ScalpMED Review: & How Hims Compares

You don’t need to visit a dermatologist in person or find time for a doctor’s appointment to start treating hair loss. Dermatologists often have long wait times, and if you’re experiencing hair loss, it’s a good idea to take action as soon as possible.

Whether you’re considering a prescription treatment and want input from a healthcare provider or prefer an over-the-counter solution, doing your research is the first step. If you’re looking for ScalpMED reviews or comparing different hair loss treatments, you’re in the right place.

In this guide, we’ll break down ScalpMED vs. Hims — helping you understand their differences so you can choose the best option for your needs, whether you're dealing with male pattern baldness, thinning hair, or just exploring your options.

ScalpMED does not offer prescription products, so there’s no way to get a prescription for a hair loss treatment through their platform. Instead, you’ll navigate to the website and pick out whichever products you’d like to buy (just like any other online retail experience).

With Hims, you will begin by filling out a quick intake form. You’ll answer questions about your hair loss, including if you’ve used hair loss medication before, family (hair) history, and your goals. These questions help our Hims-affiliated providers understand your hair loss needs and goals.

This form will be reviewed by a board-certified healthcare professional who can then recommend the product that’s best for you (which could be a prescription, like finasteride, but also may be something over-the-counter, like topical minoxidil)

Hims meets the requirements for telehealth visits in all 50 states, plus Washington D.C., which, depending on where you live, may be an asynchronous visit, a video, or a phone call. Asynchronous care means patients and providers communicate at different times rather than in real-time. So, for example, you’d submit your intake form and photos of your hair, and a provider would review them and respond later with treatment plans or follow-up recommendations.

With Hims, it’s possible to get access to a prescription regardless of where in America you live.

Nope, Hims and ScalpMED offer different products, with one exception — both brands offer topical minoxidil (an FDA-approved hair loss treatment) as part of their lines, though even these products are not identical.

ScalpMED is best known for its patented hair regrowth system for men. Here’s how it works: the system includes four separate bottles (and a free gift). You’ll mix together the bottles labeled one and two in the largest bottle.

Their system uses patented ingredients: Nutrisol®-RM and Vitadil®-5A. Unless you have used these products before, you most likely haven’t heard these specific names before because they are unique to the brand. 

Vitadil contains 5% minoxidil. It also includes alcohol, propylene glycol, and purified water.

Nutrisol is marketed as a carrier solution that helps keep hair follicles open longer. It contains several ingredients, including biotin and retinol. Some research suggests that minoxidil paired with retinol increases hair growth more than minoxidil alone. The hair regrowth system also comes with a free gift, either supplements or shampoo.

We offer minoxidil in both a foam and a solution (you can learn more about the differences in our guide to minoxidil foam vs liquid). These are both offered at 5% strength, the same as ScalpMED. However, Hims minoxidil foam does not contain propylene glycol —  some research suggests this ingredient may cause the irritation some people experience when using minoxidil. ScalpMED does not have a minoxidil product that’s free of propylene glycol.

In addition to the hair regrowth system, ScalpMED offers the following products for men.

Grow My Hair Supplement: A plant-based (herbal) supplement containing PhytoComplex^™ , a proprietary blend of ingredients including biotin and saw palmetto. Because it is proprietary, it is difficult to know exactly what’s in it and how much — the ingredient label seems to only be available by looking at the product itself (or a photograph).

Thicken My Hair Shampoo: A shampoo containing “ Phyto-Pūr^®” which is a nutrient blend, though the exact ingredients aren’t listed on the brand’s website.

Repair My Hair Conditioner: A daily thickening conditioner that complements the shampoo.

Detox My Scalp: A “follicle detoxifier” scalp treatment that claims to remove “years of buildup and [keep] your follicles clear.”

Cortex Enlarger Thickening Spray: A spray made with vitamin B5 and panthenol that temporarily thickens hair.

When you go to the ScalpMED website, you will see an “Rx” heading at the top. When you click it, you’re brought to another website, RemiRx, which sells REMiRx^® Patented Rx Hair Regrowth, which contains minoxidil, retinoic acid, and minoxidil. It is not clear how this brand integrates with ScalpMED.

We offer access to the following hair care products for men.

• Oral finasteride* (the active ingredient in Propecia®)

• Topical minoxidil solution (the active ingredient in Rogaine®)  — we offer both a minoxidil foam and a minoxidil solution  

• 4-in-1 hair regrowth spray* (combining finasteride, minoxidil, biotin, and ketoconazole)

• Oral minoxidil* blends minoxidil with other ingredients to support hair health, including biotin, vitamin B5, vitamin B6, and vitamin C. It’s a chewable. 

• Finasteride + Minoxidil + Supplement Blend Chewable* — same as above, but also include finasteride

• Volumizing shampoo and conditioner 

• A non-prescription hair growth kit 

• Biotin gummies

• Dandruff detox shampoo (containing pyrithione zinc)

• Thickening shampoo (made with saw palmetto)

• Sex Rx and Hair Health* (a combination of tadalafil, finasteride, and minoxidil)

*indicates a prescription product

ScalpMED hair products are generally more expensive than Hims.

A two-month supply of their hair regrowth system (the minoxidil product) costs $114.95. Our minoxidil solution retails for $15 per month, and our minoxidil foam is $20 per month. A month’s supply of their hair growth supplement is $39.95, whereas a month’s supply of our biotin gummies (which also contain folic acid and vitamins B12, B6, and D) costs $16 for a thirty-day supply.

Hims Hair prescription product prices range from $22 to $59/month.

ScalpMED offers Essentials Kits, which contains shampoo, conditioner, and styling spray ($59.95). The shampoo and conditioner can also be bought together, which saves 5% compared to buying separately. ScalpMED offers the option to purchase products in a  two, four, or six-month supply, and you will save money off the monthly price depending on how much you buy at once. 

Hims offers several bundle options:

• Hims Hair Power Pack: Includes both Rx and OTC products, including finasteride pills, minoxidil drops, biotin gummies, and thickening shampoo.

• Hims Non-Prescription Hair Loss Bundle: An over-the-counter with topical minoxidil, thickening shampoo, and biotin gummies.

• Hims Hair Loss Duo: This duo pairs finasteride pills with a minoxidil solution.

Our prescription products ship for free, and our over-the-counter products ship for a flat rate of $5.

ScalpMED purchases over $50 ship free. Purchases under $50 incur a $3.95 shipping fee.

Hims ships to all 50 states (including the District of Columbia). It is not easy to find out where ScalpMED ships, and repeated attempts to contact customer service went unanswered.

ScalpMED has a live support bot which says it responds within a few minutes, though it did not respond to our question. There is no email address or phone number listed, however, there is a form where you can send a question to customer service.

We offer customers the option to call, email, or message support via the Hims app, which is highly recommended for users). You can expect a response in 24 hours or less.

Hims also offers unlimited messaging with a healthcare provider as part of every subscription via our messaging platform. ScalpMED does not have providers on staff..

ScalpMED offers a hair regrowth system for women. It’s nearly identical to the system for men but instead of 5% minoxidil, the products are 2% minoxidil (this is a standard dosage for women, though the FDA has approved 5% minoxidil for female pattern hair loss).

Our partner brand, Hers, caters to women’s health, including hair care. In addition to Hers, we offer weight management, mental wellness, sexual health, and skincare products for men.

• Hims provides access to both prescription and over-the-counter hair loss treatments, including finasteride and custom blends. ScalpMED only offers non-prescription products, though they are proprietary, so you cannot find them elsewhere.

• ScalpMED is slightly more expensive than Hims. ScalpMED features a multi-step system with proprietary ingredients, but it’s pricier than Hims (and you have to mix it yourself).. A two-month supply costs $114.95, while Hims’ minoxidil starts at $15/month.

• Hims ships to all 50 states and offers multiple ways to contact support, including unlimited messaging with healthcare providers. ScalpMED’s shipping policies and exact ingredients are not easily accessible via their website.

To learn more about how Hims compares to other hair regrowth reatment brands, check out our guides to Hims vs Keeps, Hims. And if you’re ready to get started, connect with a healthcare professional through our online consultation.