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Please let us know if you have questions after your appointment. Below are some of the most commonly asked questions we receive.
1. Dr. Donovan gave me a requisition to get more blood tests. Where do I go to get my blood tests completed?
Please go to a nearby lab with the requisition form that you were provided. Please keep in mind that because our clinic is private there will be fees for the blood tests.
Where do I go for my blood tests?
2. How do I refill my prescription?
For Canadian patients, Dr Donovan will provide you with enough medication to last until your next appointment. He will review how your are doing at your next appointment and refill at that time if appopriate.
3. If I have any questions after my appointment, how do I go about having Dr. Donovan answer them ?
If you have questions please refer to our policies for answering questions
If you feel your question qualifies for an email answer, please direct them in either 3 ways:
a) email them to office@donovanmedical.com
b) phone us and we will direct your question to Dr. Donovan
c) send them to us in writing or via fax. (Our fax number is 604.648.9003).
Please review our clinic policies on answering questions
4. Can I drop in to the office in the future if I have any questions ?
No, we do not allow "drop ins" in order to protect the privacy of our patients who may be there for the day. If you have questions after your appointment, please direct them in either 3 ways:
a) email them to office@donovanmedical.com
b) phone us and we will direct your question to Dr. Donovan and get back to your within 24 hours.
c) send them to us in writing or via fax. (Our fax number is 604.648.9003).
5. Can I drop in or pop by to the office in the future if I am having issues with my hair?
No, we do not allow "drop ins" per the explanation above. Please see our clinic policies. If you are having issues and feel you need to be seen, let us know and we will arrange an appointment within 4 weeks. If you feel that you can not wait, it may be possible to schedule a phone consultation with Dr. Donovan depending on the specific circumstances.
For any urgent issues, please send us details about what you are experiencing along with photos (if you feel it is relevant and would be helpful)
We do not allow drop ins to the office under any circumstances. If you are having issues with your hair, please advise us first so that Dr. Donovan can review the situation carefully. In some cases, he may advise you to change something you are doing before coming to see him (such as chaining a medication) or he may ask you to perform various tests before coming in (such as blood tests or a hair collection). We ask all patients to please respect our strict policies.
Having treated a lot of patients with hair loss, we often hear comments from patients such as "I'd like to drop by so Dr. Donovan can have a quick look at my hair. It will just take 5 minutes." Kindly note that there are very few consultations that Dr. Donovan has performed in the past few years that have every taken just 5 minutes. Most take 10-15 minutes in a very, very 'stable' patient. In a patient with 'active' issues (such as a patient losing hair), an appointment generally takes much longer - even double or triple the length of time. Dr Donovan feels strongly that hair loss requires a methodical approach to understanding all the issues. That's how Dr. Donovan practices and always will. There are no quick looks at the hair. There is no such thing as a 1 minute appointment. For a patient with a sudden change in his or her hair, Dr. Donovan generally requires the answers to over 30 questions and sometimes even 50. If asking these 30 questions and getting back the answer to each question took 10 seconds that would require just 5 minutes. But if asking the questions and getting back the answer to each question requires 30 seconds, one can easily see that 15 minutes has elapsed before Dr. Donovan has even had a chance to actually examine the scalp .... let along discuss new recommendations for helping the patient.
We truly understand how upsetting hair loss can be and Dr. Donovan promises his patients that their issues will be attended to appropriately. If he absolutely needs to see a patient, Dr. Donovan will go to great length to rearrange his schedule to make it happen. Generally though, a methodical approach is what works best in the long run. Let us know your questions and concerns and what changes you have noticed in your hair.
6. If Dr. Donovan wants me to return for a scalp biopsy, do you have advice on how I should prepare and the kinds of things I will need to do afterwards?
If you are planning on having a scalp biopsy, please take time to review these simple pre and post procedure instructions.
Scalp Biopsy - Pre and Post Procedure Instructions
A scalp biopsy is a 20 minute procedure that allows Dr. Donovan to obtain a few hairs (and the surrounding skin). This specimen will be sent off to the pathologist for further evaluation. The procedure is very safe and should not be a cause for worry for you. Some minor tenderness can occur for a few days in the area where the biopsy was taken. Dissolving stitches will be placed in the area - it takes approximately 6-8 weeks for the stitches to dissolve fully. A small scar will be present permanently in the area where the biopsy was taken.
7. How long will my follow up appointments be?
Follow up appointments are generally 20 minutes but may extend to 30 minutes in some cases. Follow up appointments are much shorter than initial appointment. They are NOT the same length as initial consults. Not every appointment with Dr. Donovan is one hour.
8. I had my appointment and Dr. Donovan discussed a new result with me. I would like Dr. Donovan to send a copy of my results to my sister who is in the medial field. How do I go about arranging this?
In order for our office to send results to anyone but your doctor, we will need you to complete the attached from. Please list the name, email address and mailing address of the individual. We will EMAIL them a copy of the result you have requested. IF you wish, we can also email you the results and you can forward to another person at your leisure.
9. I have been asked to do a "hair wash test" before I come back for my follow up appointment in 3 months. Can you explain again how this is done?
If you are not sure how to conduct any of the recommendations that Dr Donovan reviewed with you, please contact us. That’s the best way. There are two types of hair wash tests that Dr. Donovan will advise his patients to do. If he requires you to do a hair wash test, he will explain carefully how this is done. If Dr. Donovan does not advise or even mention a hair wash test, it is because he does not need this information. It will be important to remember which one Dr. Donovan asked you to do because they are different. If you are not sure, simply ask us and we will look up this information in your chart. The two tests are the
a) 5 day modified hair wash test b) 120 second hair collection
For more information and to download the Submission Form that you will send back to use with your collection click the following link
INFORMATION ABOUT HAIR COLLECTIONS
10. I didn't get a copy of the office policies. Can you direct me to the link?
Our office policies can be found here: Office Policies
11. Dr. Donovan advised me to use bimatoprost (Latisse). Where can I get?
Latisse is available through doctor's offices. We have Latisse in our office. We can ship it out to our patients. Simply contact our office. The fee for a box of matisse is $ 200 plus tax.
12. I have thought of several questions since my last appointment, what should I do?
If you have questions please refer to our policies for answering questions
If you feel your question qualifies for an email answer, please direct them in either 3 ways:
a) email them to office@donovanmedical.com
b) phone us and we will direct your question to Dr. Donovan
c) send them to us in writing or via fax. (Our fax number is 604.648.9003).
Please review our clinic policies on answering questions.
If you would like to set up an appointment to review your questions with Dr Donovan please let us know.
13. I lost my prescription. Can Dr. Donovan send me another one?
We understand that these sorts of things are easy to misplace. Prescription go missing in pockets, and bags and find their way through the wash. Provided it has been less than 3 months since your appointment with Dr. Donovan we will phone in a prescription to any pharmacy of your choice in Canada. Please provide us with your pharmacy name, phone number and also the proper spelling of your name and date of birth and Dr. Donovan will call it in. Please allow 72 HOURS for Dr. Donovan to call in your prescription. We do not MAIL out prescriptions to patients who have lost them. The only option is for Dr. Donovan to call in the prescription to the pharmacy of your choice.
If it has been more than 3 months since your appointment, please review your previous consultation letter as to when Dr. Donovan advised you to have follow up. If for example, Dr Donovan advised follow up in 5 months after your first appointment, and you lost your prescription at month 3, Dr. Donovan will refill your prescription. If you contact our office at month 6 after your appointment and advise use that you need a refill, Dr Donovan will not refill the prescription as he has indicated that he needs to re-evaluate your hair and scalp issue at month 5.
14. I have questions for Dr. Donovan. How do I speak to him?
Please take time to review our Office Policies as we have a formal procedure for how questions from patients are addressed. We receive 150 -250 questions per day from our “current” patients and it's not possible for Dr. Donovan to directly return all calls or send emails directly to all patients. However, our office aims to be very efficient and get back to patients rapidly. We review questions from patients with Dr. Donovan at three distinct times during the day. You can submit your questions to our team by email or phone and we will get back to your within 24 hours and generally much sooner. We are proud of our efficient system for getting patients questions answered fully and quickly. If you have questions please don't hesitate to ask us.
15. I want to send in photos for Dr. Donovan to review and tell me what he thinks I should do next in terms of my treatments ?
This is not something we offer patients who came in for a one time second opinion appointment.
For current patients, if you are wanting Dr Donovan to review any aspect of your current treatment plan, you’ll want to set up a follow up appointment. Please see point “J” in the table below. If you email photos to the office, they will generally be put in your file for Dr Donovan to review 48 hours prior to your next appointment. You will not receive a reply from Dr. Donovan. If you are wanting Dr. Donovan to review your photos now and make comments and recommendations, that requires a follow up appointment. Please let us know if we can assist you in making a phone call or telemedicine consultation.
16. How do I go about getting refills for my medications?
Dr. Donovan will have provided you with many refills. Just check your prescription and look for the letter "R" (which stands for 'refill). You can also phone your pharmacist and ask them how many refills you have "on file" in their pharmacy. Generally, Dr. Donovan will give you enough refills to get you to your next follow up appointment with him or with your doctor who will continue your care. For example, if your follow up appointment is in one year, you will leave the office with a prescription for one year of medication. After the one year mark, Dr. Donovan will usually not refill a prescription without seeing the patient for a follow up appointment. You may wish to review our policies on prescription renewals:
DONOVAN HAIR CLINIC - POLICY ON PRESCRIPTION RENEWALS
If a patient has another hair loss condition that requires follow up every 6-8 months, enough medication will be prescribed to take the patient to the 8 month mark. Dr. Donovan will not honour requests from patients to have more refills after the 8 month mark. It is absolutely essential that the patient be seen by a physician in order to determine if it is safe and appropriate to continue the medication. These specific details are outlined in our office policies and the policies were created to ensure patient safety. We can not permit a patient to be using a medication that would not be safe, effective or appropriate. Dr. Donovan takes great care in determining when a patient should be seen.
17. I am having a side effect from one of the medications and I think I will need to stop. Do I need to make a follow up appointment?
If you are having a side effect from a medication, let us know right away and we will provide you will advice on whether to stop the medication or treatment and what other things might be needed. Dr. Donovan will guide you through resolving the issue related to the side effects. Simply let our office know what is happening.
18. I would like Dr. Donovan to consider a medication that I've heard about. My friend told me about it. Can Dr. Donovan phone it in to my pharmacy?
Please let us know the name of the medication so that we may present your question to Dr. Donovan. Generally speaking, this would be considered a new treatment and a follow up would be needed to discuss.
See point G in the table below:
19. I need steroid injections for my condition, but I also have several questions about my oral medications that were prescribed as well as some questions about my topical medications. Should I be booking a 20 minute "follow up" appointment or just a 5 minute "steroid injection" appointment?
The answer would be a follow up appointment in order to make sure we have set aside enough time for you to review these issues with Dr. Donovan. A 5 minute visit for steroid injections is reserved for patients with scarring alopecias and alopecia areata who need steroid injections. The appointments are very short and meant to be convenient for patients. The injections may be provided by our nurse or Dr Donovan depending on the situation and patient. A wide range of available times are available for steroid injection appointments each month. These are very short appointments and time is not set aside for questions. If you require more time, simply let us know and we’ll book you a follow up appointment.
If the appointment is simply for steroid injections, a steroid injection appointment is the appropriate appointment. If there are other issues to be discussed, a follow up appointment is the appropriate type of appointment. There is not sufficient time set aside in a 5 minute injection appointment to discuss broader issues surrounding use of these oral medications. The following are helpful guides to help patients determine which is appropriate.
For patients with alopecia areata, a "follow-up" appointment rather than a "steroid injection" appointment will be required if ANY of the following are correct:
a) more than 12 months have elapsed since seeing Dr. Donovan or
b) the patient wishes to discuss issues with Dr. Donovan other than the steroid injections.
For patients with scarring alopecia, a follow-up" appointment rather than a "steroid injection" appointment will be the appropriate type of appointment for the patient if ANY of the following are correct:
a) it has been more than 6 months since the last "follow up" appointment or
b) the patient has already had two previous injection appointments, or
c) if there are issues to be discussed with Dr. Donovan other than the steroid injections.
For more information on follow up vs injection appointment, please click on the following helpful document
FOLLOW UP VS INJECTION APPOINTMENTS
20. How often do patients return for follow up appointments?
It depends on the type of hair loss. Patients with a short term issue, like telogen effluvium from a short term issue, might come one time. Patients with other issues like advanced alopecia areata or very active scarring alopecia might have appointments every 1-5 months for several years. It all depends on the type of hair loss and the exact medications one is taking. Some medications are more serious and need diligent follow up and monitoring.
Information on frequency of appointments can be found in question 21 and 22 below for alopecia areata and scarring alopecia. For other types of hair loss, please review information in the following link: Follow up Appointments
21. How often are patients with alopecia areata seen in the clinic?
The frequency of appointments depends on a number of factors including the type of treatment the patient is receiving, the age of the patient and how quickly the patient is losing or regrowing hair. This chart is a helpful guide.
22. How often are patients with scarring alopecia seen in the clinic for follow up appointments?
The frequency of appointments depends on a number of factors including the type of treatment the patient is receiving, the age of the patient and how quickly the patient is losing or regrowing hair. This chart is a helpful guide.
23 I am a long time patient. I would like to have a 10 minute follow up appointment for my 6 months follow up. Can you let me know if you offer such an apportionment for a discounted rate?
We only offer one type of standing follow up appointment if it has been more than 4 months since your last appointment , and that is a 20 minute follow up appointment with Dr. Donovan. We do not have partial of brief type appointments beyond 4 months. The fee is $750 for all follow up appointments.
Prior to month 3 the fee for a follow up appointment is $ 500.
24. How long will my prescriptions be good for? Will Dr. Donovan just call in the pharmacy every year to renew my medications he prescribes?
Prescriptions for patients appointment are valid 4-6 months for topical and oral immunosuppressants and oral minoxidil and 12 months for finasteride, dutasteride.
Prescriptions are valid for varying lengths of times and no prescription is renewed indefinitely. If you are prescribed a ‘new’ immunosuppressant medication, Dr. Donovan will need to see you every 3-6 months to know that the medication is safe and that it is working. If you have just been prescribed a medication, a follow up appointment at the 3 month mark is quite typical. For patients with prescriptions for immunosuppressive type pills who have been using them for more than 6 months already, the prescription will be valid for about 4-6 months. You will need to see Dr. Donovan if you wish the medication to be renewed by him. If you have been on the immunosuppressant medication for many months and your blood tests are normal and you are not having any side effects, Dr. Donovan will likely renew the medication for a much longer period of time (i.e. 6-12 months and maybe even longer). However, once that interval expires, you will need to see Dr. Donovan again for follow up if you wish the medication to be renewed. This is to ensure your safety. Dr. Donovan does not renew medications over and over without seeing patients.
For other medications which act over a longer period of time, such as finasteride, spironolactone or minoxidil, prescriptions are valid for 9-15 months depending on the patient and how their condition is responding to treatment. If the hair loss is responding well and there are no side effects recorded at the time of the second appointment, a longer prescription renewal may be given (possibly up to 24-48 months). If a patient wishes the prescription to be renewed after that point by Dr. Donovan they will need to book a follow up appointment to review. Dr. Donovan will not renew the prescription without a follow up appointment.
For a link to Dr. Donovan's prescription renewal policy click on the following link
Donovan Hair Clinic - Prescription Renewal Policy
25. I saw Dr. Donovan a number of months ago and I sent him a message on social media. However, he has not answered and I see the message was deleted. Why is this?
We have a strict privacy policy. If Dr Donovan knows you are his patient, he generally won't discuss your health on any social media platform no matter how simple the question. If he does not realize you are his patient, he might respond to it. If you have a question, and it is very "general" in nature (ie. Dr. Donovan - what are the best treatment options for lichen planopilaris)... Dr. Donovan will typically answer it on social media. However, if it is a specific question that applies only to you, you should address it to our office directly by email or phone. Here is some examples of specific questions:
I'm still shedding on minoxidil, should I increase my spironolactone dose higher?
Do you think the hydroxychloroquine you prescribed could be causing hair loss?
For further details, please read our Clinic Policies.
26. My daughter and I are both patients. We want to use the follow up appointment spot for both of us. She’ll do one half and I will do one half. Is this okay?
Each patent requires a separate appointment. We do not offer shared appointments. Please see policy 20 under our clinic policies.
27. I would like to see Dr. Donovan 9 months after my first appointment. I don't know my schedule that far ahead yet. How many months in advance should I book the follow up appointment to ensure I have a spot?
Please book at least 3 months in advance.
28. I am going to be having a phone consultation with Dr. Donovan in 3 months and would like to send him photos of my scalp because he said he will need these to monitor my condition. What photos are needed and what exactly should I be photographing?
Photos should be taken according to our photo guide
29. I will need to send in new photos for my follow up appointment because it will be conducted via a remote consultation. How should I send your office these photos?
There are several ways you can do this:
a) You can upload them through our secure link.
https://donovanmedical.com/upload-photos-and-documents
b) You can email them in a secure manner. This is less secure than option a.
c) You can mail them to us on a USB key through this address
Donovan Hair Clinic
4370 Lorimer Road - Suite 334B
Whistler, BC
V8E 1A6
Photos should be taken according to our photo guide
30. Is there a fee for follow up appointments or is it covered in the initial fee?
There is a fee for follow up appointments. Fees can be found in the following link
