Kid Funkadelic

Hello All,

I was recently prescribed Propecia by a doctor specializing in hair transplants. Being familiar with this website, I mentioned Proscar as a cost saving alternative, however, the doctor shut me down. Said it is not the same thing.

I was wondering how those of you who are currently using Proscar have gotten prescriptions for it? I thought the pharmacy could just substitute it for Propecia like they would any generic drug, and I could just cut it in 4's, but that is not the case.

Though the transplant surgeon refused me, I am thinking of asking my regular dermatologist if she could write me a prescription for it.

Has anyone else been refused by a doctor for Proscar?

Hello All,

I was recently prescribed Propecia by a doctor specializing in hair transplants. Being familiar with this website, I mentioned Proscar as a cost saving alternative, however, the doctor shut me down. Said it is not the same thing.

I was wondering how those of you who are currently using Proscar have gotten prescriptions for it? I thought the pharmacy could just substitute it for Propecia like they would any generic drug, and I could just cut it in 4's, but that is not the case.

Though the transplant surgeon refused me, I am thinking of asking my regular dermatologist if she could write me a prescription for it.

Has anyone else been refused by a doctor for Proscar?

Thank you, Mike. I will take your advice and meet with other surgeons before making a decision.

Originally posted by Mike1651:

I'm glad you found this site before making any decisions...I know from experience that Dr. Malecka is years behind the curve when it comes to a modern HT--I was a patient of his in 1985 & his practice hasn't changed much since then (still using mini-grafts instead of follicular units)...as others have recommended, please consult with doctors recommended by this site--Dr. Feller, Dr. True, Dr. Bernstein & others are using techniques that produce amazing results--yes it's a fact, 900 grafts would be a very small procedure...it is in your best interest to read thru the various topics & responses posted on the site & you'll soon become familiar with what to expect...I'm sorry that you didn't meet with Dr. Pistone, when you consulted there, because he is practicing modern HT techniques...in any case, get as many consults with recommended docs as possible & get a better feel for the amount of grafts that will be needed...FYI, a NW6 patient might need 4 to 6 thousand grafts for a complete restoration if there was adequate donor supply...there's a graft calculator on this site which might help you get a better idea of your overall situation...good luck & good reading!

Guitar Player, thanks for replying to my post.

I did not know that 900 is considered a relatively small amount of hair to transplant. I started losing hair in my early 20's. I am now 35. I still have hair, but the way I'm going, I will probably be a 6 on the hair loss chart by the time I am in my 50's. The doctor's assistant made no mention of a strip procedure. He said the follicular units will be trimmed under magnification but did not specifically say microscopic dissection. Is there a difference?

Yes, both places I went (Pistone and Malecka) only offered evaluations by consultants rather than with the doctor himself. It was a little disheartening, but at Malecka, at least the person I met with is also the phyisican's surgical assistant, rather than just a salesman like at Pistone. He did take the time to answer all my questions and was very helpful, but now you got me thinking what I should do.

Does anyone have any feedback about Dr. James Malecka? I found his consultant (also his surgical assistant) very helpful. However, the price I was quoted for about 900 grafts was $5000. He said I would need 2 sessions. This seems kind of steep compared with the numbers others on this site say they have paid for almost double the amount of grafts.

I am new here so any advice would be very greatly appreciated.

Thank you.

Does anyone have any feedback about Dr. James Malecka? I found his consultant (also his surgical assistant) very helpful. However, the price I was quoted for about 900 grafts was $5000. He said I would need 2 sessions. This seems kind of steep compared with the numbers others on this site say they have paid for almost double the amount of grafts.

I am new here so any advice would be very greatly appreciated.

Thank you.