Before
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After
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THINGS TO NOTE:
Hair loss has not worsened
Margins of hair loss are tighter with less visible scalp
See through circumference is smaller
Why come to MHTC?
Dr. Gencheff has been an active participant in the clinical trial studies with the drug finasteride (Propecia)
for the last six years. He is very familiar with what it can and cannot do. When a patient chooses to start
Propecia, an assessment is done to stage the current hair loss and detailed photographs are taken. These
photos and assessment will enable Dr. Gencheff to see how effective Propecia has been after the first
year's therapy and help determine if it is worthwhile to continue with treatment. For men who are in the early
thinning process, Propecia is a must form of treatment that deserves a look.
What is it?
Propecia (finasteride) 1 mg., available only by prescription, is for the treatment of male pattern genetic hair
loss. Dosing is one tablet daily that can be taken with or without food. Propecia was approved by the FDA
on December 19, 1997, and it became available in January, 1998. Finasteride 5 mg. was approved to treat
benign prostatic hypertrophy (benign prostate enlargement) in June, 1992.
Does it work?
Clinical improvement was noted by the patient at the end of 3 months, 48% of finasteride patients grew hair
at 1 year; and 66% grew hair at 2 years. In addition, 87% of patients reported that they had stopped losing
hair during the first year of treatment with finasteride, and this was maintained during the second year.
What are the side effects?
Propecia showed minimal side effects. Impotence was the most frequently reported drug-related adverse
effect in a study that followed patients on finasteride for 36 months. Impotence occurred in 2% of
finasteride-treated patients per year, compared to 1% in the placebo group. Of interest, only 0.6% of
patients discontinued the drug due to drug-related sexual adverse effect. Interestingly, 62% of patients
who experienced an initial adverse effect, but chose to continue the medication for 36 months, reported
that the condition resolved despite continued treatment.
Dr. Gencheff has found Propecia very beneficial in his surgical restoration practice. Propecia,
in conjunction with surgical hair restoration, affords his patients the benefit of maintaining the hair they
have while restoring what they have lost. Propecia and surgical hair restoration is a wonderful marriage
between medical and surgical treatments for hair loss.