Our 10 Hair Loss Treatment Picks for Balding or Thinning Hair

For Hims is our choice for pattern baldness because its products address hair loss in multiple effective ways at once. The Hair Power Pack kit, for example, contains prescription finasteride pills to be taken orally, minoxidil drops that are topical, dihydrotestosterone (DHT)-blocking thickening shampoo, and biotin (vitamin B7) gummies. And Hims is equipped to stock you up on all your hair care needs, from prescription sprays to encourage new hair growth to over-the-counter care like dandruff shampoo or thickening conditioner. 

Not sure if you have pattern balding or a different issue? Not to worry. To get started with Hims, you’ll answer straightforward questions about your hair loss (or other hair issues) in a simple quiz. The experts at Hims will review your responses and come up with a bespoke treatment plan for you. Hims prescribes oral finasteride, a topical spray containing both minoxidil and finasteride, and a topical minoxidil-only serum. All of these treatments are FDA-approved and clinically shown to be effective.

Your consultation (in the form of a quiz, which is reviewed by a medical provider) is free. The cost of your Hims subscription will vary depending on the treatment plan that’s developed for you. Prescriptions are shipped in three-month supplies, ranging from $26 per shipment of finasteride to $65 per 90-day supply of the Hair Power Pack (including oral finasteride, topical minoxidil drops, a thickening shampoo, and biotin gummies).

Blink Health offers several great choices for hair loss treatment for people on a budget, selling generic Propecia (finasteride) and Rogaine (minoxidil) at a fraction of their typical out-of-pocket costs. That’s particularly good news for hair loss, which isn’t typically covered by insurance (although Blink does accept insurance). Plus, Blink can set you up with a prescriber if you don’t already have a prescription. Blink’s providers do consultations via questionnaires, which are then reviewed by a medical professional. You won’t need to do a video or phone consultation—unless it’s required by law in your state—but you may be asked to provide photos of your scalp. If you do have a prescription, you can ask your doctor’s office to send it to Blink via e-Rx, phone or fax.

Once you have a valid prescription, Blink Health will mail your medication to your doorstep; it usually arrives within three to seven business days. You can order a 30-, 60- or 90-day supply, as long as that’s permitted by your prescription. Once you’ve subscribed, you can also sign up for automatic refills so you don’t have to worry about gaps in your medication stock. Just be aware that your credit card on file will be automatically charged.  

The Blink Health website also sells other prescription medications at a discount, making this a one-stop shop if you have additional prescription needs. You can conduct your telehealth consultation from a smartphone or tablet, and you’ll hear back within 24 hours about whether your prescription request was approved. Delivery is scheduled automatically every month. Or, you can opt to pick up your prescriptions at a local pharmacy (note that some medications are not available for delivery). 

Blink Health is a subscription service, but there’s no fee to join and shipping is free. The costs for getting prescription hair loss treatments from the company are: 

• Online consultation with prescriber: $10 
• Oral finasteride (generic Propecia): $8.95 
• Oral minoxidil (generic Rogaine): $10.40
• Minoxidil foam (generic Rogaine): $20.14 (not currently available for delivery) 
• Minoxidil solution (generic Rogaine): $15.72 (not currently available for delivery) 
  

Blink Health accepts flexible spending account (FSA) and health savings account (HSA) payments. However, most hair regrowth treatments are not FSA/HSA eligible.

Ro offers top-of-the-line prescriptions for hair loss, including oral minoxidil, oral finasteride and combination packs that include over-the-counter topical minoxidil. To obtain a hair loss prescription  from Ro, you’ll start with a free consultation with one of the platform’s doctors. This takes the form of a simple questionnaire about your hair loss and health. A medical professional at Ro will review your responses and reply within about 24 hours. In most places, you won’t have to have a video or phone call with the provider, but it is required in some states. Once a Ro provider has reviewed your request, if approved, they’ll contact you to let you know what they think the best course of treatment is. 

You can choose to have your prescription sent directly to you or to your local pharmacy, in one- or three-month supplies. If you stick with Ro, it will automatically refill your prescriptions, but you can cancel anytime. After approval and processing, your treatments ship free in two to three business days. And, after your initial consultation, you’ll have ongoing access to messaging with a provider as long as you continue to use Ro. That’s a huge plus, in case you have any questions or concerns with your prescriptions.  

Consultations are free and the first order is discounted to $30 for a 90-day supply, which ships free. Ro does not accept insurance or FSA/HSA plans, but its medications are reasonably priced: 

• Oral finasteride (prescription, generic for Propecia): $20 per month 
• Oral minoxidil (prescription, generic Loniten): $30 per month 
• Topical minoxidil (over-the-counter, generic Rogaine): $16 per month 
• Combination oral finasteride and topical minoxidil: $35 per month

Any prescription hair loss treatment will require some form of consultation, but Bosley Rx combines both a questionnaire and a video, phone or messaging appointment with a doctor or nurse practitioner to ensure your questions are answered and your treatment plan fits your needs and lifestyle. Bosley offers a wide range of treatment plans, from a one-step topical that combines finasteride, minoxidil, tretinoin, and hydrocortisone, to a four-product kit to tackle all-over thinning. Its combination topical is particularly promising because it includes hydrocortisone. The use of hydrocortisone can reduce inflammation, which helps to combat hair loss, says Modglin, who continues: “focusing on scalp health is critical in hair loss prevention and regrowth, so products that help combat dandruff, reduce inflammation, and exfoliate the scalp may be beneficial.” 

Bosley has been in the business of hair loss care for nearly half a century. The company is known for both its surgical and non-surgical hair restoration treatments and, with Bosley Rx, it delivers prescription hair loss care to your door. Its standard prescribing procedure goes a step further than most companies, having customers fill out a questionnaire as well as meet virtually with a provider (rather than simply having a prescription request reviewed asynchronously). Bosley Rx recommends four different treatment plans, each designed for slightly different forms of hair loss, but your medical professional will work with you to decide exactly which products are best for your concerns. Once you have a prescription, the products, which include minoxidil, finasteride, combinations of the two, and thickening shampoos, will ship free to you, and you can have them automatically refilled.

Your consultation is free, as is shipping of your treatment regimen. Products, which are shipped in three-month supplies, cost: 

• HiGrowth Hair Formula (topical minoxidil and finasteride): $42.50 per month
• Oral finasteride: $17.50 per month 
• Oral finasteride + minoxidil serum: $27.50 per month 
• “The Full Package” (finasteride, minoxidil, nourishing shampoo, and scalp treatment): $55 per month

Vegamour offers a plant-based GRO line that attacks thinning hair with a comprehensive set of products that work on multiple fronts. Designed for people assigned female at birth, Vegamour’s shampoo, conditioner, serums, masks, and dry shampoos are packed with vitamins and other nutrients to help restore not only the number of hairs you grow, but the thickness, strength and luster of the strands themselves. 

The company’s products are plant-based, free of harsh chemicals and color-safe. It even carries products that it claims can delay the graying of hair to keep your locks looking luscious and youthful. In its own tests, Vegamour’s products gave users up to 52% more hair density and up to 76% less shedding. 

Vegamour’s GRO serum costs $64 per bottle, or $52 with a monthly subscription. Or, you can opt to get the entire GRO and Repair Kit—including shampoo, conditioner, a mask, and the serum—for $169 with a subscription or around $200 with a one-time purchase. Prices may vary based on current promotions.

Elevate’s over-the-counter products make it easy to start tackling hair-loss immediately. They contain minoxidil, an FDA-approved ingredient for treating hair loss. It’s the same ingredient found in Rogaine. While oral minoxidil requires a prescription, the topical forms can be sold over the counter. 

Elevate’s serums, foams, and sprays have garnered particular praise from users impressed at their hair regrowth since using the product, and happy with the easy, non-greasy application of the products. For use twice daily, Elevate’s minoxidil spray, foam, and serum offer a convenient alternative to prescription medications and contain natural ingredients to nourish your strands, including ginger extract and green tea. Costs are fairly equivalent to over-the-counter minoxidil products on websites that require physician consultations. If you get a full two months out of your product, the cost is the same, whereas if you use it within one month, the cost is higher than competitors. It’s suitable for all genders, unlike prescription finasteride, which acts on a byproduct of testosterone and may not be suitable for people with vaginas.

Customers have been particularly happy with Elevate’s spray, and cite hair regrowth, thicker hair, reduction of bald spot size, and reduced hair thinning from continued use of this product. The formula is non-greasy, and won’t leave your hair feeling oily. For a small percentage of users for whom the product did not work, they cited additional hair thinning, but this is not the norm. 

You can find Elevate’s hair-loss products on Amazon, priced at: 

• 5% minoxidil foam: $35 for a pack of three bottles (0.70 fluid ounces each) or $19 for one 2.11-fl. oz. bottle
• 5% minoxidil and biotin serum: $12 for 1 fluid ounce
• 5% minoxidil spray: $65 for a pack of three bottles (1.13 fluid ounces each), or $30 for one 3.38-fl. oz. bottle
  

Considered by many to be the gold standard of hair loss remedies, Rogaine begins working after your very first application. Results should be visible within three months, and include thicker, fuller-looking hair. The company is so sure you will see results, there is a money-back guarantee if you aren’t satisfied with your results. Unfortunately, Rogaine continues to use gendered language to describe its products. What it sells are essentially differently packaged versions of two products: 5% minoxidil foam and 5% minoxidil solution, either of which is applied to the scalp to stimulate hair regrowth. Rogaine (the generic name for which is minoxidil) was the first topical hair loss treatment FDA-approved for all genders. Its effectiveness has been demonstrated over and over in clinical trials and many competitors now sell a generic form—but Rogaine is the original.

Topical Rogaine is approved for over-the-counter use, so you can order it instantly yourself without a prescription. When you receive your order,  you’ll apply the foam or solution once daily to your head and then massage it in. A long-term commitment is needed given that continued usage is necessary to maintain the results of the product, but many users start to see improvement in just 90 days. 

Rogaine is sold as single products or discounted 20% with a monthly subscription. Sold individually, the prices for Rogaine are: 

• 5% minoxidil foam: $29 for a one-month supply (a 2.11-ounce can)
• 5% minoxidil solution: $29 for a one-month supply (2 fluid ounces)
• 2% minoxidil solution: $29 for a one-month supply (2 fluid ounces)
  

A subscription to Keeps will help you keep on track with your hair loss treatment journey, and save you money in the process. Keeps is among the most affordable hair loss subscriptions on the market and gives you the option to choose whether to get your customized treatment plan in three-month, six-month or 12-month shipments (tip: discounts are deepest with the three-month supply). Hair-loss treatment can be a big commitment, and the same thing doesn’t work for everyone. Keeps makes the decision easier, discounting your first order such that you effectively get your first month of treatment for free. 

Keeps also has an especially broad selection of hair loss products, including oral finasteride, topical minoxidil foam or solution, thickening shampoo and conditioner, dandruff-fighting prescription shampoo, and even a thickening pomade for styling. However, the company does not use inclusive language and markets all products solely to “men,” according to its website, despite the fact that several of its products could be used safely by people of other genders. 

To get a prescription for one or several products, you’ll fill out a questionnaire as a medical consultation. To get prescription hair loss treatments from Keeps, you’ll start by taking a quiz about your hair loss (it only takes about a minute). Or, if you’d prefer, you can choose one of the company’s four treatment plans, then sign up. Either way, you’ll eventually have to submit answers to a very brief questionnaire, which will then be reviewed by one of Keeps’s medical professionals, who will verify if that’s the best course of treatment for you. Assuming it’s approved, you should receive your first order within two to five business days and Keeps will auto-refill your prescriptions with free shipping every three, six or 12 months, based on your preference. 

In addition to the free consultation, you’ll also have access to unlimited messaging with a Keeps healthcare provider once you’ve subscribed. It’s worth noting that while usually bulk purchases come at a discount, that is not the case with Keeps. It actually costs the least to opt for a three-month subscription. 

You and your provider may come up with a custom treatment plan, but Keeps standard pricing (billed and shipped three months or more at a time) is: 

• Consultation: The first—which is sufficient for a year of treatment—is included with the price of your treatment; after that, each annual consultation costs $5
• Oral finasteride: $16.67 per month
• Oral finasteride and topical minoxidil: $24 per month 
• Topical finasteride and minoxidil (combination): $40 per month 
• Topical minoxidil foam: $11.11 per month
• Topical minoxidil solution: $7.33 per month 
• Thickening shampoo: $4.89 per month 
• Thickening conditioner: $4.89 per month 
• Pomade: $5.56 per month 
• Prescription ketoconazole shampoo: $6.67 per month 
• “Thinning at the Crown” plan: Topical minoxidil, $28.33 for three months
• “Overall Thinning Hair” plan 1: oral finasteride and topical minoxidil, $88.33 for three months
• “Overall Thinning Hair” plan 2: topical combination finasteride and minoxidil, $120 for three months
• “Receding Hairline” plan: oral finasteride, $50 for three months

Keeps charges $5 per delivery for shipping.

For Hers sells a range of hair loss treatments that are tailored to treating postmenopausal hair loss, an issue addressed by few competitors. Specifically, Hers carries a topical finasteride and minoxidil spray that packs a one-two-punch against postmenopausal hair loss, but is not approved for those who are premenopausal. Hers also carries a range of products approved to treat hair loss in people of any age or gender, thanks to the active ingredients minoxidil and spironolactone. The company’s combination of free or affordable telehealth consultations and curated treatments for common health needs including hair loss, anxiety, depression, birth control, skin care, and sexual health have helped it ascend to widespread popularity. The company offers over-the-counter products to strengthen hair as well as six prescription hair-loss treatments. 

To get started with Hers, you’ll take a simple quiz about your hair and hair loss. Hers will recommend a product or treatment regimen. Then, you’ll answer some further questions and meet with a licensed medical provider via messaging to be sure you get the treatment that’s best for you. Prescription treatments include oral spironolactone (which is only appropriate for people assigned female at birth); topical finasteride and minoxidil spray; oral minoxidil; and Latisse, a lash regrowth serum. Hers also offers over-the-counter minoxidil solution and foam and complementary products like volumizing shampoos and conditioners, hair masks, scalp scrubs, and biotin gummies. 

Total costs will vary with your treatment plan but, at baseline, Hers products cost: 

• Medical consultations: Free
• Strengthening shampoo, conditioner, and hair mask: Around $40 for a pack of one or two 
• Finasteride and minoxidil spray (for postmenopausal hair loss): $24 per month 
• Minoxidil topical solution: About $45 for a three-month supply 
• Minoxidil foam: $54 for a four-month supply
• Oral spironolactone: $5-$12 per month

Hers does not accept insurance or HSA/FSA payments.

Using Sesame Care gets you access to telehealth appointments with medical providers in more than 80 specialties, including hair loss. In many cases, you may be able to book a same-day appointment. If you’ve never undergone any treatment for hair loss, you may find comfort in a virtual face-to-meeting face with a telehealth provider who can see your hair and scalp and talk you through your options (as opposed to getting a prescription via a questionnaire).

You can choose to pay a la carte for appointments or subscribe to Sesame. Subscribers are guaranteed price-capped telehealth appointments, while non–members’ fees will depend on the provider and location. The only downside of Sesame is that it offers only one prescription for hair loss—finasteride. 

Sesame Health does not accept insurance, but offers both a la carte and subscription plans: 

• Single telehealth visit: $19-$200
• Subscription: $11 a month or $99 a year, which will guarantee that your telehealth appointments always cost just $19
• Oral finasteride: $5, including shipping, for a 30-day supply with subscription 
• Topical minoxidil: $5, including shipping, for a 30-day supply with subscription