A 2023 Review of Hims for ED Treatment
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Hims provides both generic and brand-name ED medications, along with access to licensed physicians for diagnosis and guidance. We evaluated Hims by examining their services, prices, and customer reviews.
The ways in which healthcare is delivered have certainly changed in recent years. That includes the ways people can seek help for sexual dysfunction, get treatments, and buy medications for their conditions.
Major health insurance companies have faced legal trouble over their claim denial practices. In February 2018, the insurance commissioner of California announced plans to investigate Aetna’s coverage denial practices after a former medical director of the insurance company admitted that he never once looked at a patient’s medical records when deciding whether to deny claims over the three years he worked in the position, according to CNN.
The online company Hims and Hers Health, Inc. is an established provider of products and services for sexual health, hair, skin, nutrition, and other aspects of wellness.
Their products marketed for men are sold on Hims, while products marketed for women appear on Hers. Both offer forms of birth control, as well as medications and treatments for a range of conditions.
If you’re seeking treatment for erectile dysfunction (ED), Hims provides both generic and brand-name medications, as well as licensed physicians to give a diagnosis and guidance. The company provides similar medical advice and products for premature ejaculation (PE).
We evaluated Hims by examining their ED services, looked closely at what Hims offers their users, compared their prices, and read through customer reviews.
Here’s what we found.
Hims Inc. was launched in 2017. Hims was joined by their sister company, Hers, a year later to become Hims and Hers Health, Inc.
Hims is a telemedicine company focused on personal wellness and removing the stigmas from seeking care for sexual health issues. They allow users to provide personal health information to be reviewed by a staff of doctors.
These doctors can, if appropriate, prescribe ED medications. A Hims user can then buy these medications on the Hims website.
Prescription drugs must be purchased with a Hims subscription that delivers a month’s worth of medications 12 times a year. You can purchase nonprescription products without a subscription.
If you’re seeking prescription medications through Hims, you’ll first sign up for an account. You can access Hims through your computer, tablet, or mobile app, a service the company launched in November 2021. You’ll go through a series of automated questions such as, “How often do you have trouble getting or keeping an erection during sex?” and, “What results are you looking for?” Once you answer these questions, you’ll be directed to an online consultation.
During the consultation, the provider assigned to you will review your goals and medical history. The doctor will then respond with treatment options via a consultation. The consultation may be via video chat, online chat, or even speaking on the phone, depending upon individual state regulations.
If your assigned doctor feels like you can receive treatment through the Hims platform, they will prescribe medications. Prescription medications are delivered via a subscription. They’re usually filled monthly but may have other available durations. Hims says they have more than 550,000 subscribers.
These medications can be delivered via mail, or the prescription can be sent to your local pharmacy. If you have follow-up questions, you can ask the pharmacy or the doctor who prescribed the medication for you.
Though many medications and supplements on the market promise to treat ED, Hims focuses on five medications approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). They’re a mix of generic and brand-name products.
Generic versions of well-known medications such as Viagra and Cialis are available at a much lower cost than their brand-name counterparts. Although cheaper, they’ve still gone through a rigorous regulatory approval process to verify their safety and effectiveness.
The following ED treatments are available in pill form. Doses are measured in milligrams:
Brand-name Viagra
- Primary ingredient: sildenafil
- Dosage: available in 25 mg, 50 mg, or 100 mg
- Usage: take as needed
- Price*: starting at $139 per dose
- Effectiveness:lasts 2 to 5 hours
Generic Viagra
- Primary ingredient: sildenafil
- Dosage: available in 25 mg, 50 mg, or 100 mg
- Usage: take as needed
- Price*: $3–$10 per dose
- Effectiveness:lasts 2 to 5 hours
Brand-name Cialis
- Primary ingredient: tadalafil
- Dosage: available in 2.5 mg, 5 mg, 10 mg, or 20 mg
- Usage: take daily regardless of sexual activity
- Price*: $958 for a monthly supply
- Effectiveness:lasts up to 36 hours
Generic Cialis
- Primary ingredient: tadalafil
- Dosage: available in 2.5 mg, 5 mg, 10 mg, or 20 mg
- Usage: take daily regardless of sexual activity
- Price*: $82 for a monthly supply
- Effectiveness:lasts up to 36 hours
Brand-name Stendra
- Primary ingredient: avanafil
- Dosage: available in 50 mg, 100 mg, or 200 mg
- Usage: take as needed
- Price*: Staring at $53 per dose
- Effectiveness: lasts up to 6 hours
*Prices as of March 2023
Treatments for premature ejaculation
For some, the combination of premature ejaculation treatments and ED medications can help improve sexual performance.
For premature ejaculation, Hims sells:
- Sertraline: The active ingredient in the antidepressant Zoloft, available in pills of 25 mg, 50 mg, or 100 mg.
- Clockstopper Climax Delay Wipes: These wipes contain benzocaine, which decreases sensitivity of the penis.
Sertraline is FDA approved to treat depression and requires a prescription to use. It is worth noting that sertraline is not FDA approved to treat premature ejaculation; however, it has been prescribed off-label to treat PE.
While some studies, including one as recently as 2021 , have proven the success of sertraline to treat PE, some side effects may occur from using antidepressants and should be considered before starting use.
Through Hims, a licensed physician can assess your medical history and symptoms and then write appropriate prescriptions for you online.
Using Hims for ED assessment and treatment could be the right choice for you.
For people with a complex medical history, Hims may not be appropriate. Here are the pros and cons of Hims for ED.
Pros
- Convenience: The Hims website takes users on a step-by-step process involving an explanation of symptoms, an evaluation by a physician, a prescription and plan for ED medication, and a place to purchase the medication. Depending on your circumstances, this may be a cost-effective option for you.
- Timeliness: You can usually get a response and prescription within 24 hours of entering your information. Delivery usually occurs within a week of placing your order.
- Privacy: Hims interactions can be done in the privacy of your home.
- Flexibility: Hims is another way to access care with the most common ED medications.
Cons
- Online-only care: Interacting with an online physician is convenient, but it can lack the comprehensive approach that includes in-person appointments with a urologist or other physician.
- Cursory doctor interactions: A quick online medical evaluation may miss certain health concerns. These concerns could indicate potential risks associated with ED medications.
- Less long-term clinician support: Having an ongoing relationship with your doctor means that changes in your health and underlying conditions that cause ED, such as diabetes, are more likely to be evaluated and treated. If you’re interested in building a relationship with a doctor for long-term and comprehensive care, Hims is probably not the right option for you.
- Online info and payments: Hims pledges to maintain their customers’ privacy, but be aware that Hims requires you to provide personal information. This includes your name, address, birthday, a scanned photo ID, and details of your medical history and symptoms.
- Cost: Depending on your insurance plan, you can end up spending more money through a service like Hims.
