By now, you’ve probably seen the Hims commercials.

Boy, they are darn exciting if you are a middle-aged man…

Hims claims that balding and erectile dysfunction are both now optional.

Sticking your hand in boiling water is optional, so I don’t do it, because I hate burning my hand.

No guy wants to be bald, or flaccid, or both. But many are.

Because, age.

The Masterful Hims Pitch

The Hims pitch sounds as glorious as it does utopian and insane. But these days, many men (and women) are asking the question, is Hims legit?

Mostly…er…Kind of?…er…it seems so? (we will clear all of this confusion, I swear)

If you tell me that erection issues and male pattern baldness are merely optional, I’m all ears. But when you suddenly begin running million dollar, primetime ad spots on CBS during the NFL, I’m fully engaged.

Fox News, CBS, and a slew of other networks are playing massive ad spots from Hims. Some ad spots focus on balding. Other ad spots focus on erectile dysfunction. All the ad spots are powerful, interesting, and cause most men to pick up their smartphone and ask if Hims is legit.

Hims – A Large-Scale Disruptor

Before we dive into the science, the myths, and the mayhem that is Hims, let’s first talk about Hims “The Disruptor.”

This will explain how Hims operates and why (or why not) Hims may be the right product for your needs.

Hims is a disruptor, make no mistake about it. Disruptors tend to recognize dilemmas and resolve them in a simple, digestible manner. The iPod disrupted Walkmans because no one wanted to carry around lumpy cassette players.

Uber was a disruptor because cabs are expensive, gross, and often a severely rude experience.

Hims is a disruptor because…

• Viagra is super expensive
• Viagra requires a prescription
• Balding is mostly considered incurable
• Balding medications require prescriptions

It doesn’t matter if you have health insurance, Viagra is darn expensive. Viagra was once a disrupter itself. When it came along in 1998, it changed the way we look at ED. A once incurable condition was suddenly easily resolved, so long as you were healthy enough to take viagra. Oh, and so long as you could afford it.

. Many people resort to cutting them in half, or even in quarters, to reduce costs.

That’s a lot of cheddar. But let’s face it, erectile dysfunction is desperate times. It can cause marriage issues and depression/anxiety.

There are a number of other ED prescription medications, but they are all similarly expensive.

Balding Medications, Better, But Still…

Doctors often recommend two balding medications for men with thinning hair.

One is Rogain, which can be purchased over the counter.

The other is Propecia, which is obtained with a prescription.

Propecia has long been a controversial medication due to a number of prolific reported side effects, including lowered sex drive and erectile dysfunction.

Balding, unlike ED, is a condition men tend to accept more readily. Risking sex drive in exchange for a few additional thin hairs isn’t often worth it for men.

Hims Is Legit, And Quite Smart

Hims is legit, so long as you accept modern science.

The products exploit the patent expirations of two major drugs.

• Sildenafil (Viagra)
• Finasteride (Propecia)

Yes, we just discussed those two original disruptors in the prior section.

To understand Hims, you have to understand U.S. patent laws in relationship with pharmaceutical companies.

Pharma Patents Are Key

Pharmaceutical companies are subject to patent laws that last 20 years. The patent law is controversial. Some believe that pharma patents last too long, others believe they aren’t long enough.

The patents are justified because a pharmaceutical company often invest billions of dollars into drug research, testing, and production. Drug companies would collapse if they spent billions on a drug, put it to market, and then had to deal with immediate competition.

So U.S. patent laws protect them for two decades.

Without patent laws, drug innovation would come to a halt.

Merck’s patent on Finasteride expired in June of 2006.

Pfizer’s patent on Sildenafil expired outside of the United States in 2012, but through litigation, expired  domestically in 2018.

The Sildenafil patent expiration was immediately the epicenter of global corporate chaos.

In 2018 alone, the , almost half of those are from companies based in India.

The new competition in the ED market has caused prices to plummet.

It’s also led to Hims becoming a dominant player in the market.

Is Hims Really “Viagra?”

Viagra is simply a brand name created by Merck for Sildenafil.

In that way, Hims ED product is the exact same as Viagra.

Viagra works. There are over two decades of research and anecdotal evidence that highly supports Sildenafil’s effectiveness in treating ED.

Sildenafil does have side effects, which means Hims has side effects, but we will get to that later.

The point in this section is to determine if Hims is a legit ED solution.

Is Hims Legit?

It is.

But it is also important to understand that unlike a lot of other ED products you see marketed online, Hims is not natural. Hims is a drug. That’s not me offering condemnation over the matter, that’s just me clarifying things. Male Extra is a natural product that supports erectile dysfunction, in case you are interested. But I’m really just clarifying here, nothing more.

Often, people will ask me “is Hims natural?”

Nope, its a drug. It works, but it is a drug. As with any drug, natural or otherwise, you should involve a medical professional before taking it.

And Hims isn’t trying to hide anything. They clearly state BUY SILDENAFIL on their website.

See for yourself.

Nice cactus, Hims marketing team.

Well played, well played…

Can Hims Cure Balding?

Much the same as Hims ED solution being the same drug that Viagra’s brand uses, Hims hair loss solution uses the same drug that Propecia uses. Hims is selling Finasteride as a solution for hair loss.

This is where things get murky.

Unlike Viagra, consumer reviews of Propecia have been a mixed bag. The New York Times salaciously claimed that President Trump was a Propecia user.

Fear not, Propecia may fail you, but it won’t turn your hair orange.

Propecia, which is really Finasteride, decreases the conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone.

That’s some big words and some heavy science I just dropped on you. Even I’m uncomfortable.

In simple terms, dihydrotestosterone is linked to balding in men. Testosterone creates dihydrotestosterone. Propecia, Hims, or whoever uses Finasteride, stops testosterone from converting to dihydrotestosterone. That’s how Hims stops the balding process. Or Propecia. You get it.

Does Hims Work? Um, Does Propecia Work?

Yes, Hims hair product works (kind of)

A 1998 two year clinical trial showed that Finasteride, the drug used by Propecia and Hims, stopped male pattern baldness in most men. That means it STOPPED balding, which is different from regrowing lost hair.

Another study showed 80% if men maintained current hair, 64% regrew lost hair. But some of that regrown hair has been reported to be very thin versions.

Hims Hair Loss Side Effects

You might…

• Lose your libido
• Lose erection firmness
• It’s been linked to breast cancer in men when taken in higher doses (one study was rather inconclusive, though)

This is where I sound the alarms…

Two things:

• Side effects are considered to be rare
• Talk to your doctor, don’t use your Google Degree to decide if you should take this drug

Most drugs, even natural supplements, have side effects. All humans are built differently. Talk to your doctor and be responsible.

How Does Hims Work

Here we are. You’ve read the information associated with Hims. You’ve talked to your doctor.

Now you want to know, how the heck does this stuff work?

Well, it all begins with a sophisticated and savvy process.

Does Hims Require a Prescription?

Yes, they do.

But here’s the sophisticated part.

The website has doctors that will give you a consultation. Hims markets a “network of doctors” to help consumers move through the process.

When you order Sildenafil, you will get a message that “your order will be processed immediately and products will be shipped after medical review.” This happens just before you put in your credit card.

Once you put in your CC info, you’ll hit the scheduling portion of the checkout experience. (some people get confused here, I explain that below)

Maybe it won’t go EXACTLY like that, but you get the idea…

Hims is simple, easy, and more convenient.

But what about cost?

I knew you’d ask…

How Much Does Hims Cost?

The million dollar question.

Well, hopefully NOT a million dollar answer…

It seems that most people claim it Hims cost $30 per month.

Who Is Behind Hims?

The Man In The High Castle?

Ok, it isn’t that dramatic.

Unlike many supplement and health companies, finding the owner of Hims is rather easy (even if you aren’t Matlock).

The Hims founder and CEO is a man named Andrew Dudum. He has a Linkedin account. So he’s gotta be legit, right?

Dudum owns one of America’s fastest growing companies. His products work and are affordable.

Hims Reviews

Some people do not appreciate their signup process, which puts you through a procedure (doctor consultation, maybe self-pictures) following the signup process.

In other words, at the point you BUY, you haven’t completed the process.

So long as you understand this, it’s not a big deal. They do disclose it, but admittedly, it could be easy to miss.

Hims is Viagra and Propecia. You can search for Viagra reviews or Propecia reviews. You can chat it up with your doctor.

Conclusion

Hims is legit. It is a Viagra and Propecia disruptor that leveraged the expiration of pharmaceutical patents to gain massive market share. It offers a number of products, however, their hair loss and erectile dysfunction products are by far their most popular.

Hims uses online doctor consultations to prescribe their products. Some people have complained that they don’t disclose the Hims process prior to payment, however, that’s not true. They do. But it could be easy to miss depending on how excited you might be to get more hair or improve your erections.

The company is relatively transparent company that spends millions advertising in spots during the NFL. The ads have created huge online buzz. Hopefully, I’ve helped to put this buzz into perspective. Hims has competitors and is likely to have many more competitors as more companies, both domestic and international, take advantage of Viagra and Propecia’s expired patents.

Check out our reviews of the top 10 Natural Male Enhancement Products.