Welcome to our FAQ page! We’re here to provide answers to the most common questions we have received about our practice.
What is Anti-Aging or Age Management Medicine?
Anti-Aging or Age Management Medicine is a branch of medicine focused on optimizing health and vitality as we age, and on preventing or reversing the effects of aging on the body. It is a proactive, patient-centered approach that emphasizes personalized treatments and lifestyle modifications to promote wellness and longevity. Anti-Aging Medicine practitioners use a combination of conventional and integrative medicine approaches to address the root causes of age-related health issues, including hormone imbalances, oxidative stress, and inflammation. By optimizing health and vitality through targeted interventions, Anti-Aging Medicine aims to help individuals maintain their physical, mental, and emotional well-being as they age.
What is Regenerative Medicine?
Regenerative Medicine is a branch of medicine focused on developing treatments that activate the body’s natural healing mechanisms to repair or replace damaged or diseased tissues and organs. This may involve the use of stem cells, growth factors, or other biologic materials to promote tissue regeneration and repair. Regenerative Medicine is an exciting and rapidly advancing field that has the potential to transform the way we treat a wide range of medical conditions.
What is Functional Medicine?
Functional Medicine is an integrative, science-based healthcare approach that treats illness and promotes wellness by focusing on the bio-chemically unique aspects of each patient, and then individually tailoring interventions to restore physiological, psychological, and structural balance. Functional Medicine focuses on understanding the fundamental physiological processes, the environmental inputs, and the genetic predispositions that influence health and disease so that interventions are focused on treating the cause of the problem, not just masking the symptoms.
Prescription Refill Policy
To improve our efficiency and make it easier for you to get your prescription refills, we offer multiple options for requesting them, including:
- Calling us at (619) 795-6700 or leaving a message with information about the prescription(s) you need, including the type of shipping you want and any address changes. Please speak clearly and leave your name, phone number, and the name of the medication.
- Texting us at (619) 630-5722 with the same information as above.
- Emailing us at Prescriptions@ManageYourAge.com with the same information as above.
Please note that all refill requests have a maximum 48-hour turnaround time. This means that we will always endeavor to fulfill your request as soon as humanly possible, but it may take up to 48 hours (excluding weekends and holidays) for us to process your request and prepare your prescription for pickup or shipping.
Forms Policy
If a patient asks us to fill out forms this is how we will handle such requests. Examples may be insurance prior authorizations, insurance billing forms, physical exam forms for work or school, etc. Please be prepared to compensate us for our time as follows:
- Our rate for our doctors is $350 per hour, billed in increments of 5 min.
- If another staff member can fill out the form or make the phone call, it will be billed at $100 per hour, in increments of 5 min.
Please keep in mind that there are many things that we do for patients that we do not charge for such as processing of paperwork required for the chart and visits (Dr. Farnesi and staff spend 20 minutes or more preparing for each consultation), laboratory requisitions and results, processing of prescription refill requests, the occasional patient email, and more.
This policy allows us to better manage our practitioners’ office hours so that we may continue to provide excellent patient care.
Will using the IPL increase my risk of skin cancer?
Skin cancer, or the DNA changes thought to be responsible for it, is caused ultraviolet (UV) light damage. These technologies use concentrated visible light, not UV light, so there is no increased risk of skin cancer or DNA damage.
How does hair removal work?
The machine we use for permanent hair reduction has a special actively cooled tip that makes direct contact with the skin, through a sapphire, cooled to 4 degrees Celsius with circulating liquid that passes continuously from a chiller through the handpiece. It is one of the most comfortable systems around. As the light beam passes through the cooling shield and reacts with the pigment in each hair follicle, it heats the follicle to damage it and shut it down. It is effective with all skin types and hair colors except light blonde, red and gray hair. The laser works on hair in its active growth phase, or “Anagen” phase. During this phase the hair contains an abundance of pigment, which is necessary to create the reaction. Since all the hair follicles are never in the active growth phase at one time, most patients will require 4 to 6 treatments at 6-to-8-week intervals to achieve optimal results.
What is Bio-Identical Hormone Replacement?
Bio-Identical Hormone Replacement Therapy (BHRT) is a form of hormone therapy that uses hormones that are chemically identical to those naturally produced in the human body. Unlike traditional hormone replacement therapy (HRT), which often uses synthetic hormones, BHRT uses plant-based hormones that are molecularly identical to the hormones found in the body. This allows BHRT to more closely replicate the body’s natural hormonal balance and may result in fewer side effects compared to synthetic hormone therapy. BHRT is used to address hormone imbalances that can contribute to a variety of health concerns, including menopause symptoms, thyroid disorders, and adrenal dysfunction.
How long before you can actually see results? While this changes with each person, some people feel results within days. Just like beginning an exercise program, you can expect results within three to six months after beginning hormone management. Often the results of proper modulation are manifested by what you don’t feel, i.e., sick, tired, moody, etc.
How long do I have to be on these therapies? You should give your program at least four to six months to see significant benefits. Most people experience benefits before three months and continue to see improvement beyond that point. Your body needs that much time to heal and rebuild. You should remain on the program for as long as you want to optimize your health.
What happens if I stop the program? You will have gained time while you were on the program, but if you should elect to stop, you will not experience accelerated aging. Should you stop the program, your body will return to aging at its normal rate. The benefits will fade over time after stopping, however you still have benefited.
When is a good age to start? Thirty-five is generally an appropriate age for the first evaluation, because that is when deficiencies begin to appear. Around thirty years of age, we lose hormones from 1%-3%. It’s never too early for any adult to begin a nutraceutical program. A person does not need to begin hormone modulation therapy until the body begins to lower its hormone production. Blood tests and assessments help determine exactly where you may be most deficient and how we can help you. Every person is different and will have different needs as far as hormone modulation goes.
Will Hormone Replacement Treatment interfere with my currently prescribed medications? Not usually. In some instances, other medications may actually be reduced or no longer needed. Your Hormone Management physician will be able to advise you on this.
The material on this website is not medical advice. Always consult your physician before beginning any treatment program.