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Liposuction in Thailand- An obvious botch! Thailand, TH

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I chose Thailand because I could have the surgery...

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Caterpillar777
$8,500
I chose Thailand because I could have the surgery done cheaper. I did the research and chose a well regarded surgeon with a good CV. It wasn't the cheapest option but I figured I could save $5000 AUD (the price above is converted into USD). I admit I was thinking very short term. From the beginning I knew the surgeon had not contoured my body as I wanted him to (removal of saddlebags). When I look at the pictures he seems to have taken too much out of my hips and left lumpy fat on my thighs. I've been trying to be patient and wait out the long term results. I know I'm early in the healing process. Now at 4 weeks out I've developed a seroma on my stomach and because my surgery was not local I am left without support for this. A very kind surgeon has been in touch with me and takes on revision surgeries. This is better than most local doctors who won't have a bar of fixing an overseas botch. He does, however have a full waiting list of people already and can't see me for 3 weeks. I've been put on the waiting list but I'm left wondering what's going to happen with this seroma in the meantime as well as wanting to cry every time I look at my butchered lower half. Even if this by some miracle this manages to turn out to be an okay result, The anxiety I'm feeling was not worth that money I saved. I've emailed the surgeon in Thailand and his coordinator replied but he has not.

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I see my results getting worse and worse by the day! I was rushed into making a quick decision regarding this surgery as another girl got slotted in the same day. There was so little time to talk and I'd flown all that way so I made this snap decision to trust that he knew what he was doing. A decision that I will forever regret. He has butchered my body, and I think it's to the point beyond repair.

Replies (33)

October 30, 2014
Can I ask if you booked using a company like destination beauty because I am thinking of using them eeeekkk
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October 31, 2014
No I went straight through the hospital, ironically because I'd done a lot of research, and wanted to choose the doctor myself. Those places use that doctor a lot. He works for PIAC. You hear about botched stuff from Thailand but I never thought it would happen to me. Also, not that many people put up the evidence and that's why I'm doing it- so others can make a real, informed choice. What were you thinking of having done?
October 31, 2014
Thanks for your reply! I am wanting a tummy tuck and some lipo around my inner thighs. After 3 c-sections I am in some desp need of repairs :( Am feeling for you right now! Apparently dest beaut and stunning makeovers have a hospital Aussie/kiwi liaison/organiser do you think that would have made a difference?
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October 31, 2014
The surgery is still surgery. That final outcome wouldn't change regardless of an external organisation. Some other, minor things would have been different- the compression garment thing for example. When you book with those organisations, you are paying for someone to be there for you, and mediate and help you out. Your surgical outcome will be the same regardless.
November 12, 2014
I am having this surgery in 6 days and now I'm freaking out. I'm having it done in Bangkok, can you please tell us the name of the surgeon?
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November 12, 2014
Hi Dee! I have seen some happy people from doing it in Bangkok. Mine was in Phukhet, so a different hospital from yours. The Dr's name is on here. Just remember- if you meet the surgeon, it doesn't matter if you have a booking, you can still walk away. If he is pushy, trying to rush you or anything, don't give in like I did. I let myself get pushed into something that I wasn't 100% sure on. I had read this drs great reviews on other procedures, and I was trying to ask him to show me pictures and stuff but he was being evasive, telling me it's an "easy surgery" that he'd done hundreds etc. He rushed me into making a decision and I guess I jumped, thinking about the money I'd already spent on getting there etc. make sure you see pictures, ask detailed questions, don't let them push you into anything. That airfare and accommodation would have been a small price to pay to have avoided this disaster. Lipo is considered so "easy" to do. I fell into that trap of thinking that too. It's actually not. Things can go seriously wrong with it just like a botched rhinoplasty or something like that. In fact it's even harder to fix some of the issues with lipo than other procedures. Just remember, walk away if it doesn't feel right. I have heard there are some good lipo drs in Bangkok. Who are you going with? Let me know how you go!
November 12, 2014
Hi Cat, My surgeons name is Dr Thiti Chaovanalikit I haven't read any reviews on him so I don't really know anything about him other than what the cosmetic tour company has told me. They have been quite thorough so far but I'll definitely take your advice on seeing lots of photos and actually taking some of my own in with me to show him my expectations. Thank you so much for posting this. I'm sorry this happened to you :-( Dee
March 8, 2015
Hi Dee, I belong to Cosmeditours forum as I've been to Bangkok to have surgery, I've seen quite a lot of reviews in the past about Dr Thiti, he did a lot of Breast augmentations and lifts, he had a lot of good reviews , I only remember one bad review and now he doesn't seem to have any reviews so maybe he's not used by Cosmeditour ? I'm going again in May to have a BA and BL but with Dr Pornthep . What are you having done ?
March 8, 2015
I had liposuction done and he did a very good job with mine, I'm not fully healed though and I haven't gone down to my final size yet, but that has nothing to do with the surgery and everything to do with my auto immune condition.
March 9, 2015
Excellent news, hopefully over time the healing process will go well for you. I'm heading back in May so I'm hoping they can fix all my dents etc with a thigh lift, I did have a lot of fat removed and was warned that I could have a lot of loose skin so I can't complain about the result , I just need to go the next step to hopefully get a satisfactory result . The one good thing is that I do now have a gap between the inside of my thighs .
November 22, 2014
I'm so sorry you've had to go through this. :( Are you thinking of doing any sort of revision at some point?
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November 23, 2014
Hi Iowa, yes I know it was pretty silly of me. There are so many girls who go from Aus to Thailand for cosmetic surgery because it's sooooooo expensive in our country. More so than the US. I guess I figured if so many people do it it will be fine. By putting my story up, I'm hoping to get people to think a bit harder before jumping to this decision. Had I seen this story about liposuction in Thailand I would definitely thought twice but I'd only seen good reviews. I agree, it was hell to get that seroma fixed. I'm going to have to start my journey toward having a normal body again.
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November 23, 2014
Hi stillwaiting, well you know what it's like and I really appreciate you sharing your story. I am planning on revision. I've started to research the best surgeons in the US to fix these sort of issues. While I get the whole issue of travel and cosmetic surgery, this time I would be doing it to get by far the best outcome. I think US surgeons have more experience with revisions than anywhere else in the world and like you, I'm not taking any more chances again!
November 23, 2014
I totally get it! I will definitely keep you posted on how mine goes- he is supposed to be amazing with revisions.... xo
November 22, 2014
I had vaser done 3 weeks ago and I can't imagine having this done in another country or far from where I live. With follow up appts and the ability to see your doctor if any problems arise after are a necessity. After surgery it does take time for everything to settle and I've been told to do daily gentle massages to help even out the skin to help reduce the lumpiness that is caused by the surgery. And I also wore my compression garment for 3 weeks after and now am in spanx 24/7 (unless showering or washing garment) and I believe I will be wearing this for up to 3 months post. I hope all works out!
December 12, 2014
Hi-- I see your posts to seattle. So uplifting, you are an amazing friend.. I love your profile btw, same darn junk happened to me. We had a similar frame. My thigh look like 70 year old though now, instead of the 35 your thinking that yours do... I feel exactly like you do. We got the short end bigtime.Take Care...
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December 12, 2014
Hi Natters! Thanks for getting in touch. So sorry to hear that you have gone through a similar thing. No I'm actually 32 but yea, mine look like a 70 year old too! Don't know if you saw the last pics? The buttocks destroyed as well as the thighs. So I'm thinking 2 stages of revision. I'll go over to your profile now and have a look.
UPDATED FROM Caterpillar777
29 days post

The saggy butt sadness

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Caterpillar777
So this is probably the worst part of the whole drama. I used to have avery high, round butt, which I liked. I had done so many squats, lunges etc but couldn't shake the saddlebags on the side. I made it clear to him that I didn't want to change my butt, and he promised that he wouldn't suction the buttocks. Somehow though, as you can see by the pictures, my whole butt has slid down my body. I felt it literally drop down on the 4th day after lipo. I freaked out and phoned my husband in a panic. I was literally having an anxiety attach over this because I know its one of the worst things to happen and the hardest to fix. My behind went from a young woman's in her early 30s, to an old lady's in the space of four days since that surgeon got hold of me. My husband told me to go to the hospital and talk to somebody. I got into a tuktuk and got to the hospital. They tried to call the doctor but he wasn't available. I was sent back to my hotel and spent the night awake with good friends talking to me through the night on email and Facebook messenger- I don't know what I would have done without them. When I confronted the surgeon about it the next day (during business hours) he convinced me it was swelling. He promised me it "would bounce back". 4 weeks later and I actually think it's getting worse. I put on my tight gym pants today- the ones I was supposed to feel good about wearing after the procedure and started crying. I just can't get over how this horrible mess is my body now. The sag seems to be getting worse as the swelling subsides. The other stuff, the extra fat on my thighs, the hollowed out hips- I have researched how I can potentially revise this with fat grafting and micro liposuction. The saggy butt- halfway down my legs. Well thats a different story!

Replies (9)

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October 24, 2014
If any other girls out there can please let me know if this happened to them as a result of their surgery and that after 3 months it came right I'd be so grateful! One of the doctors on here posted that I'd be "fine" after the swelling goes down but I'm not sure if he was responding to the "4 weeks" comment or the actual pictures. My PS still hasn't returned my emails. I haven't heard from him since I left Thailand.
December 26, 2014
So sorry for what was done to you! I saw the "fine" comment by that doc. :/
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December 26, 2014
Thanks for the support Juliet S. As you can see by the more recent pics it's definitely not "fine". Unless you consider a collapsed butt, and craters and divots in one's flesh "fine" ;-). Realself has been such a help for me though. It's made me realise I'm not the only one in the world that has been botched. Also that myself, and all my lovely friends on here with bad outcomes can be fixed!
December 27, 2014
Yes. I see the photos - breaks my heart. I don't consider a collapsed butt, craters and divots ion one's flesh "fine" in any way. I hope you find a fix. The surgeon I went to damaged flesh, muscles, and more. It's beyond a fix. I went in for a needed procedure. He's got all the licenses, years of exp, and from what I see now, he's had his online reviews altered. I don't believe what I read online about surgeons anymore. Much is covered up.
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December 28, 2014
I'm so sorry to hear what happened to you, Juliet-S! I got scammed by fake reviews when researching. I think if there are no pictures and/or if they don't respond when you message them then don't trust it. I even got attacked and told to keep my mouth shut on the Australian site for speaking out against this doctor. The moderators had to get involved and delete one posters attacks and threats to me they were that bad. Australia is that establishments main revenue stream so it's bad for business if I Barmouth one of their doctors. The internet is so scary in that way, all these pseudo people, who are really representatives of doctors. On the other hand, at least us real posters can reach out to each other to give support. I've found so much support and understanding on here. I'll PM you Juliet!
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October 25, 2014
Hi Caterpiller, I know better than anyone how incredibly stressful it is to recover from this kind of surgery, and even more so when you're all on your own without aftercare. I don't see any big dents or deformities from what I can see from the photos, so that is very good news. At 4 weeks there will be lumpiness from the scarring going on under the skin. Think of how a scar on the outside is at first firm and raised, and then eventually flattens and thins out. Well the same thing in now going on under your skin in all the places that were liposuctioned. Massage those areas firmly to begin breaking up the scar tissue, but this will soften and flatten on its own anyways. The important thing is that there are no big dents or weird contour irregularities. As far as the Seroma, you can go to ANY doc to have that drained which I would do ASAP. This will allow the skin to re-attach to the body. Keep wearing your garment and try not to stress to hard on your results :) Your doctor looks like he/she did a pretty conservative job which is also good news. Even though you may not be 100% satisfied with the end result as far as the sculpting goes, it's a LOT easier to take a little more away than it is to correct overly aggressive liposuction which is extremely difficult, sometimes impossible to correct. Hang in there. Hugs!
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October 25, 2014
Thanks so much Seattle! If I took close ups you would see the dents and irregularities but I've read that this is common at my stage. Thanks so much for your encouragement. As somebody who knows a lot about this stuff I'm more likely to take your word than my well meaning friends who have never had liposuction. Thanks again!
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October 25, 2014
You're so welcome. I know, friends and family can sometimes make it worse because they usually have NO idea what things are supposed to look like. I now know not to talk to mine at all about this kind of stuff! So glad we have RealSelf. You'll see a big improvement in the tight lumpy feeling at about 6 months. That is when the scar tissue will start to soften a lot. Start light exercise again now if you haven't already, it'll help your shape, and your stress level :) I'll keep an eye on your thread. Keep us posted on how things are looking!
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October 25, 2014
Thanks so much! I will Seattle. Yes I agree, it's also hard for others to understand how much this sort of thing plays on one's mind. I feel so bad for you for what you've been through but I really appreciate how knowledgeable you are about all this, you have helped me a lot! Thank goodness for RealSelf! It gives us that outlet, support and also a way to oust butchers like your doctor! I'm sure your thread must have cost him a fair bit of business. I hope so anyway!
UPDATED FROM Caterpillar777
30 days post

Seroma management & aftercare

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Caterpillar777
This is a big issue in terms of medical tourism. This is why I encourage all girls considering this route to think again. Had I had it done locally I could have just nipped into the surgeons office discreetly and had it seen to. So I phoned several plastic surgeons in my area about this, trying to get somebody else to take responsibility for the aftercare of a foreign surgeon. I had to tell my story again and again, admit my stupidity and explain to several different receptionists. Eventually one of them took pity on me and I was told of a medical centre where registrars work. I phoned them as soon as I could get through. Eventually I was told by them that I still need a GP referral. My GP was very sympathetic and I'm waiting on the ultrasound results now. My new compression garment finally came through. I had a lot of issues with my Thai doctor and the poor English of the nurses. First I was left with no compression for 3 days, then a poorly fitting one that cut into my stomach and probably caused this issue (which I still had to pay extra for). I ordered one as soon as I realised I had to stop wearing that one at the 2 week mark. It took 2 and a half weeks to arrive during which time I was left with no compression at all. I figured no compression was better than bad compression. Another thing that wouldn't have happened if I'd chosen a good local surgeon. I'm finally in this good suit now and feel much better. I'm seeing nasty dents, divots etc appearing and the suit hides this. I'll try not to look at myself for the next 2 weeks and hope that the good compression suit helps sort these horrors. Meanwhile I'll also book a lymphatic massage for the 6 week mark and know then that I did all that I could.

Replies (11)

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October 27, 2014
Hi, I had a bad VAser experience on my stomach it had a seroma then ended up scarring me I tried everything ! Finally I'm doin exilis treatments for the first time it is something that helped w the lumps of fat and scars. - good luck- Sorry I know the VAser sucks its to agressive
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October 27, 2014
Thanks for the comment tiny flowers. I looked at your profile. So sorry that happened to you! I'm thinking Of having to have a revision to fix the strange shape of my hips I'm left with. Decided on going with a dr who only uses tumescent. There are so many people here left with strange lumps after the vaser! It really is just a bad gimmick isn't it?
December 26, 2014
Terrible injuries in the US too.
December 27, 2014
Juliet, are you ok? I know it's a silly question given what's happened to you. We are all here to help each other. These ladies are very understanding and supportive. I don't think I would be able to get through my ordeal if not for the support I've found here. Hugs!
December 27, 2014
Thanks for reaching out, Emi2. Glad you found support. I'm not ok. Extreme, un-consented surgery done by a licensed doc with lots of years exp. I don't share many details in a public medium. I see people encouraging others to get lipo before seeing how their own body changes with time. There's initial swelling, then possible deformities are seen, then changes to the rest of the body with time.
December 27, 2014
Juliet, I'm not doing so great either. In fact, today is a bad day. I have pain in the areas that got dug in too deep, my buttocks/thighs. I'm only 9 weeks out of surgery. I have no idea what the final result will be. Right now it doesn't look good, in fact it's bad! I actually went for fat transfer to my face, breast lift and small implants. I'm 47 and jus had a baby a year ago and I was left with very saggy deflated breasts. My face had deep lines that I wanted to fill in with fillers. I got talked into the fat transfer because I was already going to be under anyway. I was NOT going for liposuction at all! He told me that the best place to get fat was from my thighs and flanks "just a little" because I didn't have much fat to begin with. I felt safe because this surgeon has 25+year of experience board certified and well known in the area. All went wrong! He left me with one larger breast. I can do tricks with them-they move when I make arm motions. Also, discovered in the last couple of a days that the fat transfer to my face it's starting to show in the form of lumps under my eyes. The left side of my face is under filled, so I look lopsided not deformed. But I'm fearful of what the final results will be for my face and body. I regret every minute of everyday ever walking into that office. I haven't yet posted my pictures or profile here because I'm not done healing yet. After 12 weeks because I will have a better idea of what the extent of the damage will be. At that time I will take new pictures and post. Perhaps I can be of help to someone. Juliet, I am truly sorry for what was done to you. I don't think these doctors see us as human beings. They must only see dollar signs. The sad thing is that we can't sue them! They're allowed to butcher people and get away with it. Is there anything I can do to help? You can private message me if you would like to communicate with me. I'm here if you need someone to unload upon. I don't share what happened to me with any of my friends, I never will. I'm glad I found this place because I found comfort and strength here. Please, let me/us help.
December 27, 2014
*hugs* to you ladies :(
September 5, 2016
The difference between the US and this country mentioned; in the US, if you win a medical case, the judge will award you the full amount which you had to pay the lawyer. But in this country mentioned, the judge will not award the full pay for the lawyer's fees. The highest amount the judges will award for lawyer's fee is usually 30,000baht which is nothing. Lawyer's fees cost a lot more than that. And patients get a lot more money compensated for medical cases in the US. The medical payout for medical cases are low in certain countries.
May 26, 2016
Better Research I went to Thailand to fix bitched lipo I had in australia and I look amazing
September 4, 2016
Hi who was your surgeon in Thailand and what did he exactly do?
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September 5, 2016
Hi sal.k. All the information is on here. The name, procedure etc. if you look at this review properly you will see it all. I'm not able to repeat information that I stated before. However I am under no legal obligation to remove previous content. Good luck in your research. I hope you have better luck than I did.