As I discussed in my last blog, Finasteride is now available in a one mg. generic doses-FDA approved. We recommend only using FDA approved Finasteride whether it be Propecia (Merck brand name) or the generic Finasteride. These drugs are manufactured under the standards of the American FDA.* Overwhelmingly my patients that have had success with Merck brand Propecia have continued that same success over the last 1.5 years after switching to the generic Finasteride. We also always recommend close monitoring of our patients so as to confirm success and limit problems.
Another concern often mentions by our patients is that is you stop this drug you will lose your hair. Let’s dispel any myths right now. Almost all drugs act to control or supplement our body functions. Very few medicines are curative. If you take blood pressure medicine, insulin, drugs to control cholesterol, thyroid medication, etc., these are only going to produce results if you take them. When a patient stops any of these medications his problem will return or persist. They do not cure the underlying problem, unlike an antibiotic that is curative and is only taken for a short time and stopped when the disease process has been stopped. To not take a medication because it only works as long as you take it has been one of the most absurd reasons to not use Finasteride. If you brush your teeth twice a day and then stop brushing for 6 months, needless to say you will be in pretty sorry shape. Should we stop brushing just because when we stop we will lose our teeth? I hope not! If someone takes Finasteride for 5 years and stops they will only lose the hair that they have gained by taking the medicine. In other words, they will be no worse off than if they had not taken the medication to begin with. They will not experience more hair loss than they would have, had they never taken Finasteride to begin with. My next post will cover other treatment options such as combination therapy with minoxidil (Rogaine) and low level laser therapy (Capillus) for even better results. *Please do not purchase so called “knock off” drugs that are not manufactured under the standards of the America FDA. Some patients who have purchased these outside drugs have experienced side effects that did not occur with the FDA approved drug. Also, some patients have also noticed that the “knock-off” drugs do not produce the same results as FDA approved products and have experienced shedding and hairloss. Dr. Rosanelli’s office is available 24 hours a day 365 days a year and yes, 366 days in 2016. Please call Dr. Rosanelli at 1-800-843-4247 or email [email protected] anytime and we will be happy to have you as a patient. Finasteride can be a wonderful medication for treating hair loss. In my practice I have seen no substantial difference in the amount of hair retained by patients that have switched to FDA approved generic Finasteride as compared to those that decided to stay on the Merck brand Propecia over the last year. As a consumer, you should be aware of the benefits, the risks, and what we do at Rosanelli Medical Associates to enhance your use of the medication. As always, with all drugs, one should always weigh the benefits vs. the risk of taking any medication or supplement in their personal life.*
At Rosanelli Medical Associates we recommend several ways to reduce these risks and to continue to keep the benefits of Finasteride. We have for over four years used what we call our “Rosanelli Slow Protocol”. This allows patients to start Finasteride on a limited “low dose” basis. If at any point in the first month the patient experiences side effects we discontinue Finasteride. If side effects occur with any other dose we can adjust the patient to a lower dose. Because Finasteride binds to the Type II 5-alpha–reductase for half-life of approximately thirty days, even on low doses results can be achieved. After 6 months we have the patient come in for a recheck and depending on results, side effects, and patient desire, we can stay at the current dosage or adjust it as necessary. At RMA our goal is to provide excellent, caring, personalized service to maximize results and reduce the chance of negative side effects. With our current regime, patients can expect to pay approximately $195 ($16/month) for the first year of treatment on Finasteride and about $212 ($18/month) for subsequent years. This includes all medical visits, exams and medication costs. Call us at 1-800-743-4247 or email if you are interested in setting up an appointment with Dr. Rosanelli to see if you are a candidate for his “Slow Protocol.” *Finasteride (5 mg-Proscar) was approved by the FDA for benign prostatic hypertrophy in 1992. Generic 5 mg Finasteride has been available for almost 10 years. In 1997, Finasteride (Propecia) was approved for male pattern hairloss. The recommended dosage is one milligram (1 mg.) on a daily basis. Generic Finasteride 1 mg was approved in November of 2013. It is notable that Finasteride has also been implicated in “post Finasteride syndrome” (PFS). This syndrome can be characterized by psychological, sexual, hormonal and neurological side effects that some claim may persist even after Finasteride use has been discontinued. We have added some new before and after pictures to our site. If you don't see hairloss that resembles yours, please come in for a free consultation where we have literally thousands of pictures that may be just what you are looking to have done.
Of course you love your hair, and you will love it even more if you take advantage of these special prices for the month of February. New patients only! Limited spots are available.
We hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving. At Rosanelli Medical Associates we have plenty to be grateful for, and we would like to share our blessings with our new patients. If you have surgery between December 5 and December 19, you can take advantage of some very special prices. Please see our coupon for details.
Excitement is mounting at RMA in anticipation of tonight's baseball game. We are keeping our fingers crossed that the Giant's will soon be planning their celebratory parade right here in beautiful San Francisco. And in order to keep that city even more beautiful, we are offering a special discount in the month of November for Giant's fans who come in for their first surgery. There are very limited spots, so check out our printable coupon to bring in with you to your consultation. And make sure and root, root, root for the home team!
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