Before and after photographs
and the internet
Prospective patients sometimes ask to see photographs
of people who have had the surgery procedure they
want. This is possible only during your in
person consultation with Dr. Chartchai.
Doctors in Thailand are restricted
from publishing patient photographs on the internet.
Doctors in other countries have similar prohibitions
regarding the use of before and after photos.
In addition, Dr. Chartchai
observes strict confidentiality with his patients.
He will not email photos to you of other patients
nor will he email your photos to anyone. Once
photos are sent out by email, they are no longer
private and confidential and may be widely circulated
by anybody.
You will have an opportunity
to see plenty of before and after photos at the
time of your consultation
with Dr. Chartchai in the privacy of his office.
It is possible for you to speak
with or see patients who have had the surgery
before you undergo surgery yourself. Please ask
us.
Cautions regarding photos you
see on the Internet
In the age of the internet, you
have no assurance that the photos you see truly
represent someone's work. Besides, it would be
unusual for any doctor to show you pictures of
poor results even though all doctors have poor
results from time to time.
Even without using imaging
software to edit or alter photographs, before
and after pictures can be created to mislead.
In the description of the photos, a surgeon may
not disclose all the procedures a patient has
had when illustrating, say, eyelid surgery, leaving
out the fact the patient has also had a facelift.
Lighting affects pictures.
Harsh direct lighting in the before photo, with
softer lighting and less defined shadows in the
after photo, can seriously mislead. Even the way
clothing is arranged to illustrate an abdominoplasty
or liposuction, say, will mislead the viewer.
The angle at which each photo is taken, or whether
the patient is or is not wearing makeup, will
affect how you see and compare the differences.
Photos on this website are used
with permission.
