So who is the best SRS surgeon in Thailand?

[Melody Moore]

This can be a difficult decision for some of us to make, because I have some across many arguments over this issue in the trans community about who is the best SRS surgeon in Thailand. But the truth is we only get one shot at this with one surgeon so it is impossible to compare the differences in surgery from personal experience. We can only go by what others report about their results.

At the Queensland Transgender, Sistergirl and Gender Diverse Conference (http://www.transconference.org.au/) recently in Cairns, I had the pleasure to listen to Dr. Sanguan Kunaporn talk about the history of SRS in Thailand and what he had to say was interesting, although I personally don't like his techniques which is better explained later in this post.

186997
Dr. Sanguan Kunaporn speaking at the Queensland Transgender, Sistergirl
and Gender Diverse Conference in Cairns, North Queensland Australia (http://www.transconference.org.au/).


Dr. Preecha Tiewtranon is the pioneer in sex reassignment surgery in Thailand, did his transsexualism case in 1975 together with Dr.Prakob Thongpeaw. Sex reassignment surgery has been taught in Chulalongkorn University Hospital since 1983. (At present, it is the only medical school in Thailand that has sex reassignment surgery systematically taught and with good results). There have been many versions of development of the surgical techniques to gain better and better results.Source: http://www.transexualia.org/SANIDAD/sexreassignment.pdf

The last part of that statement is interesting because it also indicates that there
have been lots of advancements in the techniques that surgeons are now using
and these have been shared with other surgeons.

Dr. Preecha Tiewtranon started the Preecha Aesthetic Institute (PAI) where surgeons are also trained. http://pai.co.th/

You will often hear Dr Suporn is often touted as "The best surgeon in Thailand" and at $16,500 US for SRS, he no
doubt a very good surgeon, but he is also one the most expensive surgeon in Thailand, whereas Dr. Saran is one of
the cheapest. But is Dr. Suporn really the best surgeon? And what really is the difference between these two surgeons?

Looking at their CVs, Dr. Suporn was certified in Plastic / Re-constructive Surgery in 1992 through the Chulalonkgkorn
University. Dr. Saran however was trained & certified 3 years later in the same facility in 1995. So there is not a lot
separating them in experience. Dr Suporn has 20 years experience and Dr. Saran has 17 years experience.

Dr. Suporn is well known as a pioneer of some new techniques which which is what he built his reputation on, because his methods improve sensation and the overall appearance of the neo-vagina. Dr. Suporn published medical papers outlining his technique in learned medical journals which were also presented to the Royal College of Surgeons in Thailand. Dr. Suporn has performed about 1800 SRS procedures.
See: http://www.supornclinic.com/HTML/Home/Home.html

Now Dr. Saran also comes with a pretty impressive background because he has also been the team coordinator for Plastic and Re-constructive Surgery at Chulalongkorn University and is also the Head of Plastic and Reconstructive Unit Department of Surgery, Chareonkrung Hospital B.M.A. Dr. Saran has worked very closely and was an understudy of Dr. Preecha Tiewtranon with the PAI. He has personally performed over 3,000 surgeries, but what percentage were actually SRS procedures is not clear. See: http://www.doctorsaran.com/surgeons_profile.php

If you also take note of Dr. Saran's CV you will note that he also trains other surgeons in the same university where
all Thai surgeons have been trained. So would Dr. Saran not be teaching the surgical techniques developed by Dr Suporn?

What I also discovered about some surgeons is that some do every single procedure themselves which requires a such longer time under general anaesthetic and some surgeons use other surgeons to carry out some of the procedures which means a shorter time under general anaesthetic.

Dr. Sanguan Kunaporn also said at the Queensland Transgender, Sistergirl and Gender Diverse Conference that his SRS was a 2 surgical procedures where he did most of the construction of the neo-vagina in a 5-6 hour operation, but patients had to undergo a second procedure 5 days later to insert the newly created vaginal canal which has been stored in a tissue bank for that time.
For more info, see: http://phuket-plasticsurgery.com/P-PS-grs-procedure.html

Personally the thought of this type of surgery terrifies the crap out of me. So personally I want my
surgery to be as short as possible because it reduces the risk of DVT and a pulmonary embolism.

Dr. Saran performs his SRS in 3 hours and I believe that Dr. Suporn is about the same time or just a bit longer. Now this is a comparison of just a few of the surgeons in Thailand, but remember there are others, and they have all came through the same schools. And I believe the differences in the quality of their SRS procedures will come down to their personal experience & the techniques used.

This is only a brief look at few of the Thai surgeons, but be sure to compare notes with other surgical options
available. if others want to contribute more information about other Thai surgeons to this post please feel free.

I don't know who the best surgeon is really, but it seems the best surgeon for me personally is Dr. Saran because
he is the most affordable and seems to have the right background and the experience I believe I can trust.

I hope you found this information helpful like I did.

[AllieSF]

In the end, after all the reading, researching and consulting, the final results of any good and qualified surgeon may just depend on what he or she did the day and night before and how he or she is mentally and in the manual dexterity department the day of the surgery. Mistakes happen, even to the best of the best, for whatever reason. That is why any surgery no matter how small is risky. When you get to SRS and FFS the risks multiply. Then throw in the differences that each individual human has with how their bodies are put together and respond to invasive procedures and you can then begin to understand why you sign those risk release legal documents before going under the knife.

I went to one of the best prostate surgeons who had over a thousand procedures before mine and used the procedure that was proudly called nerve sparing. In the end the nerves were spared but the connections lost and the two major side effects are now my real life experience each and every day. Was that his fault or just caused by my body? Who knows? But I did what I thought best research and then accepted the risks. So, in the end, do the research, consulting and whatever else is needed to select the surgeon of your choice and at the same time be ready to accept the associated risks. I do agree that one probably will have better success and results when choosing a well known and respected expert in the field.

[Dawn cd]

One imagines that you, Melody, are doing this research with joyful anticipation mixed with very real anxiety—since I believe you and Traci Elizabeth are going to Thailand next month. Whichever surgeon you choose, be assured that our warmest best wishes, and prayers, go with you. May you find peace and be complete.

[AllieSF]

Melody, I forgot to offer you my best wishes too. I didn't know that you had already scheduled your surgery. Great for you. Good luck and Godspeed.

[Suzette Muguet de Mai]

Wow, very good information Melody. Is there any follow up surgery later for constructing the clitoral hood and Labium? I find it weird that the operation is about three hours average for Drs Suran and Suporn yet Dr. Sanguan Kunaporn take 5-6hours to construct the Neo vagina and then there is more surgery later, duration of which is unknown. I sort of freaked at the size of the scar for Dr. Sanguan Kunaporn.
2. Split Thickness Skin Graft.
Skin is removed from the thighs or buttocks and is added to the penile and scrotum skin. The donor site for the graft will leave a scar of approximately 50-100 square centimeters (8-16 square inches), similar to a deep abrasion or burn injury. The bandage covering the donor site will dry out and detach approximately two weeks after surgery. In most cases its initial poor appearance improves over time. However in some cases, the donor site may end up with a hypertrophic or keloid scar with little or no visual improvement..
I personally would prefer the least amount of time in surgery and a few months for "tidying up" surgery later if needed. Sort of makes me wonder if one becomes a guinea pig for more research with Dr Kunaporn although I do like his outline of surgery and follow up care. I just don't know about a second surgery down there within a few days.
Wish you luck with your surgery
Thanks Melody, terrific information.

[Melody Moore]

One imagines that you, Melody, are doing this research with joyful anticipation mixed with very real anxiety.
Actually anxiety has nothing to do with why I wrote this piece. I wrote it to clear up a lot of misconceptions
about who is "the best" surgeon in Thailand to publish to the new Trans Health & Well being organisation I have
set up. Every single surgeon in Thailand has been trained in the same facility, and no doubt Dr. Suporn has one
of the biggest & best reputations, but what is a reputation anyway? Some people's reputations are built purely
on propaganda, or misinformation or the lack of information about a person, in this case other surgeons.

Dr. Saran only charges $8000US for his SRS, whereas Dr. Suporn charges $17,000AU. I find this very interesting
because Dr. Saran is also a trainer of other surgeons and has no doubt been using and teaching Dr. Suporn's
methods in his role as an instructor in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at Chulalongkorn University. If you
note Dr. Suporn published medical papers outlining his technique in learned medical journals which were also
presented to the Royal College of Surgeons in Thailand which is where Dr. Saran is an instructor. So what are
you really paying for with Dr. Suporn? I think you are paying for his name and reputation as a pioneer, not because
he is any better as a surgeon than Dr Saran. As it turns Dr Saran is appears to more experienced in surgery than
a lot of other surgeons, including Dr. Chettawut who has been practising as long as Dr Suporn, but has just over
1000 SRS & FFS procedures to his credit.

Last night someone I know who works in the medical field as a nurse expressed some really valid concerns that might
indicate why Dr. Chettawut is not very popular as other Thai Surgeons. And here is what she had to say to me...


I have had numerous complaints from girls who have been to him, not an outlandish number but I view any issue with SRS as a major incident in our world and the fact he operates out of his clinic without the full support of hospitalisation should, god forbid, the situation arise that other medical interventions are required. Doesnt sit well with meSo I asked her who would she trust and she said that her top 2 choices for SRS in Thailand is Dr. Saran and Dr. Suporn
because they both are very highly qualified and have extensive experience, and they carry out their surgery in a proper
hospital that can also deal with any other complications should they arise. So there is some more food for thought.

[abby39]

This can be a difficult decision for some of us to make, because I have some across many arguments over this issue in the trans community about who is the best SRS surgeon in Thailand. But the truth is we only get one shot at this with one surgeon so it is impossible to compare the differences in surgery from personal experience. We can only go by what others report about their results.

At the Queensland Transgender, Sistergirl and Gender Diverse Conference (http://www.transconference.org.au/) recently in Cairns, I had the pleasure to listen to Dr. Sanguan Kunaporn talk about the history of SRS in Thailand and what he had to say was interesting, although I personally don't like his techniques which is better explained later in this post.

186997
Dr. Sanguan Kunaporn speaking at the Queensland Transgender, Sistergirl
and Gender Diverse Conference in Cairns, North Queensland Australia (http://www.transconference.org.au/).

Source: http://www.transexualia.org/SANIDAD/sexreassignment.pdf

The last part of that statement is interesting because it also indicates that there
have been lots of advancements in the techniques that surgeons are now using
and these have been shared with other surgeons.

Dr. Preecha Tiewtranon started the Preecha Aesthetic Institute (PAI) where surgeons are also trained. http://pai.co.th/

You will often hear Dr Suporn is often touted as "The best surgeon in Thailand" and at $16,500 US for SRS, he no
doubt a very good surgeon, but he is also one the most expensive surgeon in Thailand, whereas Dr. Saran is one of
the cheapest. But is Dr. Suporn really the best surgeon? And what really is the difference between these two surgeons?

Looking at their CVs, Dr. Suporn was certified in Plastic / Re-constructive Surgery in 1992 through the Chulalonkgkorn
University. Dr. Saran however was trained & certified 3 years later in the same facility in 1995. So there is not a lot
separating them in experience. Dr Suporn has 20 years experience and Dr. Saran has 17 years experience.

Dr. Suporn is well known as a pioneer of some new techniques which which is what he built his reputation on, because his methods improve sensation and the overall appearance of the neo-vagina. Dr. Suporn published medical papers outlining his technique in learned medical journals which were also presented to the Royal College of Surgeons in Thailand. Dr. Suporn has performed about 1800 SRS procedures.
See: http://www.supornclinic.com/HTML/Home/Home.html

Now Dr. Saran also comes with a pretty impressive background because he has also been the team coordinator for Plastic and Re-constructive Surgery at Chulalongkorn University and is also the Head of Plastic and Reconstructive Unit Department of Surgery, Chareonkrung Hospital B.M.A. Dr. Saran has worked very closely and was an understudy of Dr. Preecha Tiewtranon with the PAI. He has personally performed over 3,000 surgeries, but what percentage were actually SRS procedures is not clear. See: http://www.doctorsaran.com/surgeons_profile.php

If you also take note of Dr. Saran's CV you will note that he also trains other surgeons in the same university where
all Thai surgeons have been trained. So would Dr. Saran not be teaching the surgical techniques developed by Dr Suporn?

What I also discovered about some surgeons is that some do every single procedure themselves which requires a such longer time under general anaesthetic and some surgeons use other surgeons to carry out some of the procedures which means a shorter time under general anaesthetic.

Dr. Sanguan Kunaporn also said at the Queensland Transgender, Sistergirl and Gender Diverse Conference that his SRS was a 2 surgical procedures where he did most of the construction of the neo-vagina in a 5-6 hour operation, but patients had to undergo a second procedure 5 days later to insert the newly created vaginal canal which has been stored in a tissue bank for that time.
For more info, see: http://phuket-plasticsurgery.com/P-PS-grs-procedure.html

Personally the thought of this type of surgery terrifies the crap out of me. So personally I want my
surgery to be as short as possible because it reduces the risk of DVT and a pulmonary embolism.

Dr. Saran performs his SRS in 3 hours and I believe that Dr. Suporn is about the same time or just a bit longer. Now this is a comparison of just a few of the surgeons in Thailand, but remember there are others, and they have all came through the same schools. And I believe the differences in the quality of their SRS procedures will come down to their personal experience & the techniques used.

This is only a brief look at few of the Thai surgeons, but be sure to compare notes with other surgical options
available. if others want to contribute more information about other Thai surgeons to this post please feel free.

I don't know who the best surgeon is really, but it seems the best surgeon for me personally is Dr. Saran because
he is the most affordable and seems to have the right background and the experience I believe I can trust.

I hope you found this information helpful like I did.

Thank you so much for putting this here! I have been wanting to go to Suporn for a LOOOONG time. And comparing these three was eye opening. I think aesthetically Suporn has the best results. In my opinion. I did not like Saran's work. But I did like Kunaporn's work, and he is rite in the middle price-wise. I found a round trip for under $1000.00 (wishful thinking) This maybe what I start saving for! Maybe I'll start knocking over liquor stores??? :D

[pamela_a]

One thing that hasn't been addressed is post operative discomfort and requirements. I've read about surgeons that have you remain in bed for at least a few days post op while they they feed you pain pills. While I cannot speak to them I personally can speak to Dr. Saran's work. I was ambulatory 24 hours post op. The only discomfort I experienced was from the packing. At 5 days post op, when the packing was finally removed, I went out to dinner for Thai BBQ with my carer and a couple of friends I met there. Piyavate Hospital is a great facility and the staff was excellent.
To those with serious concerns about aesthetics I only ask 1 thing...who are you planning on showing it to?

Dr. Saran is a wonderful, warm, and, a very skilled surgeon. As for my experience I can say this about Dr. Saran. You can pay more but you can't get better

[CharleneT]

I went to Dr. Chettawut and had a fine time. His technique is essentially indentical to Dr. Supporn's. I am curious to hear that Dr. Saran teaches Dr. Supporn's technique ? Anyway, yes Dr. Chettawut does work out of his clinic, unless he feels there is a good reason to do the surgery at a hospital - in which case he does. The reason he moved to this was to gain more control of the after care of his patients. Yes, in his regime, you stay on your back for 3-5 days after the surgery. This is to ensure that things heal up pretty well before you start to move around. Often a day or so after surgery you will move from one room to another, and you walk ( heck I even went down stairs...). He is very careful about the initial stages of healing. I had no, yup, no popped stitches. My friends who've had SRS and many I have read about mention many popped stitches... I found my time on my back went very quickly. Nope, I did not like it a bit. But I also healed without any scars.

As for some mention of a lot of pain pills, actually with Dr. C you won't be getting anything strong - unless it was really needed. All I took post operatively was tyenol and tramadol ( a non-opiod pain med that is considered fairly weak, in the US it isn't even a controlled substance). I did not need any more than I took. No morphine or vicodin etc... at all.


p.s. Dr. C's surgical staff are all from the best hospitals in Bangkok and are all trained in emergency medicine - as well as other specialties. There is also an anesthesiologist there.

[Raquel June]

Dr Suporn has 20 years experience
...
Dr. Suporn has performed about 1800 SRS procedures.
See: http://www.supornclinic.com/HTML/Home/Home.html
...
Dr. Saran performs his SRS in 3 hours and I believe that Dr. Suporn is about the same time or just a bit longer.


1800 is so many. That's two/week for 20 years. I doubt anybody outside Thailand is close to those numbers.

But still, traveling to a place with a language barrier and probably the worst air pollution of any developed country to get discount surgery is horrifying. And it's not even much of a discount these days. And you have to make a 20-hour flight on a sore hoo-haa.

Although I guess it doesn't exactly need to be at much of a discount when most of those guys obviously do a good job.

I know a couple people locally who went to Supporn and were pretty happy. And one of them will never shut up about how good the exchange rate was and she went to all kinds of awesome restaurants and it cost her nothing. But she also said a few people tried to grab her purse on the street.

Don't go to Thailand in February/March/April. That's when they're doing their slash/burn farming and air pollution is typically over 10X the amount it takes to violate the US Clean Air Act in any given day. That's when you get all the pictures you see of streets full of people wearing smog masks and the air so dark you can look directly at the sun.

[Traci Elizabeth]

Actually anxiety has nothing to do with why I wrote this piece. I wrote it to clear up a lot of misconceptions
about who is "the best" surgeon in Thailand to publish to the new Trans Health & Well being organisation I have
set up. Every single surgeon in Thailand has been trained in the same facility, and no doubt Dr. Suporn has one
of the biggest & best reputations, but what is a reputation anyway? Some people's reputations are built purely
on propaganda, or misinformation or the lack of information about a person, in this case other surgeons.

Dr. Saran only charges $8000US for his SRS, whereas Dr. Suporn charges $17,000AU. I find this very interesting
because Dr. Saran is also a trainer of other surgeons and has no doubt been using and teaching Dr. Suporn's
methods in his role as an instructor in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at Chulalongkorn University. If you
note Dr. Suporn published medical papers outlining his technique in learned medical journals which were also
presented to the Royal College of Surgeons in Thailand which is where Dr. Saran is an instructor. So what are
you really paying for with Dr. Suporn? I think you are paying for his name and reputation as a pioneer, not because
he is any better as a surgeon than Dr Saran. As it turns Dr Saran is appears to more experienced in surgery than
a lot of other surgeons, including Dr. Chettawut who has been practising as long as Dr Suporn, but has just over
1000 SRS & FFS procedures to his credit.

Last night someone I know who works in the medical field as a nurse expressed some really valid concerns that might
indicate why Dr. Chettawut is not very popular as other Thai Surgeons. And here is what she had to say to me...

So I asked her who would she trust and she said that her top 2 choices for SRS in Thailand is Dr. Saran and Dr. Suporn
because they both are very highly qualified and have extensive experience, and they carry out their surgery in a proper
hospital that can also deal with any other complications should they arise. So there is some more food for thought.



Now are you trying to scare the crap out of me knowing full well I will be in Dr. Chettawut's surgical center in less than 30 days. Your timing sucks. I take comfort in what Charlene wrote about Dr. C.!

You could have waited until after you and I return from Bangkok to express these negative statements about my surgeon! Just wait until I get a hold of you on the 8th and 9th of Oct in Bangkok!

[Kathryn Martin]

I realize this is about Thai surgeons. Just from recent experience, I was ambulatory six hours after coming around in the recovery room, walked 6 times around the nurses station about 11 hours post op needed pain medication for 12 days post op, have had zero complications whatsoever post op. Brassard does between 4 and 9 SRS surgeries per week, 11 months out of the year (that would be 3456 surgeries) and is a brilliant technician. Cost is $18,040.00 Canadian which is currently U$18,442.00. The surgery is done in his clinic and aftercare for the first week is at his recovery center L'Asclepiade which has two nurses on staff 24/7 who are exceptionally competent and well trained in SRS aftercare.

[Melody Moore]

Now are you trying to scare the crap out of me knowing full well I will be in Dr. Chettawut's surgical center in less than 30 days. Your timing sucks. I take comfort in what Charlene wrote about Dr. C.!

You could have waited until after you and I return from Bangkok to express these negative statements about my surgeon! Just wait until I get a hold of you on the 8th and 9th of Oct in Bangkok!

Well spank me then :P

I am sorry Traci if this feedback I got and reposted here upset you, however I believe that you will be fine.
Others like Charlene have reported to me they had no issues with Dr. Chettawut, but if you were in a higher
risk group like I am being an ex-smoker, then these are considerations you might like to take into account.

[Eryn]

...traveling to a place with a language barrier and probably the worst air pollution of any developed country to get discount surgery is horrifying.

Do people go for the prices, or because the surgeons and techniques are the best available? If you want fine dining you go to France, for fine opera you go to Italy, and for fine SRS, it seems like Thailand is the place people talk about.

Melody, thank you for your insights!

[Bree-asaurus]

I always heard Dr. Suporn is the best and looking at his technique, it seems pretty darn good. But I never checked out Dr. Saran. I'm definitely referring back to this thread... because I'll admit, I quickly skimmed it. But cheap and good would be friggin awesome and would also happen sooner!

[EnglishRose]

I'm also bearing Dr. Saran in mind for when-the-time-comes.

And that's a wrap.

(I HAD to get that joke in)

[Bree-asaurus]

I'm also bearing Dr. Saran in mind for when-the-time-comes.

And that's a wrap.

(I HAD to get that joke in)

Ba dun tssssssssssss

[CharleneT]

Well spank me then :P

I am sorry Traci if this feedback I got and reposted here upset you, however I believe that you will be fine.
Others like Charlene have reported to me they had no issues with Dr. Chettawut, but if you were in a higher
risk group like I am being an ex-smoker, then these are considerations you might like to take into account.

Is there a reason that you believe that Dr. Chettawut, or the others, are not as good if you are in a high risk group ? So far all I've heard is generalized comments about the reputation for good looking results. I sure never heard of such a thing as Dr. S being good at high risk patients. Most say Dr. Supporn is the best, but you will also note that almost all the really strong statements come from former patients of his. The yahoo group is very active and also very carefully moderated. I belonged for quite a while and any comment against Dr. S was eliminated very quickly. I also had a surgery date reserved with him and changed my mind and went with Dr. Chettawut.

Dr. Supporn's site is great, but very little ( if anything ) has changed since I first started looking for a surgeon 4 years ago... those are very old images - of his best efforts. I am not saying that Dr. Supporn isn't the best - honestly I do not know how we would know who (if anyone) is the "best". There is very little info on the real, every day, outcomes from any of these surgeons ( and I do mean both Thai and N. American docs).

I went to Thailand because I wanted their techniques, not because of money. I could not afford the top doc here, but I could have afforded Dr. Brassard - who is great. Maybe the best in N. America ? Again, no way to tell that. I've heard some bad things about the supposed top docs here, like Dr. Bowers ( from patients I know, not just web gossip). Many times in discussions on here about this issue I have said the same thing and I repeat it here with emphasis:

If you go to any one of the top SRS docs in the world, you will be fine. Your outcome will very likely be just what you wanted and will make you very happy. There will not be big probs with your surgery and you will go home safely. Choose who you want, by whatever factors you find most important, but truly there is very little difference between the top 5-7 SRS surgeons.

[Melody Moore]

Charlene, first of all I am posting a very valid point about Dr. Chettawut that has come from a nurse
who believes private clinics are not as well equipped with equipment and staff like the Thai hospitals.
On considering her opinion, I realised she does have a very valid point. I have my personal reasons
for trusting Dr. Saran and that is because he holds such senior positions and is well qualified and he
operates at the Piyavate Private Hospital (http://www.piyavate.com/web/) which is one of the best facilities in Thailand. As I said I
am in a high risk group and for my own peace of mind, I feel more comfortable now in my decision
to have my surgery with him, knowing that ÏF on the off-chance something was to go wrong, I would
have the best chance of survival. There would be no need to stabilise me before they transported me
to a proper hospital if I was to go to a private clinic, and the best help would be immediately on-hand.

Other people have also been reporting positive outcomes with Dr Chettawut since this was posted elsewhere.
So no one can say that Dr Chettawut's surgery is untrustworthy or bad and that he has no ways of dealing
with emergencies. Obviously he has a contingency plan but as an outsider looking in we have no idea what that is.

And might I also remind people this topic is about THAI surgery, not US, Canadian or any other surgery.

Thank you.

[Traci Elizabeth]

Well spank me then :P

I am sorry Traci if this feedback I got and reposted here upset you, however I believe that you will be fine.
Others like Charlene have reported to me they had no issues with Dr. Chettawut, but if you were in a higher
risk group like I am being an ex-smoker, then these are considerations you might like to take into account.


OH! I will spank you alright. I will make sure to bring one of my wide 100% leather belts and by the time I am done with you, Sr. S will think you are a sadist. On second thought there is tons of bamboo in Thailand and I bet using that would take skin. What's that saying "a pound of flesh for ....." :lol:

[CharleneT]

My apologies for mentioning a non-thai doctor in this discussion.

[Kate T]

I don't really know if any input from me is helpful, take it or leave it. I guess the reason I feel that I can perhaps provide some input is that I do perform surgery on animals (you know, veterinarian) on a daily basis, not just your usual spays and castrates but complicated orthopaedic, soft tissue and yes at times reconstructive surgery, I know and have operated with or seen operate many of the top veterinary surgeons in Australia and my mother was head of radiology at Prince of Wales hospital Sydney for over 5 years as well as working at St Vincents Public Hospital Sydney on a post surgical ward for another 5 years. So I've seen and done a hell of a lot of cutting.
Here are my tips for picking the very best surgeon (in just about anything):
1. Surgery time for the same or similar procedure is almost a direct indicator of a good surgeon. The better the surgeon, the faster they are. This is because they know the anatomy, they are decisive and precise in their actions.
2. A good surgeon despises scars and so, particularly for an "elective" procedure, will use the smallest incisions possible to achieve the desired outcome. Have a look at what the surgery site looks like 3-5 days post op and you will get an idea what you will expect once it all heals.
3. A good surgeon ALWAYS discusses expected outcomes AND adverse outcomes. Whether they have had them happen or not.
4. Related to 3, a good surgeon always has a plan B, and plan C, and plan D if something doesn't go the way they wan't it to.
Unfortunately a good surgeon is not always the nicest person. Some of them (OK, a lot of them) are as arrogant as all hell, with the possible notable exception of south east asian surgeons (yes, I know that is stereotyping) who almost universally seem to be really nice, humble sort of people, at least the ones I've met.

As an aside Melody, what happens if you have a delayed complication with your surgery once you return to Australia? Does Medicare and your private health insurance cover it? E.g. the recent issue with the french silicone breast implant material?

[Melody Moore]

As an aside Melody, what happens if you have a delayed complication with your surgery once you return to Australia? Does Medicare and your private health insurance cover it? E.g. the recent issue with the french silicone breast implant material?
Not that I am aware of, but all these surgeons guarantee their work for life, so flying back to
Thailand for revisions shouldn't be too hard given the cheap cost of airfares & accommodation.
Medicare might cover some things, like they did with the removal of the french breast implants,
where they over their removal, but not the cost of replacing them. A friend is going through this
issue right now and they were done originally here in Australia.

And given the service and treatment that others report that you get over in Thailand, I think I rather that
anyway knowing I have the best people to do any revisions because they also know their own work better.

[Nicki S]

OH! I will spank you alright. I will make sure to bring one of my wide 100% leather belts and by the time I am done with you, Sr. S will think you are a sadist.

Ummm, wouldn't that be a masochist? I believe that you would be the sadist.

[Melody Moore]

OH! I will spank you alright. I will make sure to bring one of my wide 100% leather belts and by the time I am done with you, Sr. S will think you are a sadist. On second thought there is tons of bamboo in Thailand and I bet using that would take skin. What's that saying "a pound of flesh for ....." :lol:
Now, now Traci, better watch it because I might have to punish you with my Aussie Tickler ;)

[CharleneT]

I don't really know if any input from me is helpful, take it or leave it. I guess the reason I feel that I can perhaps provide some input is that I do perform surgery on animals (you know, veterinarian) on a daily basis, not just your usual spays and castrates but complicated orthopaedic, soft tissue and yes at times reconstructive surgery, I know and have operated with or seen operate many of the top veterinary surgeons in Australia and my mother was head of radiology at Prince of Wales hospital Sydney for over 5 years as well as working at St Vincents Public Hospital Sydney on a post surgical ward for another 5 years. So I've seen and done a hell of a lot of cutting.
Here are my tips for picking the very best surgeon (in just about anything):
1. Surgery time for the same or similar procedure is almost a direct indicator of a good surgeon. The better the surgeon, the faster they are. This is because they know the anatomy, they are decisive and precise in their actions.
2. A good surgeon despises scars and so, particularly for an "elective" procedure, will use the smallest incisions possible to achieve the desired outcome. Have a look at what the surgery site looks like 3-5 days post op and you will get an idea what you will expect once it all heals.
3. A good surgeon ALWAYS discusses expected outcomes AND adverse outcomes. Whether they have had them happen or not.
4. Related to 3, a good surgeon always has a plan B, and plan C, and plan D if something doesn't go the way they wan't it to.
Unfortunately a good surgeon is not always the nicest person. Some of them (OK, a lot of them) are as arrogant as all hell, with the possible notable exception of south east asian surgeons (yes, I know that is stereotyping) who almost universally seem to be really nice, humble sort of people, at least the ones I've met.

As an aside Melody, what happens if you have a delayed complication with your surgery once you return to Australia? Does Medicare and your private health insurance cover it? E.g. the recent issue with the french silicone breast implant material?

Good points all !!

Dr. Chettawut must be good then, as I have almost no scaring ( I had 4 different surgeries at the same time ). Under one arm, there is still a small scar from where the breast implant was placed. There are two lines that are still a little visible on the outside of my labia majora. The color and texture of them is still a little different: this takes time to change in all patients. Things are decent enough that no one I've had sex with knew I had had surgery - and these are women (men are often not very, shall we say, observant about such things).

ps Many years ago, I used to do a lot of surgery on animals too. I worked in medical research on rats, rabbits and full grown pigs ( for cardiac studies, their hearts are very similar to a human heart).

ppss Cardiac surgeons are really often very arrogant!! At least those I trained with were !!

[Melody Moore]

Well here is something to be aware of and I found very interesting... A friend of mine who is aged in her
30s was turned down by Doctor Suporn for SRS and not because of any weight issues, it was because
she had Factor 5 Leiden (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Factor_V_Leiden). For those of you who don't know what this is, it is a type of Thrombophila (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thrombophilia).
The only place she could get her SRS in Thailand was through the Preecha Aesthetics Institute (PAI) (http://pai.co.th)
and the Piyavate Private Hospital (http://www.piyavate.com/web/)

Factor 5 Leiden (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Factor_V_Leiden) apparently affects about 5% of the caucasian population so about 5% of trans women could
also be affected by this condition or another Thrombophila (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thrombophilia). This friend also works as a pathologist in a hospital
and she also advises trans women who are on oestrogen to be tested for Thrombophila (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thrombophilia) especially before surgery.

[Raquel June]

Do people go for the prices, or because the surgeons and techniques are the best available? If you want fine dining you go to France, for fine opera you go to Italy, and for fine SRS, it seems like Thailand is the place people talk about.

Melody, thank you for your insights!

I've never known anyone to fly from the US to Thailand where price wasn't the primary reason.

Everybody I've talked to personally who is considering Thailand has heard that the "finest" SRS in Thailand is from Suporn. But they choose someone cheaper. Which shows that they're going for the price, not for the finest.

I'm not arguing about who is actually the best SRS surgeon in the world. I'm just saying the people I've talked to in the US have always sounded like if they had unlimited funds they would be getting SRS in the US, but they don't want to wait that long so they're considering Thailand. Most trans girls I hung out with in Phoenix wanted to go to Meltzer, but he costs $24,000, so they considered other places because they wanted to get it done sooner.

I've known people to spend over $40,000 on FFS from Dr. O and then shop around for the cheapest SRS they could. Not many people are that worried about complications. They just want to get it done. If there are minor differences, it's not like people are going to be seeing your hoo-hoo all day like they do your face.

But I guess it's all pretty competitive these days. Suporn is $17,500 US. Brassard in Montreal is $18,000. McGinn is right between Philly and NYC and she charges $18,500. So Suporn is more expensive than Brassard or McGinn when you consider the cost of a plane ticket. But maybe he is the "finest."

[CorrieK]

So based on Sarans background he might be a good option at a lower cost? Certainly open to this, kind of exciting really to be affordable. His website seemed to give the impression you would still have good if not better sensations afterwards.

[CharleneT]

I've never known anyone to fly from the US to Thailand where price wasn't the primary reason.

Everybody I've talked to personally who is considering Thailand has heard that the "finest" SRS in Thailand is from Suporn. But they choose someone cheaper. Which shows that they're going for the price, not for the finest.

Guess you don't know me, because I chose to go to Thailand specifically because I prefer their technique and believe the results are better. I also feel their health care in general is better. I have friends here who have traveled to Thailand for surgeries other than SRS, because they wanted the skills of the docs there. In particular musicians and jewelers ( hand surgeries). I've heard that Dr. Supporn is the best, but I don't believe it. He has quite the operation and a very effective marketing machine. He is also a top knotch surgeon - of that there is no doubt. Personally I think Dr. Chettawut is better.



I'm not arguing about who is actually the best SRS surgeon in the world. I'm just saying the people I've talked to in the US have always sounded like if they had unlimited funds they would be getting SRS in the US, but they don't want to wait that long so they're considering Thailand. Most trans girls I hung out with in Phoenix wanted to go to Meltzer, but he costs $24,000, so they considered other places because they wanted to get it done sooner.

I don't know who the best is either ;) I do know that choosing a surgeon for SRS involves many different things to combine/resolve.
Last I heard (from the office manager) Dr. Meltzer is charging around $29,000 - if you include the second stage. I could have had my surgery faster in the US or Canada than Thailand. Dr. Meltzer had openings quite a bit sooner. His prices keep down the wait list. When discussing SRS everyone mentions the travel cost to Thailand. They never mention the travel cost to anywhere in North America. I could not have traveled to either of my NA choices for less than $500. I paid $1200 to go to Thailand, so yes it was more, but not that much. Especially when you consider that my doc will do any revisions necessary for free. I spent extra time in the clinic - at no charge. If it had been the hospital, the story would have been the same.


I've known people to spend over $40,000 on FFS from Dr. O and then shop around for the cheapest SRS they could. Not many people are that worried about complications. They just want to get it done. If there are minor differences, it's not like people are going to be seeing your hoo-hoo all day like they do your face.

I agree, although I believe that people spend more $$ on FFS because: it is more expensive in general and the top SRS surgeons are all very similar in quality - whereas that doesn't seem to be the case with FFS surgeons.


But I guess it's all pretty competitive these days. Suporn is $17,500 US. Brassard in Montreal is $18,000. McGinn is right between Philly and NYC and she charges $18,500. So Suporn is more expensive than Brassard or McGinn when you consider the cost of a plane ticket. But maybe he is the "finest."

I do not think too many folks end up lumping Dr. McGinn in with Drs. Supporn, Chettawut, Brassard or Meltzer. You didn't mention Dr. Bowers, she sure is popular with folks who want to stay here, does good work and lands somewhere between all those and Dr. Meltzer.

If you find yourself at that point of picking a SRS surgeon you'll have a lot of questions to answer. One of the biggies is cost - no doubt about it. You will also be thinking down the road about FFS etc... you'll worry about quality and many things. It all gets very complicated really.

[Nicki S]

While i feel that Charlene is correct about the cost of flying is not added in when people think of SRS here in the States. Since your surgery was over a year ago, i do have to mention that you are a bit low on your airfare prices. Personally speaking, my recently purchased ticket to Bangkok cost me $1700.

Another point Charlene mentioned is Dr Bowers. About 5 months ago, I received a price from her and for SRS it was $23,500. In comparison, Dr Chett, who i booked my surgery with, is at $10,500. What makes Dr Bowers 13k better? If you add in the $1700 to Dr Chett, it is still $11,300 cheaper. And i believe the level of care in Thailand is far more personal. He is more about quality then quantity.

[Traci Elizabeth]

While i feel that Charlene is correct about the cost of flying is not added in when people think of SRS here in the States. Since your surgery was over a year ago, i do have to mention that you are a bit low on your airfare prices. Personally speaking, my recently purchased ticket to Bangkok cost me $1700.

Another point Charlene mentioned is Dr Bowers. About 5 months ago, I received a price from her and for SRS it was $23,500. In comparison, Dr Chett, who i booked my surgery with, is at $10,500. What makes Dr Bowers 13k better? If you add in the $1700 to Dr Chett, it is still $11,300 cheaper. And i believe the level of care in Thailand is far more personal. He is more about quality then quantity.


My airline ticket to Bangkok cost me $1,700 as well. Which has already been bought and paid for. And when is Dr. C. doing your SRS?

[Nicki S]

April 5, and i cant wait!

[Melody Moore]

I've never known anyone to fly from the US to Thailand where price wasn't the primary reason.
It is not just price why people choose to go to Thailand, because some of the surgeons over there are
the most experienced surgeons using some of the best techniques in the world. Many other doctors &
surgeons also go there to train through the PAI. Recently I met an Australian doctor who lives and works
in Bangkok through Facebook who is an associate of the doctor who run my gender clinic. This doctor I
got to meet in person at the conference I was part of recently. So don't think that Thai surgeons are not
well respected and looked up to by other surgeons around the world, because many medical professionals
were in awe & really impressed with Dr Sanguan Kunaporn's presentation at the Qld Transgender conference.

When you really research SRS and it's background, then you will understand the real reasons why some of us
go to Thailand. Sure it's cheaper, but it is also better as far as I am concerned, and the reports on service and
how well they look after you is absolutely outstanding. I have heard some surgeons and their wives have taken
some girls out to dinner and given them personal tours around Thailand. Now would a western surgeon do that?

On the topic of airfares and accommodation. Some airlines in Australia have return flights on sale at times for as
low as $350 AU ($360US) return. 21 nights accommodation in a lovely hotel in Bangkok costs only $18AU ($20US)
per night INCLUDING breakfast! So the cost of accommodation in US dollars is only about $420US for 21 days! My
surgery is going to cost $8000 US ($7900AU) with a top surgeon like Dr. Saran. So do the math & also weigh
everything else up I just said. A 21 day holiday in Thailand with a little bit of pain & getting pampered & well looked
after sounds awesome to me! But don't care about what I think, get your surgery where ever you want but I am
going to Thailand next month regardless and I cannot wait! :D

[Bree-asaurus]

It is not just price why people choose to go to Thailand, because some of the surgeons over there are
the most experienced surgeons using some of the best techniques in the world.

Yuppers... I'll probably go to Thailand if I'm being budget conscious OR if I'm looking for the best. Of course, we'll see when I actually have the cash.

I mean heck, going to Thailand would a friggin amazing if only for the culture! If I go there, I'll definitely go a week or so early so I can enjoy the country pre-surgery.

[Melody Moore]

Bree, there are many other reasons to go to Thailand for SRS other than price. Sure it is cheap over there for us
but like you say there is also the cultural experience of Thailand. This country is known as "the land of smiles" and
all the reports I have had seem to indicate this claim to be very true. Thailand has the biggest transgender population
in the world. Thai surgery has become very important to Thailand and it's economy, so Thai surgeons are very astute
because they cannot afford to get a bad reputation if they ever want to work to work with people from overseas.

If you are prepared to stay in a Thai Hospital, and not the Piyavate Private Hospital you can get SRS for as low as
$6000 with Dr. Saran with the same surgical team and standards of health care, the difference is that not everyone
will speak English. The Piyavate Private Hospital employs all English speaking staff. I know one girl who took this option
and she said it was great, the language barrier wasn't really a problem because Dr Saran and his English speaking staff
still came to deliver your primary care, while non-English speaking nurses took care of the dressings etc. This girl also
said that the staff seemed really grateful to have her as a patient and treated her like a queen & the whole staff all came
together and gave her a gift on her departure from the hospital. Now would that ever happen in a western hospital?

[Traci Elizabeth]

The only gift I want Dr. C to give ME is a successful surgery without complications or infections!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Melody Moore]

I am thinking I would really like to visit this place while I am in Bangkok.
http://www.tigertemplethailand.com/

(http://www.tigertemplethailand.com/)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WpRF0EGFAYA

Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cTxQUHfULbA&feature=relmfu

Part 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qtzs58VpxZs&feature=relmfu

Part 4: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I6Z4gUdqPd4&feature=relmfu

[CharleneT]

I just went and did a quick ticket search, wowza! The prices have gone up! I found $1537 flights, but on US carriers ( which by the by I do not recommend you take for international travel!!!). $1700-ish was the norm on Korean Air - which I recommend for travel to Thailand. Zowie !!

To echo a little of what Melody and others have mentioned ... when I was in Bangkok I stayed in a hotel where other patients of Dr. C were also staying. One day while talking to another patient, she said something that really summed it up for me. " I came to Thailand and I was all about my surgery, it was the only thing I could think of or cared about. I came to Thailand for a life changing experience and now after two weeks I know I have had that - and oh yeah, I also had some surgery"

That is exactly how I felt. I know I will go back there - as soon as I can. Not for more surgery, but so I can revisit that incredible place. I've told many friends here that I would gladly move to Thailand to retire. Maybe I will - that is far in the future though.

[Nicki S]

I am pleased to hear that Korean Air is your recommendation. That is who has my $1700

[CharleneT]

I am pleased to hear that Korean Air is your recommendation. That is who has my $1700


OH, you are going to love flying with these folks for sure ! Expect that a lot of the cabin will be asians of various nationalities ... you'll be hearing a lot of language that won't make sense ;) BUT, every stewardess speaks at least 3 (more likely 4 or 5) languages. They'll make the trip as easy as it can be ....

A suggestion, there is this pillow - pricey thingy. A friend of mine who flies internationally a lot recommended it to me. It really helped with comfort, especially on the way back !!! That return trip is your own personal gauntlet, sorry.... The pillow I got is from Magellan, there may be other sources. The trick is the shape, and that you can inflate and deflate easily and air goes slowly ( so you get a lot of control ). The cutout goes under your tail bone.

Good luck !! !!

[Melody Moore]

There is currently 3 people I know of from Australia (2 are friends) that arrived in Thailand yesterday
to have SRS with Dr. Saran. The first girl would almost be out of surgery as I speak, and the other
two girls will have their SRS over the next two days. So how hard working is Dr. Saran & his team?

[Melody Moore]

I know there are some trans women who cannot stand the term 'Ladyboy', but please don't
be offended by the name of this video because this is a really good video looking at Sex/gender
reassignment in Thailand and what that all means to Thai and western women.

This video also examines why some trans women prefer to remain non-op
and a male partner of one such Thai ladyboy gives his opinion on the subject.

But a real feature of this video many people will be interested in is Dr. Saran, as well as caregiver,
Mai who look after a trans woman from the US who has her SRS in Thailand. This video also looks
at some of the real bargain basement surgical options in Thailand. Some surgeons will perform SRS
in Thailand for under $2000 US but the entire operation is performed under local anaesthetic!!! :eek:

Part 1:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RoWMmvOrUHw
Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lX2vz5sCdsc
Part 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-8pqGRM4O3A

[Bree-asaurus]

I know there are some trans women who cannot stand the term 'Ladyboy', but please don't
be offended by the name of this video because this is a really good video looking at Sex/gender
reassignment in Thailand and what that all means to Thai and western women.

This video also examines why some trans women prefer to remain non-op
and a male partner of one such Thai ladyboy gives his opinion on the subject.

But a real feature of this video many people will be interested in is Dr. Saran, as well as caregiver,
Mai who look after a trans woman from the US who has her SRS in Thailand. This video also looks
at some of the real bargain basement surgical options in Thailand. Some surgeons will perform SRS
in Thailand for under $2000 US but the entire operation is performed under local anaesthetic!!! :eek:

Thanks for the links! That was pretty good.

[kellycan27]

Under 2k? They must give you a stick to bite on. LOL Plus one might possibly find a tramp streamer on which to work their way over to Thailand.

[Bree-asaurus]

Under 2k? They must give you a stick to bite on. LOL Plus one might possibly find a tramp streamer on which to work their way over to Thailand.

For under 2k, you gotta bring your own stick, or wait until the surgery is halfway done ;)

[kellycan27]

For under 2k, you gotta bring your own stick, or wait until the surgery is halfway done ;)

And assist the surgeon... sponge, clamp, suction! :heehee:

[KateConnors]

For under 2k, you gotta bring your own stick, or wait until the surgery is halfway done ;)

:haha:

That just made my day.

[Jorja]

I watched the video links Melody posted. Sign me up! I would do it all over again, if I had too.

[Melody Moore]

I watched the video links Melody posted. Sign me up! I would do it all over again, if I had too.

I was especially impressed with what I seen in this video about Dr. Saran and the Piyavate Hospital.
At $8000US, Saran's medical services are touted in the video as being 5 star services and when you
see the hospital facilities and surgical team, there is no doubt that his services are amongst the best
in Thailand. My bet is that Dr. Saran will become one of the most popular SRS surgeons in Thailand
as more western people find out about this highly qualified, and really generous quiet achiever. There
is so much talk right now about Dr. Saran in the Australian transsexual community, that nobody hardly
even mentions Dr. Suporn or any other surgeon now. I know at least a dozen other girls who are now
planning to have their surgery with Dr. Saran over the next 12 months and you can guarantee there will
be a lot more! So far this year alone I know 8 girls who have gone to Thailand & had SRS with Dr. Saran.

So Jorga, if by any chance it does happen to grow back, then you want to get in quick to secure a booking. :)

[Jorja]

So Jorga, if by any chance it does happen to grow back, then you want to get in quick to secure a booking. :)

Its been over 20 years and no sign of it coming back yet. :)

[Bree-asaurus]

I was especially impressed with what I seen in this video about Dr. Saran and the Piyavate Hospital.
At $8000US, Saran's medical services are touted in the video as being 5 star services and when you
see the hospital facilities and surgical team, there is no doubt that his services are amongst the best
in Thailand. My bet is that Dr. Saran will become one of the most popular SRS surgeons in Thailand
as more western people find out about this highly qualified, and really generous quiet achiever. There
is so much talk right now about Dr. Saran in the Australian transsexual community, that nobody hardly
even mentions Dr. Suporn or any other surgeon now. I know at least a dozen other girls who are now
planning to have their surgery with Dr. Saran over the next 12 months and you can guarantee there will
be a lot more! So far this year alone I know 8 girls who have gone to Thailand & had SRS with Dr. Saran.

So Jorga, if by any chance it does happen to grow back, then you want to get in quick to secure a booking. :)

Yeah, I think I'm definitely going to look into him. I would be able to get SRS sooo much sooner! I was intially thinking that the quality work I want done would cost me $20k, be it in the US, or in Thailand adding the expense of airfare and lodging. But 8k + a a couple thousand more to get there... god I might be able to do that in a year or two if I play my cards right.

[Raquel June]

I still go in for laser every 5 or 6 weeks, and she's just about run out of stuff to zap. So, while she was down looking for stray hairs on my nether regions we started talking about SRS.

She's seen a whole lot of post-op girls, and she just couldn't shut up about how much better she thinks Suporn is than everybody else. I'm sure the better SRS surgeons are all never too scary, but she was just going on about how obvious the scars are on a lot of girls she's seen, and how perfectly Suporn hides them. And she said he screwed up and nicked an artery on one girl, but it didn't turn into a major complication because he's a trauma surgeon.

Wasn't one of the other Thailand guys using Suporn's technique, too?

Doesn't it often take a lot longer to recover? And you have to dilate like 3X a day for a long time each time?

Sorry to dig this back up. :D

[angpai30]

This is interesting because I was asking the same question,LOL!!

Angela