Written by Menswear Style in Hair on the 20th August 2020

Sometimes the thing that is stopping a guy from getting professional hair loss help, is making that trip into a doctor’s office and bringing up his hair loss concerns. It can be, well, awkward, especially if your hair is a delicate subject for you. For this reason, lots of telemedicine platforms have popped up with a focus on hair loss prescriptions that can be ordered after a quick online visit or consultation with a real doctor.

Hair loss treatment works significantly better when it is started at the first signs of hair loss, not when your hair is hanging on for dear life -- so getting the help that you need sooner rather than later is key to optimal results. Read on to learn more about what men’s hair loss treatments are available online through telemedicine consults, and why using a telemedicine platform for hair loss can be better than in-person visits, or scrounging around for over the counter options.

Why Over The Counter Hair Loss Options Might Not Stack Up  

Sure, you could try your hand at what your local drug store has to offer regarding hair loss treatment options, but unless you are picking up Rogaine, or a multivitamin, all the gimmicky hair loss over the counter treatments simply aren’t validated. Minoxidil (Rogaine) is one of the only two medications FDA approved for male pattern hair loss, so if you insist on starting your hair loss journey with over the counter products, this is your best bet. Minoxidil works by helping your hair to grow, and may regrow some lost hairs, but does not have a focus on preventing the additional loss of hairs that you currently have. Multivitamins may be a good start for over the counter options as well, but only in those who have lost hair due to a deficiency of some sort. Often, correcting the deficiency can help aid hair loss recovery. However, if you are all good in the vitamins and minerals department, this may not do you much good. Anything else that you find lurking around your local drug store’s hair loss aisle, take with a grain of salt, as essential oils, hair growth shampoos, and the like really don’t have a lot of evidence to back them up.

Telemedicine For Online Hair Loss Prescriptions 

Most Telemedicine services that you find for men’s hair loss have a focus on Finasteride, and for good reason. Finasteride is one of the only 2 FDA approved medications for male pattern hair loss (next to Minoxidil), and it helps block the conversion of testosterone to DHT in your body. DHT is the arch-enemy of hair, since, when it shows up in the scalp, it shrinks the hair follicles, leading to them producing shorter and finer hairs, and eventually no hairs at all. Finasteride blocks DHT to reduce additional losses of hair, and maybe some regrowth. Basically, Finasteride is the prescription gold standard for male pattern hair loss, and you can find it online with a quick (and usually free) consultation with a real doctor.

Finasteride Tablets 

Finasteride is manufactured in tablets, and the strength to use for hair loss is 5mgs daily. This is also the active ingredient inside of the brand medication Propecia, but for cost savings and the exact same functionality, the generic version is much easier on your wallet and just as nice to your hair. Since Finasteride blocks DHT, when you take it as a tablet, the ingredient goes throughout the entire body. Your body produces DHT in the genital region as well, and there it can help with normal sexual function. For this reason, some men experience sexual side effects when taking Finasteride tablets which go systematically throughout the whole body. These side effects are relatively rare, but if they are of concern to you, you can find a Telemedicine platform which compounds Finasteride into a gel that you apply to the scalp locally to reduce or eliminate these risks.

Finasteride Topical Gel 

Finasteride topical gel is just that, the active ingredient Finasteride made into a gel which you apply to your scalp once daily at night time, and leave on overnight. Finasteride gel has the benefits of blocking DHT in the scalp, but since it is applied only to the scalp, this application helps reduce unwanted sexual side effects of Finasteride going throughout the whole body. Finasteride topical gel can be found through certain men’s hair loss telemedicine platforms that work with compounds, like Strut Health.  

Why Telemedicine Hair Loss Consults Are Awesome 

Telemedicine is relatively new, but the benefits to the patient are staggering. Telemedicine allows people to get the care they want in the comfort of their own homes, in minutes, while reducing the potential awkwardness of an in-person conversation about sensitive topics. Much of the time, the consult itself is free of charge and the patient is only asked to pay for any prescriptions that the doctor recommends for treatment of the problem. As a bonus, these prescriptions are often shipped to your front door in a quick, safe, and discreet manner.

Conclusion  

Hair loss treatment shouldn’t be avoided or pushed under the rug, as those struggling hair follicles do much better when they get treatment as soon as hair changes are noticed. Starting with over the counter options like Minoxidil is an okay starting point, but spending lots of time and money on drug store options likely will not get you very far. Look into telemedicine platforms that specialise in hair loss treatments to get the validated treatments you deserve. Finasteride is the most common prescription you will find for male pattern hair loss, and it has the studies to back up its effectiveness for retaining your current hair. You will find Finasteride in tablet form, as well as Finasteride in topical gel form if you want to help avoid potential sexual side effects. Telemedicine consults for hair loss can help you get prescription hair loss treatment quickly, easily, and without those awkward in-person conversations.

We discuss Over The Counter Hair Loss Options such as Telemedicine, Finasteride Tablets, and Topical Gel in this guide to Men’s Prescription Hair Loss Help From Home.