You have now chosen the center where you would like to have your surgery in Bangkok. It may be a short 2hr or an overnight flight, plus a week worth of leave from work so you are both thrilled and nervous. It may be your first time, or it may be a follow up treatment, or another procedure which you feel you badly need, but you will be travelling, and you will have to arrange for a vacation leave, you will have to find someone to watch over the kids, your dog, or the house and it's not a very convenient thing to do so what else can ruin your perfectly planned medical vacation, than having your surgey postponed because your body is not prepared enough.
Here are some of Prof. Kunachak's recommendation in order to prepare yourself for any procedure, especially plastic surgery in Thailand:
In the weeks prior to surgery, make sure to keep yourself fit by doing some exercise and maintaining a well balanced diet. This will help a lot during your recovery. Make arrangements for your post-operative schedule. If you have children, hire a baby-sitter for at least 2-4weeks to assist you after the surgery as carrying babies or moving a lot is highly discouraged after any procedure. Take a leave from work for at least 2 weeks after the surgery so you can relax and recover well.
Stop smoking for at least 4 weeks prior to surgery. Smoking greatly impairs your ability to heal which may cause poor wound healing and unpleasant scarring.
A list of medications to stop before surgery will be provided by our center. Cross reference the medications you are currently taking and inform us before coming for your plastic surgery in Thailand. If the medications are prescribed by your doctor, inform your doctor that you will be undergoing plastic surgery in Thailand before discontinuing.
Completely divulge your medical history with your plastic surgeon in Bangkok, along with past surgeries, medications currently taken, allergies, and family medical history. Certain medical conditions can increase the risks associated with surgery, while certain medications may interact with the anesthetic and lead to unpleasant situations so it will be best to be completely honest when answering our medical history form. All information will be kept confidential in our center.
If you are in the habit of waxing, shaving, plucking hair from different areas of your body, schedule them all before surgery as visiting the salon or doing these things by yourself may prove a little inconvenient in the immediate days following the surgery.
For those undergoing FACELIFT surgery or surgeries involving incisions along the hairline, schedule any hair treatments prior to surgery as it is highly recommended to wait for at least 8 weeks after surgery before putting on any hair treatment chemical as it may irritate the incision site.
Make sure you are physically, emotionally, and mentally prepared for the surgery. Understand the type of anesthesia that will be used, the incision site, and the risks associated with the procedure. Make sure you and your surgeon are on the same page with regards to the result that you want to achieve. Also understand the limitations of a certain procedure andr read all consent forms before signing the documents.
Prepare your budget for the surgery. If you are travelling from overseas, it will be best to inform your bank about the transaction that you will do and the amount. There are instances wherein a patient’s account gets blocked because they are charging too much and the bank thinks the account is being hacked. Understand that since there is a time difference between your country and ours, contacting your bank may cause a lot of inconvenience for you and may cause delay to your surgery.
Prepare your travel luggage, pack light. Make sure you bring comfortable clothes to wear after the surgery for your convenience. Thailand is mostly hot, so loose shirts and dresses may be your best option during the first few days of your recovery after your plastic surgery in Thailand.
ON THE DAY OF THE SURGERY
Wear appropriate attire when you come for your appointment. As much as possible, wear comfortable clothes and shoes and leave jewelries, accessories, and other valuable things in your hotel room.
Fasting (no food no water) for 6-8 hours will be advised for those undergoing general anesthesia (you will discuss this matter during your consultation with your plastic surgeon in Thailand). For those who are undergoing local anesthesia, have a light snack if you must before the surgery so you won’t be stressed by feeling too hungry or too full.
Take a full bath prior to coming for surgery as most surgical procedures will require that you refrain from getting the incision sites wet for a few days to a week after. Please refrain from wearing makeup and/or scented lotion or body creams prior to surgery.
You are now set to make one of your cosmetic dreams a reality!