Best Online Hair Growth Treatment (2025)

Hair regrowth treatments have come a long way. While finasteride and topical minoxidil remain the foundation, oral minoxidil has emerged as the real game-changer — especially for the 30-40% of men who don't respond to topical treatment.

Below we compare providers, break down the oral vs topical minoxidil debate with actual clinical data, and help you understand what results to expect.

Provider Comparison

Provider	Starting Price	Treatments	Oral Min?	Combos?	Action
H Hims Editor's Choice	$16/mo Finasteride only	Finasteride, Minoxidil (oral & topical), Biotin gummies, custom combos	Yes	Yes	Get Started
K Keeps Hair loss specialist	$10/mo Generic finasteride	Finasteride, Minoxidil (topical), Ketoconazole shampoo	Limited	Yes	Get Started
Ro Ro (Roman) Full telehealth platform	$17/mo Finasteride	Finasteride, Minoxidil (oral & topical), Dutasteride	Yes	Yes	Get Started
HH Happy Head Custom formulas	$79/mo Custom topical	Custom compounded topicals (Fin + Min + more), Oral options	Yes	Yes	Get Started

* Prices as of December 2025. Oral minoxidil is prescribed off-label (not FDA-approved for hair loss). We may earn commissions from affiliate links.

Why Oral Minoxidil Is a Game-Changer

The biggest development in hair loss treatment since finasteride.

The Problem with Topical

Topical minoxidil fails for 30-40% of men. Why? It's a pro-drug that requires conversion by scalp enzymes (sulfotransferase) to become active. Many men simply don't have enough of this enzyme in their scalp.

No matter how religiously you apply it, if your scalp can't activate it, you'll see zero results. This is the "enzymatic bottleneck."

The Oral Solution

Oral minoxidil bypasses this completely. When you swallow it, your liver activates the drug (the liver has abundant sulfotransferase). The active form then travels via bloodstream to your follicles.

Result: It works regardless of your scalp enzyme status. Even "non-responders" to topical often see dramatic results with oral.

Clinical Data: Oral vs Topical

24%

Greater vertex (crown) improvement vs topical

27.1%

Increase in terminal hair density (thick hairs)

78%

Patient retention rate (vs ~50% for topical)

Sources: Penha et al. 2024 meta-analysis; Ramos et al. systematic review

Dosing (Men)

• Starting: 1.25mg or 2.5mg daily
• Standard: 2.5mg daily
• Maximum: 5mg daily (higher side effects)

Timeline

• Week 4-8: "Dread shed" (temporary, good sign)
• Month 3-6: Visible improvement begins
• Month 12+: Full results

Real Talk: The Body Hair Side Effect

Let's address the elephant in the room. Oral minoxidil causes hypertrichosis (increased body hair) in 15-93% of users depending on dose. Arms, chest, back, even ears.

Here's the thing: it's actually a sign the drug is working. If you're growing body hair, you're a responder. Only 0.5% of patients discontinue because of this.

Silver Lining for Some

There's a whole community of men who use oral minoxidil specifically for beard growth. If you've always wanted a fuller beard, this might be a welcome bonus. The same mechanism that regrows scalp hair works on facial follicles too.

Hair Growth Treatments Explained

Fin

Finasteride

Generic Propecia

Blocks DHT production (the hormone that miniaturizes follicles). Protects existing hair while allowing regrowth.

Dose: 1mg daily
Results: Maintains and regrows hair in 90%+ of men
Side effects: Sexual (2-4%), reversible
Cost: $10-20/month

Top

Minoxidil (Topical)

Rogaine / Generic

Stimulates growth and extends growth phase. The "gas" that promotes regrowth.

Dose: 5% solution, twice daily
Results: Regrowth in 60-70% of responders
Side effects: Scalp irritation (6%+)
Cost: $15-30/month

Recommended

Oral

Minoxidil (Oral)

Low-dose, off-label

Same drug, systemic delivery. Works even if topical failed. Once-daily convenience.

Dose: 2.5-5mg daily (men)
Results: Works in topical non-responders
Side effects: Body hair (common), fluid retention (rare)
Cost: $20-35/month

2-in-1

Combination Therapy

Finasteride + Minoxidil

The gold standard. Finasteride protects your hair, minoxidil accelerates growth. Maximum results from two angles.

Options: Separate pills, or compounded chewables
Results: Best outcomes in clinical studies
Providers: Hims offers combo chewables
Cost: $30-60/month bundled

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the "dread shed" and should I be worried?

Around weeks 4-8, you may notice increased shedding. This is actually a good sign. Minoxidil forces resting follicles to shed old, weak hairs to make way for new, stronger growth. It's temporary (4-12 weeks) and means the drug is working. Don't stop treatment — push through it.

Is oral minoxidil FDA-approved for hair loss?

No. Oral minoxidil is FDA-approved only for severe hypertension (at much higher doses). For hair loss, it's prescribed "off-label" at low doses (0.25-5mg vs 10-40mg for blood pressure). This is common in medicine — about 80% of dermatologists now prescribe it for hair loss based on strong clinical evidence.

I tried topical minoxidil and it didn't work. Will oral work?

Very possibly, yes. The most common reason for topical failure is the "enzymatic bottleneck" — your scalp doesn't have enough sulfotransferase enzymes to convert the drug to its active form. Oral minoxidil bypasses this entirely by using your liver for activation. Many topical non-responders see strong results with oral.

Can I drink alcohol on oral minoxidil?

Use caution. Both oral minoxidil and alcohol are vasodilators (they widen blood vessels). Recent research suggests the combination can worsen hangover symptoms — headaches, nausea, light sensitivity. Some users skip their dose on days they plan to drink heavily.

Will I have to take this forever?

Yes, if you want to maintain results. Both finasteride and minoxidil require ongoing use. If you stop, your hair will gradually return to where it would have been without treatment (usually over 6-12 months). Think of it like going to the gym — you need to keep going to keep the gains.