Presented by Hims
Even though a substantially large amount of men suffer from personal wellness issues like erectile dysfunction, only one in ten feel comfortable enough to bring those issues up with their doctors. When the doctors are the ones with the solutions to their problems, you have to ask yourself: why is it so hard for men to talk about their sexual health?
A large part of this problem has to do with our society’s slowly changing outlook on male stereotypes. In our society (and in many other societies), men are made out to be impenetrable beings with little to no emotion whose main purposes are to provide and protect. So when a man suffers from any type of internalized anxiety central to their masculinity that can be seen as a weakness, they are immediately more reluctant to seek out help or advice. In fact, nearly half of men (47%) feel they are unable to confide in friends about their problems.
Between this stereotype and the lack of an outlet for expression, men are in need of help. That’s where our HIMS review comes into the picture.
What is Hims?
Hims is your new “one-stop-shop” for classy, affordable, and preventative self-care built by men, for men. Remember those creepy, over-sexualized ads for erectile dysfunction that always used to run during the Super Bowl? Well, HIMS has replaced them with advertising featuring house plants (both wilted and erect).
HIMS was founded on the belief that while men should look and feel their best at all times, they should also be able to access the products, professionals, and prescriptions they need without feeling less than. Within minutes, a certified doctor can prescribe you medication and have it shipped straight to your door in discreet packaging. There’s no appointment to make, line to stand in, or insurance to call, and you can be sure that the products offered on HIMS will be easier to access, more affordable, and FDA-approved across the board. By connecting men to a staff of credible doctors for prescriptions, the direct-to-consumer platform ensures products are available at 80% less than the current over-the-counter price.
Even though Hims has a solution for everything from hair loss to acne (the latter being its main area of success), what we’re going to focus on in this review is its erectile dysfunction products.
What is Erectile Dysfunction?
For those that don’t know, erectile dysfunction is “the inability to get and keep an erection firm enough for sex.” If you’re reading this and have had a couple of unsuccessful attempts at getting or maintaining an erection, you should know that having some trouble from time to time is absolutely normal and doesn’t signify any greater underlying problem. However, if you experience this frequently (over 20% of the time), you might be suffering from ED.
Don’t be alarmed, you’re not alone! ED is extremely common, and the risk of developing it only increases with age, in fact, 50% of men in their fifties suffer from ED, as well as 60% of men in their sixties. However, a common misconception is that ED only begins to affect men who are over the age of 40. The truth is that ED affects as much as 26% of men under the age of 40.
If you think you might be suffering from erectile dysfunction, build up the courage to speak to a healthcare professional about it and take a page out of the Hims handbook because “having a problem isn’t weird, not doing anything about it…now that’s weird.”
Benefits of Hims
Convenient to use
In the age of technology, what could be more fitting than browsing for medication online? Not only is your entire doctor’s visit condensed into a 20 question survey, but you also have the power to view all the medications that are available to you and make a suggestion as to which you would prefer. At the end of the day, the doctor knows best, but it’s nice to feel like you have a choice when it comes to what you’ll be putting in your body.
No waiting
Possibly one of the best features of the HIMS model is skipping the line entirely. We all live busy and sometimes stressful lives. Taking a visit to the doctors just to pick up a prescription so your player can show up to the game really won’t be missed.
Low cost
For some, the ability to purchase generic pills for lower cost will be the best feature of the site, however, for those that prefer the brand name pill, you’ll be pleased to know that Hims has dropped those prices significantly as well. For a monthly prescription of ten Viagra pills, you’re still looking at a savings of around $200.
Privacy
You shouldn’t feel ashamed when you pick up your prescription from the local pharmacy, and with Hims, you never will. Free shipping and discreet packaging can ensure your peace of mind, and the promise of keeping your personal medical data encrypted and never shared leaves you with a company you can trust.
Cost of Hims
While all this talk of a guaranteed erection sounds nice, what is it going to cost you to have one? Hims offers both of the major ED brands Viagra and Cialis, as well as their generic counterparts Sildenafil and Tadalafil. Stendra, another ED medication, is also available but is less popular as its generic alternative has yet to be released. Because of this, Stendra is the least flexible cost option on the site.
The costs for these three are vastly different; however, you must keep in mind that while they are all offered on a per month basis, the side effects, length of duration, and dosage all vary. Before settling on a specific pill, we recommend speaking to your online health professional to find out which is right for you.
Viagra – $139/dose+ a one-time $5 medical fee (Dosage and number of pills dependant on consultation)
Sildenafil – Starting at $4/dose + a one-time $5 medical fee (Dosage and number of pills dependant on consultation)
Cialis – $958/month + a one-time $5 medical fee (Dosage and number of pills dependant on consultation)
Tadalafil – $82/month + a one-time $5 medical fee (dosage and number of pills dependant on consultation)
Stendra – $53/dose + a one-time $5 medical fee (dosage and number of pills dependant on consultation)
What can Hims do better?
Increase the visibility of fine print
On the Hims website, there is a plethora of information ready and available to anyone who’s looking. However, much of this information is pretty integral to picking out the right medication, so if you’re not taking the time to read, you’re missing out on some key factors. Some medical professionals are wary of the potential liabilities that telemedicine brings, expressing their concern about serving consumers directly, however, if Hims were to highlight the need to read the fine print before purchasing, much of the risk could be averted.
Improve doctor/patient communications
After reading some of the reviews under the ED products, a slightly common thread of complaints surfaced about the doctor/patient communication. One user said “Online doctors need to check pass scripts before writing new scripts. Hard to talk to online doctors. They should check the last script that was prescribed.” Another said, “I feel that the dosage prescribed is too low. The Dr. I spoke with was unwilling to try an increased dose to see if a better result could be achieved.” While the overall consensus from the reviews seemed to be a positive feeling and interaction with the product, having just one unpleasant experience with a doctor can sour the experience forever.
Sticking to a timeline
I don’t believe this is a problem that Hims is at fault for, but another review mentioned this, and I thought it was worth discussing. One user mentioned a “loss of spontaneity” due to the time it takes for the pill to be active in your system. Because Cialis or Tadalafil is the only two prescriptions that offer daily doses, when taking any of the others it’s important to remember that the pills take about 30 minutes to activate in your system. In other words, if you feel things getting hot and heavy and want the results right away, you’ll have to wait a little while.
All in all, I think Hims is a revolutionary platform providing men with the tools they need to improve their quality of life. HIMS provides a great service and delivers on pricing, timeliness, and certifications, leaving very little room for confusion or error. If you’re struggling with ED or any other personal wellness issue that you feel too ashamed to openly speak about, I really recommend taking a couple of minutes and browsing the site. Who knows––you might change your life.
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