Hair Loss
VevaMD treats pattern hair loss online, for men and for women. You answer a short private intake, and a US-licensed physician decides whether a prescription fits you: finasteride (the generic of Propecia®) for men and for women after menopause, low-dose oral minoxidil for men and women, a compounded prescription scalp spray, or spironolactone for women. If prescribed, it ships to your door. A prescription is not guaranteed.
The four areas the intake asks about. Pick the one closest to yours.
As low as $46/mo, billed $549 yearly · Free online assessment · Physician-reviewed · A prescription is not guaranteed
Care is provided by Beluga Health, P.A., a physician group licensed in all 50 states and DC.
Male pattern hair loss usually starts with a hairline that moves back into an "M" shape, thinning at the crown, or both. It is common: it affects an estimated 50 million men in the United States.[1]
What a physician may prescribe
Safety first
In women, hair usually thins across the top of the head and the part widens, while the front hairline mostly stays. It rarely leads to full baldness.[1][4]
What a physician may prescribe
Safety first
Your physician decides what, if anything, is appropriate: one medicine or a combination. This table states no dose.
| Option | For | What it is | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| FinasterideOral tablet, 1 mg | Men, and women after menopause | A daily pill that lowers DHT, the hormone that shrinks hair follicles in pattern hair loss. The generic of Propecia®, FDA-approved for men; physicians may prescribe it off-label to women after menopause. Never in pregnancy or breastfeeding. | FDA-approved for hair loss |
| Oral minoxidil (low dose)Oral tablet | Men and women | A blood pressure tablet that physicians prescribe at low doses for hair loss. FDA-approved as a generic for high blood pressure; its use for hair loss is off-label. | FDA-approved generic, off-label for hair loss |
| Prescription scalp sprayTopical spray, compounded | Men and women | A spray mixed by a licensed pharmacy that combines minoxidil with finasteride, tretinoin or other ingredients. Formulas for women who could become pregnant leave finasteride out. | Compounded, not FDA-approved |
| SpironolactoneOral tablet | Women | A tablet that blocks androgen effects. FDA-approved as a generic for blood pressure and fluid problems; its use for female pattern hair loss is off-label. Never in pregnancy. | FDA-approved generic, off-label for hair loss |
| DutasterideOral or topical | Men, and women after menopause | A medicine that lowers DHT, like finasteride. Not FDA-approved for hair loss; physicians may prescribe it off-label for men and for women after menopause. Never in pregnancy or breastfeeding. | Not FDA-approved for hair loss |
Off-label means a physician prescribes an FDA-approved medicine for a use the FDA has not approved it for. Compounded medications are prepared by state-licensed pharmacies for individual patients. They are not FDA-approved and have not been reviewed by FDA for safety, effectiveness or quality.
Pick your pattern and answer a private online intake about your hair loss, your health and your medicines. Women are asked about pregnancy first. No lab tests and no scalp photos.
A US-licensed physician from Beluga Health, P.A. reviews your answers and decides what, if anything, fits you. A prescription is not guaranteed.
If you are prescribed a treatment, a licensed US pharmacy prepares it and ships it to you. A follow-up visit comes once a year, every 12 months.
If the physician decides treatment isn't right for you and no prescription is written, we refund your first payment in full. Any setup fee is also refunded in full. Refund policy
Typical timelines from FDA labels, studies and dermatology guidance.
Hair grows slowly, so little changes at first. With minoxidil, some women notice more shedding for the first two to eight weeks; the American Academy of Dermatology describes this as temporary.[4]
Finasteride's FDA label says daily use for three months or more is generally needed before any benefit is seen. The American Academy of Dermatology says finasteride usually takes about 4 months to show any improvement, and the Drug Facts for topical minoxidil say some men need at least four months.[2][6][7]
The American Academy of Dermatology says minoxidil usually takes about 6 to 12 months to show its effect, and that prescription pills for women are taken for 6 to 12 months before deciding whether they work. The finasteride trials measured change at one and two years.[7][4][8]
These are typical timelines from FDA labels, studies and dermatology guidance, not a promise. Any benefit lasts only while you keep using the medicine: stopping finasteride reverses its effect within 12 months.[2]
In the trials behind finasteride’s FDA approval, 1,553 men aged 18 to 41 with mild to moderate thinning at the crown took finasteride or a placebo. At 12 months, further hair loss was seen in 14% of the finasteride group and 58% of the placebo group. A photo panel rated hair as increased in 48% versus 7% at 12 months, and 66% versus 7% at two years.[2][8]
Source checked October 23, 2026.
In the first year of those trials, a sexual side effect (lower sex drive, erection problems or an ejaculation disorder) was reported by 3.8% of men on finasteride and 2.1% on placebo. After approval, reports came in of sexual problems that continued after stopping, and of depression and suicidal thoughts.[2]
Source checked October 23, 2026.
A multicenter study looked back at 1,404 people (943 women and 461 men) taking low-dose oral minoxidil for hair loss. The most common side effect was unwanted hair growth on the face or body (15.1%). Lightheadedness (1.7%), fluid retention (1.3%) and a fast heartbeat (0.9%) were less common, 1.7% stopped because of side effects, and no life-threatening effects were seen. The study had no comparison group.[9]
Source checked October 23, 2026.
In a randomized, double-blind trial of 90 men, a daily minoxidil tablet was compared with 5% minoxidil solution on the scalp for 24 weeks. The tablet was not shown to be better overall; photo ratings favored it at the crown but not at the front.[10]
Source checked October 23, 2026.
In an open study of 80 women with female pattern hair loss treated with spironolactone or cyproterone acetate, another anti-androgen, 44% had some regrowth, 44% stayed the same and 12% kept losing hair. There was no placebo group, and the two medicines were reported together.[11]
Source checked October 23, 2026.
In April 2025 the FDA reported 32 adverse event reports from 2019 to 2024 with compounded topical finasteride, including erectile dysfunction, decreased libido, anxiety, depression and suicidal ideation. Most said the effects continued after stopping. The FDA notes there is no FDA-approved topical finasteride, and warns of accidental exposure to others, especially women.[12]
Source checked October 23, 2026.
These are facts about specific medicines in the people those studies enrolled. They are not a promise about your hair, and naming a medicine here is not an offer of it. Your physician decides whether any of them is right for you.
Get medical care right away for chest pain, shortness of breath, fainting, or sudden swelling of your face, hands or feet. Report a side effect to FDA MedWatch.
VevaMD's column is the program as it runs today.
| Feature | VevaMD | Ro | Keeps | Happy Head | Strut | Nurx |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Finasteride pill | Yes, for men and for women after menopause | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Not stated on their page |
| Oral minoxidil | Yes, off-label, for men and women | Yes, off-label | Yes (listed on their site) | Yes | Yes, off-label | Yes |
| Compounded scalp product | Yes; compounded, not FDA-approved | Yes; says compounded, not FDA-approved | Yes; its 4-in-1 says compounded, not FDA-approved | Yes; says compounded, FDA status not stated | Yes; says compounded, not FDA-approved | Yes, minoxidil-based; says not FDA-approved |
| Treats women | Yes | Yes | Men only, per their FAQ | Yes | Yes | Yes (women only) |
| Spironolactone for women | Yes, oral, off-label | Not stated on their page | Not stated on their page | Yes, oral or topical | Topical, inside a compounded formula | Yes, oral |
| Who prescribes, in their words | A US-licensed physician (Beluga Health, P.A.) | A US-licensed healthcare provider | A licensed medical provider | A board-certified dermatologist licensed in your state | A U.S. licensed provider | A medical provider licensed in your state |
| How the visit works | Online intake, then physician review | Online visit, then secure messaging | Consultation; format not stated | Questionnaire and a virtual consultation | Short questionnaire; chat, phone or video | Questions and photos; no appointment |
| If not prescribed | First payment refunded in full | Not stated on their page | Not stated on their page | Not stated on their page | Not charged if not a candidate | Consultation fee charged to anyone who requests |
Competitor details are from each company's own public pages, checked October 23, 2026. Sources: Ro [1][2]; Keeps [1][2][3][4]; Happy Head [1][2][3][4][5]; Strut [1][2][3][4][5]; Nurx [1][2].
Care is provided by Beluga Health, P.A., a physician group licensed in all 50 states and DC.
Its US-licensed physicians review every hair loss intake and make every prescribing decision. VevaMD is a technology company and never prescribes. If a physician decides a medicine is not right for you, they will say so.
A private online intake from home. A US-licensed physician reviews it and decides what, if anything, fits you.
Start your free assessmentAs low as $46/mo, billed $549 yearly · Free online assessment · Physician-reviewed · A prescription is not guaranteed
Yes. You answer a private online intake, a US-licensed physician from Beluga Health, P.A. reviews it, and if a prescription fits you it ships to your door. A prescription is not guaranteed.
Pattern hair loss (androgenetic alopecia) runs in families and is linked to androgens such as DHT, which shrink hair follicles over time. It affects an estimated 50 million men and 30 million women in the United States.
Finasteride, an FDA-approved daily pill for male pattern hair loss (the generic of Propecia®); dutasteride, which is not FDA-approved for hair loss; low-dose oral minoxidil, used off-label; and a compounded prescription scalp spray. Your physician decides which, if any, fits you.
Low-dose oral minoxidil (off-label), spironolactone (off-label, never in pregnancy) and a compounded scalp spray made without finasteride. After menopause, a physician may also prescribe finasteride or dutasteride off-label. Women are asked about pregnancy first, so we never suggest something unsafe.
Yes, for men. Finasteride 1 mg (Propecia® and its generics) is FDA-approved to treat male pattern hair loss in men. It is not FDA-approved for women; a physician may prescribe it off-label to a woman after menopause.
No. Minoxidil tablets are FDA-approved for severe high blood pressure, and the label says using them to grow hair is not an approved use. Physicians prescribe low doses for hair loss off-label, which is legal and common, after checking your heart and blood pressure history.
It is a compounded spray: a licensed pharmacy combines minoxidil with finasteride, tretinoin or other ingredients. Formulas for women who could become pregnant leave finasteride out. Compounded medicines are not FDA-approved, and in 2025 the FDA warned about side effects reported with compounded topical finasteride.
Only after menopause. Finasteride is FDA-approved for men, not women, but a physician may prescribe it off-label to a woman after menopause. It is never for anyone who is pregnant, breastfeeding or could become pregnant, and women who are or may become pregnant should not even handle crushed or broken tablets, because it can harm a male baby's development. Other women's options here are oral minoxidil, spironolactone and a finasteride-free spray.
No. No lab tests are required. The intake asks no scalp photos. A follow-up visit once a year, every 12 months.
Usually months. Finasteride's label says three months or more of daily use before any benefit, and the American Academy of Dermatology says minoxidil usually takes about 6 to 12 months. Outcomes differ from person to person, and nothing regrows hair for everyone.
The benefit fades. Stopping finasteride reverses its effect within 12 months, and the American Academy of Dermatology says that if you stop minoxidil, you lose its benefits.
In a small share of men. In the first year of its trials, sexual side effects were reported by 3.8% of men on finasteride and 2.1% on placebo. Reports after approval include sexual problems that continued after stopping. Your physician goes over this with you.
Care is provided by Beluga Health, P.A., a physician group licensed in all 50 states and DC. Its US-licensed physicians review every intake and make every prescribing decision. VevaMD is a technology company and never prescribes.
Yes. Hair loss care is for men and for women. Each of you completes your own private intake, and a physician reviews each one separately.
No. A physician decides what, if anything, is right for you. If the physician decides treatment isn't right for you and no prescription is written, we refund your first payment in full. Any setup fee is also refunded in full.
As low as $46/mo, billed $549 yearly, for the 12-month plan of the format you choose. A 3-month plan and a monthly plan cost more per month. The yearly plan renews automatically until you cancel, and you get a reminder before it renews. You see the full price before you pay.
Last updated 2026-10-24. Content standards
Care is provided by Beluga Health, P.A., a physician group licensed in all 50 states and DC. Clinical care is provided by board-certified, US-licensed physicians. VevaMD Inc is a technology and marketing storefront only — not a medical provider or a pharmacy. Prescriptions are only issued if a licensed physician determines treatment is appropriate. Compounded medications are prepared by state-licensed pharmacies for individual patients. They are not FDA-approved and have not been reviewed by FDA for safety, effectiveness or quality. This page is general information, not medical advice, and does not replace a visit with your own physician. Brand names are trademarks of their owners; VevaMD is not affiliated with them. Outcomes differ from person to person.