All About Hers, The Health Company For Women
The COVID-19 pandemic boosted telehealth use to 38 times higher than before the pandemic, according to McKinsey & Company. As of 2021, 40% of people used telemedicine for their mental health needs.
Hers and its male partner Hims offer telemedicine and wellness options so that its customers can access health services from the comfort of their homes. Although it offers health and beauty supplements, Hers can get you in touch with a licensed medical provider in your state. You just create a profile and answer questions about your health history and lifestyle. You're also going to need a government-issued ID and credit card if you're interested in medical advice or prescriptions. Two female doctors serve on the Hers medical advisory board.
Although you could visit Hers about a UTI or a birth control prescription, it doesn't accept insurance (via Healthline). Because Hers can't treat all conditions, it's limited in what prescriptions you can get. Let's look a little deeper into what Hers offers as well as what customers think.
Mental health
If you're struggling with your mental health, Hers offers psychiatry and online therapy. If you're interested in psychiatry, you must subscribe to get medication after an initial free consultation. This subscription starts at $25 a month, then $85 each month after. You can also get a three-month subscription for $49 a month. If you want to cancel your subscription, you must cancel within seven days of billing. Hers offers anxiety and depression medication such as Zoloft, Wellbutrin, and Lexapro. If you suffer from bipolar depression, ADHD, or personality disorder, then Hers is not for you, according to Choosing Therapy. You also can't have a live session with a psychiatrist.
If you prefer therapy, Hers offers online therapy sessions for $99 without needing a subscription. Hers can treat anxiety and depression, sleep disorders, work burnout, and major life events. If you're looking for some free mental health advice, Hers' mental health blog offers information about topics such as breathing techniques to relieve stress, how to get started in therapy, and myths about anxiety.
Primary care and sexual health
Hers offers primary care telehealth visits for $39; but again, insurance doesn't cover the cost, although it could cover the prescriptions. Rather than wait for the prescription to come in the mail, you can pick it up at your local pharmacy. Hers can help treat colds, allergies, fungal infections, UTIs, acid reflux, stomach issues, tension headaches, and skin conditions such as rashes. If you have other conditions that aren't listed on the Hers website, you might not be able to get treatment (via Healthline).
Hers is also available for your sexual health. After a free consultation with a doctor, birth control prescriptions are shipped for free starting at $12 a month. Hers offers different birth control options to help with PMS, heavy periods, or acne. It also has estrogen-free norethindrone (Sharobel). If you have a yeast infection, you can buy Hers OTC miconazole three-day treatment for $19. Hers offers valacyclovir for cold sore and genital herpes outbreaks and an aloe vera lubricant for sexual dryness. You can also purchase condoms on Hers.
Health supplements
Hers also sells its own line of supplements to help with some health conditions. The Mind Unwind tincture for stress and anxiety goes for $25 per bottle. It has vitamin B6, 5-HTP, L-theanine, chamomile flower, ashwagandha root, Rhodiola root, and catnip leaf. A 2022 study in Human Psychopharmacology found that 100 milligrams of vitamin B6 reduced self-reported anxiety. According to WebMD, ashwagandha is often used to reduce stress. Because 5-HTP can increase serotonin, it can help with depression, according to WebMD. L-Theanine might help reduce anxiety and stress (via Healthline).
The Mood Mental Health Probiotic sells for $25 for a 30-day supply, which has vitamin D3, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, ashwagandha root, Sensoril, L-theanine, spinach leaf, and Bacillus subtilis DE111 spores (1 billion CFU). Mayo Clinic says that a B12 deficiency could be associated with depression, although this link doesn't have enough evidence. According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, more research is needed about taking probiotics to improve mental health conditions.
If your libido is weak, Hers offers Desire Libido for $25. Its ingredients are ashwagandha, L-citrulline, Ginkgo biloba leaf, and damiana leaf. According to WebMD, L-citrulline helps with blood flow and might reduce blood pressure. It has also been used as a safe alternative to Viagra in improving erectile dysfunction. Although Ginkgo biloba also improves blood flow, it was found to be ineffective in treating sexual arousal disorders in women, according to a 2008 study in the Archives of Sexual Behavior.
Hair loss and skin care products
Hers has its own line of acne, anti-aging, cleansers, moisturizers, and skin correctors for sale on its website. The anti-aging and acne products both have tretinoin and require a prescription. Therefore, Hers requires you to connect with one of its online doctors before you can order the products. The anti-aging cream starts at $29 per month, but the price isn't listed for the acne product.
Hers sells paraben-free shampoo, conditioner, hair masks, and scalp scrubs. If you're struggling with hair loss, you can take an online quiz to assess your needs. You'll be connected to a medical provider who will give you a free consultation about what product will be best for you. Hers has topical finasteride and minoxidil hair growth products by prescription that can be shipped to your door. Although minoxidil has been approved to treat male hair loss, it's still unclear if topical finasteride is as effective as oral finasteride (via Healthline). Hers also offers spironolactone to reduce premenopausal hair loss. Spironolactone isn't effective for male hair loss, but it might prevent hair loss in women, according to Healthline.
Reviews about Hers
Hims & Hers, Inc. has been in business for nine years and has been accredited by the Better Business Bureau since 2018. It has an A+ rating. Hims & Hers has closed 132 complaints in the past three years. The 76 customers who reviewed the business gave it 1 out of 5 stars. Most of the complaints concern the difficulties in canceling subscriptions and problems with customer service. The top review on the Better Business Bureau page lauded the customer service and gave it 5 stars. However, the second-highest rating was 2 stars.
Hers received a 1.5 out of 5 on Product Hunt. Among the 59 reviewers, many complained about the difficulty in canceling subscriptions and weak customer support. Some complained that they were misdiagnosed and couldn't be treated for their current condition even though they had been treated by another doctor for that condition. The customer who gave the highest rating said her experience with customer support was "excellent" in November 2022.
Choosing Therapy gave Hers 3 stars for its convenience for medication, ability to change providers, affordability for managing medication, and specialization in women's health. The drawbacks of Hers were that you can't have a live session with a psychiatrist, you have limited information about the medical providers, and you can't get reimbursed through your insurance company.