Online hair loss services have grown rapidly in the UK over the past few years and a handful of names now dominate. Sons, Hims, Manual, Numan and Hair + Me are among the most searched. If you’re trying to decide between them, it can be hard to tell them apart. Most run on a subscription and are built around the same two medicines. However, there are actual differences in terms of who they treat, what they offer, costs and aftercare. In this post we compare them side by side and explain where City Skin Clinic’s fully bespoke service fits in.
How Do Hair Loss Treatments Actually Work?
Most pattern hair loss in men and women is caused by androgenetic alopecia, an inherited sensitivity of the hair follicles to the hormone dihydrotestosterone (DHT). Over time, DHT shrinks the affected follicles until they stop producing visible hair. Effective treatment works by lowering DHT, stimulating the follicles directly or ideally both at once.
This is why nearly every online service relies on the same two evidence-based medicines; finasteride and minoxidil. Finasteride blocks the type 2 version of the enzyme that converts testosterone into DHT, reducing scalp DHT by around 70%. Minoxidil works differently, increasing blood flow to the follicle and prolonging the active growth phase. Used together they outperform either one alone. A smaller group of services also use dutasteride, a more potent DHT blocker or spironolactone, which is an anti-androgen. Supporting agents like melatonin are also sometimes added to topical formulas. These are harder to access because they need bespoke compounding rather than an off-the-shelf product.
There is also an important choice between oral and topical treatment. Oral finasteride is a daily tablet that works throughout the body. This is effective, but it carries a small risk of systemic side effects including reduced libido, erectile dysfunction and mood changes. In some people these can persist after stopping, giving rise to a condition called post-finasteride syndrome. Oral finasteride is also under closer regulatory scrutiny than it once was. The MHRA has strengthened its safety warnings over depression, suicidal ideation and sexual dysfunction that can persist after treatment. It has also introduced a patient alert card. Topical treatment is applied to the scalp instead, giving comparable benefit to the oral form with lower systemic exposure.
Whichever route you choose, remember that pattern hair loss is an ongoing condition rather than something that is cured. So any benefit lasts only while you keep treating it. This is why a thorough consultation, honest counselling and ongoing monitoring are key to ensuring you start on the right path. With that in mind, below is how the main services compare. The descriptions and prices below come from each service’s own information at the time of writing. These things change, so check the current details before you decide.
Sons
Sons is a subscription service for men, and the only one of these brands that focuses on hair loss alone. You complete an online assessment form, which their clinicians review alongside a check of your NHS Summary Care Record for an added layer of safety. Treatment comes as oral finasteride, topical minoxidil or a combination spray of minoxidil and finasteride that can also include tretinoin to help the actives absorb. Everything sits on a rolling subscription organised into plan tiers, so the cost depends on what you take and how long you commit. A longer quarterly plan works out cheaper than paying monthly. Finasteride on its own starts at around £12 a month, whilst a combination plan runs closer to £22 a month. The formulas are fixed rather than tailored, and Sons treats men only.
Hims
Hims is a large men’s wellness brand that prescribes hair loss treatment to men in the UK. After an online medical form, a UK-registered prescriber designs your plan where suitable, usually oral finasteride or a topical spray or serum that combines minoxidil and finasteride. The experience is polished and app-led, with a care team on hand for questions throughout. A subscription starts at around £23 a month for finasteride, whilst the sprays and combination plans cost more. Like the other men’s brands, it works from the two main actives in fixed formats and does not treat women.
Manual
Manual is a men’s health brand that builds its hair plans around oral finasteride and topical minoxidil, prescribed after an online form reviewed by their clinicians. Alongside the medicines it also offers shampoos and supplements. A subscription starts at around £18 a month for finasteride and rises to roughly £30 for a combination, depending on the tier and how long you sign up for. As with the others here, it treats men only and works from a set range of treatments rather than a bespoke formula.
Numan
Numan is another men’s health brand, covering hair loss alongside erectile dysfunction, blood tests and weight management. For hair it prescribes oral finasteride, topical minoxidil or a triple-action spray of minoxidil, finasteride and azelaic acid. Again, consultation is via an online form. It also offers a clinical dashboard for tracking your progress and a money-back guarantee if your treatment doesn’t work within a set period. Pricing follows the same pattern as its rivals, starting at around £16 a month for finasteride and rising to roughly £28 for a combination plan. Like them, it treats men only and offers a fixed set of treatments.
Hair + Me
Hair + Me is the hair sister brand to Skin + Me, and the only subscription service here that treats both men and women. Treatment follows an online consultation form reviewed by their clinicians. Its oral options include oral minoxidil capsules, finasteride or dutasteride, whilst its topical route is a custom serum of minoxidil, finasteride and melatonin with supporting ingredients. Pricing is a flat subscription rather than tiered by treatment. The introductory rate is around £14.99 a month for the first three months, rising to about £34.99 a month after that. The consultation is form only, and whilst its range of topical ingredients is broader than the men’s brands, there is still a limit to customisation.
City Skin Clinic
City Skin Clinic works differently again. Instead of choosing from a fixed range, you get a topical formula for women or men designed around you by the same GMC-registered doctor throughout. They adjust it at the end of each course based on how you respond. That single serum may contain actives like minoxidil, finasteride, dutasteride, spironolactone, melatonin, caffeine and tretinoin, depending on what is safe and appropriate for you. You can choose from an online form or a video consultation, and there is no subscription to manage. The consultation is £30 and comes off your first treatment, and a 3-month serum is then £120 with free delivery. As a one-off course rather than a recurring plan, you reorder only when you need to. The main limitation is that City Skin Clinic is topical only and does not prescribe oral medicines.
| Provider | Who it’s for | Treatment route | Personalisation | Price | Consultation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sons | Men | Oral and topical (finasteride, minoxidil, combination spray) | Fixed plans | Around £12 to £22 a month | Online form |
| Hims | Men | Oral and topical (finasteride, minoxidil) | Fixed plans | From around £23 a month | Online form |
| Manual | Men | Oral and topical (finasteride, minoxidil), plus supplements | Fixed plans | Around £18 to £30 a month | Online form |
| Numan | Men | Oral and topical (finasteride, minoxidil, triple-action spray) | Fixed plans | Around £16 to £28 a month | Online form |
| Hair + Me | Men and women | Oral and topical (oral minoxidil, finasteride, dutasteride, custom serums) | Some customisation | Around £14.99, then £34.99 a month | Online form |
| City Skin Clinic | Men and women | Topical only (bespoke multi-active serum) | Fully bespoke, adjusted each course | £120 per 3-month course (about £40 a month), no subscription | Online form or video |
Which Service is Right for You?
The four men’s brands, Sons, Hims, Manual and Numan all offer both oral finasteride and topical minoxidil, but only in fixed plans. So the choice between them tends to be about price, experience and the specific products in each tier. Sons is usually the cheapest. Numan adds a money-back guarantee and blood tests, whilst Manual and Hims fold hair loss into a wider men’s health service. For a man with straightforward male pattern hair loss who is happy with the two standard actives, any of them is a reasonable starting option. Where they fall short is choice and personalisation. None treat women, which leaves out the large number affected by female pattern hair loss. They also work from fixed formulas, so they offer little to someone who has already tried finasteride and minoxidil without the result they hoped for.
Hair + Me widens things by treating both sexes and offering oral and customised topical options, which makes it the closest of the five to a tailored service. City Skin Clinic also treats men and women and is the option to consider if you want a fully bespoke approach. Instead of a fixed product, your treatment is a single serum compounded around your hair loss. It can draw on the widest palette of actives here, from minoxidil and DHT blockers to anti-androgens like spironolactone and dutasteride that the mainstream brands rarely offer topically. You also get one named GMC-registered doctor who designs your formula, provides all your aftercare and adjusts it at the end of each course. You can have a video consultation instead of a form, which helps if your history is complex or you simply want to talk it through.
Whichever way you lean, the essentials are the same. At a minimum, a UK-registered clinician should assess you properly and counsel you honestly about results and side effects. You should also be able to reach someone for advice if anything changes. If your hair loss is unusual, patchy or possibly a scarring alopecia, an in-person review is the safer first step. Also, these five are not your only options either, so for a wider view see our guide to where to get hair loss treatments online in the UK. Ultimately, finding the right service depends on whether you want oral or topical treatment, how personalised and closely supervised you want it and your budget.
At City Skin Clinic, we offer personalised topical hair loss treatments for men and women through our online clinic. Our doctors design each formula using actives like minoxidil, finasteride, dutasteride, spironolactone, melatonin, caffeine and tretinoin where appropriate, tailored to your needs, and you stay with the same doctor throughout. To start your personalised plan, book a video consultation or use our online consultation form. The journey towards great hair starts here.
This article is intended for general informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always consult a qualified medical provider for any medical concerns or questions you might have.
