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More than95 percentof men experience some degree of hair loss during their lives, according to the American Hair Loss Association. An estimated two-thirds notice a receding hairline or thinning hair by age 35.
While a number of factors can contribute to this universal complaint, it’s primarily the result ofmale pattern baldness, a hereditary condition clinically known as androgenetic alopecia. The inherited trait means a byproduct of testosterone called dihydrotestosterone (DHT) causes your hair follicles to shrink through the years, eventually reaching a point in which the follicles no longer grow new hair.
For people looking for products designed to prevent, slow, or even reverse hair loss, Hims is a telehealth company that offers something of a one-stop shopping experience. Focused on personal wellness, Hims provides products to improve hair and skin health, as well as nutrition, sexual function, and even mental and physical health.
You can go online and select over-the-counter items such as hair-thickening shampoos and vitamins that support hair health. After consulting with a licensed healthcare provider, you can choose prescription hair treatments from Hims as well.
Keep reading to see if Hims is right for you.
Like every online company, Hims presents customers with both pros and cons associated with the convenient yet somewhat impersonal nature of telehealth services.
Pros
- fast and easy online consultation with a licensed medical professional
- subscription services, so you don’t have to worry about running out of minoxidil or finasteride
- free shipping
Cons
- no face-to-face appointment with a healthcare provider to do a physical examination of your scalp
- limited variety of products for sale
- occasional long wait for a response about products and subscriptions
Before you can buy anything from Hims or get a consultation with a dermatologist, you need to set up a Hims account. Using Hims’ encrypted data platform, you create a profile and then answer some basic questions about your hair loss status — receding hairline, thinning hair — as well as what other products you’ve tried and some more health questions regarding depression, anxiety, and erectile dysfunction (ED).
These questions have less to do with hair loss treatment and more to do with directing you to other products and services from Hims, includingED medicationsand mental health counseling.
After your information and any questions have been submitted, you will receive a response usually within 24 hours from a medical professional. If the doctor determines that finasteride is appropriate, you will be given a prescription and the option to order the medication through Hims.
Other hair products are available without a prescription and can be obtained as one-time purchases or as part of a subscription. If you are approved for finasteride, you will receive the medication monthly through a subscription.
Hims offers several products to prevent and treat hair loss.
Thick lather shampoo
Ingredients include saw palmetto to help strengthen hair and create a fuller head of hair. It also has a eucalyptus grove scent. One bottle is $19.
Thickening conditioner
Made with niacinamide, the conditioner promises to hydrate and “bolster” your hair to make it look thicker and feel silkier. One bottle is $22.
Biotin gummies
Biotin, also known as vitamin B7, is associated with healthier hair, skin, and eyes. These cherry-flavored biotin supplements are meant to give your hair growth a nutritional boost. A bottle costs $16.
Minoxidil
This topical solution has been shown to help regrow hair in many situations. The exact mechanism of
Finasteride
Finasterideis a prescription oral medication. One brand name for finasteride is Propecia. One pill per day can help reduce the body’s DHT levels, promoting greater hair follicle health and activity. A 1-month supply starts at $22.
Minoxidil and finasteride
For some customers, Hims recommends using both products. Research shows that the
Hims, Inc., has an A+ rating from theBetter Business Bureau, though BBB customer reviews amount to 1.54 stars out of 5.
Most of the negative reviews or complaints are concerned with products related to sexual health, rather than hair loss and skin care. Many negative reviewers complained that they were charged for products after notifying the company they wanted to cancel their prescriptions.
正面评价是与护发产品s, with customers praising the effectiveness of the combination of minoxidil and thickening shampoo, for example. These positive reviews were sometimes coupled with comments that customer service can be a little slow.
Hims, Inc., however, appears to take those concerns seriously, often replying online and acknowledging delays in responses to customer questions.
When appropriate, the company provides refunds and explanations of how the prescription services work. Hims promises a full money-back guarantee within 90 days. It’s important to note that canceling a subscription can take 48 hours, and if the company receives that notification the day of or the day prior to the next month’s debit on your credit card, you will be charged for one more month.
Hims is part of a growing field of online health and wellness companies that provide both healthcare advice from licensed professionals as well as OTC and prescription products. Others offering hair loss products or services include:
Roman
Roman also sells personal wellness products online, includingED treatments, vitamins, skin care products, and items that promote weight management, stress relief, and other health needs. The telehealth site starts with the creation of a profile and an online consultation with a medical provider.
Like Hims, Roman sells minoxidil and finasteride separately and as a combination. The monthly cost of minoxidil is $16 and for finasteride, it’s $20. The combination plan includes both products for $35 per month.
Lemonaid
One of the morecomprehensive online health providers is Lemonaid, which advertises treatments for conditions ranging from migraine to urinary tract infections, as well as mental health conditions, high blood pressure, and thyroid disease.
Rather than sell products through its website, Lemonaid offers telehealth visits with licensed medical professionals who then send prescriptions — if appropriate — to your local pharmacy.
For hair loss treatment, you’ll be asked several questions and then be advised to photograph your hair loss from several angles and upload the pictures to the site. You’ll also need to pay a $25 consultation fee before a prescription can be written.
Keeps
Unlike Hims and Roman,Keeps isan online telehealth provider that specializes only in preventing or reversing hair loss.
With a similar approach to its competitors, Keeps sells finasteride and minoxidil separately or as part of a package deal. Introductory rates include a 3-month supply of finasteride for $50, and $75 for every 3 months afterward. Minoxidil starts at $20 for 3 months and $30 for every 3 months afterward. The combination of the two products starts at $70 for the first 3 months, then $105 every 3 months after that.
If you like the privacy and convenience of Hims and you’re willing to spend a little extra for those benefits, then you may want to at least give the company a try.
However, many people are more comfortable getting medical advice in person with a doctor or other healthcare professional who can answer questions on the spot and examine you personally.
Hims does not take insurance so you’re looking at carrying all costs out of pocket. Many consider the hair loss products from Hims to be reasonably priced. Understand that before you can purchase these products, you will have to participate in a telehealth visit with a licensed medical professional for $39.
Product prices are clearly marked on the website, but it’s important to read the terms of service. Once you sign up for a subscription to their products, Hims will keep sending them and charging you until you formally notify the company you are terminating your subscription.
Products for hair loss from Hims aren’t all that different than products from any number of hair care outlets. However, you can skip the time and effort involved in a doctor’s appointment and a trip to the pharmacy with the click of a few buttons on your computer or phone.
Hair loss can be a frustrating experience, but there are products with some proven research that can make a trial run worth it. If you do try Hims medications or hair care products, be sure to read the labels carefully so you can reap their benefits safely and effectively.