keep my outings to a minimum. Sun, sweat, dirt and other nasties aren't good for my skin when it's still raw.

mr_sunshine, you're nearby in Sydney, so Thailand may be an option for you. Clinic does the full suite of cosmetic procedures, so you can also do your teeth or whatever. I'd hazard a guess that most of my hotel neighbors are here for cosmetic procedures. I think Dr Kunachak is the #1 guy in Thailand for nose jobs. I'm hoping his skin treatments are good too.

[Mr President]

Thanks for the concern. I'm much better now. Think my flu is gone after taking the meds. Clinic staff again brought me food, so that was cool.

I spend my days in the hotel room. They have given me 2 boxes of DVDs to help pass time. I'm either on the internet, watching cable TV or DVDs. I'm not ready to venture out yet. Even after bandages are off, I was advised to keep my outings to a minimum. Sun, sweat, dirt and other nasties aren't good for my skin when it's still raw.

mr_sunshine, you're nearby in Sydney, so Thailand may be an option for you. Clinic does the full suite of cosmetic procedures, so you can also do your teeth or whatever. I'd hazard a guess that most of my hotel neighbors are here for cosmetic procedures. I think Dr Kunachak is the #1 guy in Thailand for nose jobs. I'm hoping his skin treatments are good too.

oh glad to hear you are feeling better. i can understand why you need to stay in your room. if anything it would be nice, you could read, watch your dvds, roam the internet (which never gets boring) and yeah just get better.

thailand is very close to sydney. i had a good look of their website after you posted the link. im not sure if dermabrasion would be good for me (ice pick scars might become larger if sanded) so im keen to hear what your results are if anything. they are treating you so well, so i hope you get the results ur after. i think the true results would probably be seen many months after.

in terms of other treatments - id love to get my teeth done too. ive always wanted lumineers (i sleep with my mouth open and it drys out my teeth which may cause tooth decay over time). my teeth are fine, but only when i wear one of those tooth whitening trays to bed. its about $13,000 for 8 teeth. which i dont mind paying for. however i realise it might cost a lot less over there and it would be nice to save some money. the quality of the workmanship worries me more than anything. lots of australians go over there for cosmetic surgery and our current affairs programs are showing horror stories to turn us off it.

Edited by mr_sunshine, 17 August 2010 - 06:27 AM.

[holeydood]

Seems that some moronic board members have been making moronically moronic accusations. I'm now beginning to understand why ernestoria is reluctant to post anymore. The negativity and wild accusations are full of lame.