If hair loss medication could be bought as easily as cold medicine?

Source - Pharm Edaily

Over-the-counter cold medicine

A comment like this was recently posted on my YouTube channel.

“Hair loss medication should also be available as easily as ordinary cold medicine.”

I completely understand this sentiment.

As a doctor who prescribes hair loss medication, I have often felt that the current system, in which patients must come to the clinic every three months to receive the same prescription repeatedly, is inconvenient for patients and inefficient in medical practice.

At the same time, there are reasons why hair loss medication is classified as prescription-only medicine.

Source - Hit News

Prescription finasteride

Hair loss medications such as finasteride and dutasteride are not simple health supplements; they are medicines that act on hormones.

For example, finasteride inhibits 5-alpha reductase and regulates the metabolism of male hormones.

This is effective in slowing the progression of hair loss, but at the same time it has a complex mechanism of action that can affect the whole body.

Representative side effects include reduced sexual function, depression, and changes in liver function test values, and in rare cases, a long-term problem called "Post-Finasteride Syndrome" has also been reported.

In addition, because exposure should be avoided in pregnant women, caution is also needed in handling the medication itself.

In this way, hair loss medication is not simply something that can be taken easily; it is a drug that requires the judgment and management of medical professionals.

Nevertheless, hair loss is close to a chronic condition, and finasteride or dutasteride is usually taken long term for years.

Therefore, the current structure, in which a prescription can only be obtained by visiting a clinic every time, places unnecessary burdens of time and cost on patients.

Especially for patients who are taking it well without side effects, the structure of repeating the same procedure every time has room for improvement when regular follow-up alone may be sufficient.

Alternatives for improvement

1. A system that allows pharmacy purchases after the first visit

After the initial visit, the patient should definitely receive a consultation and prescription at the clinic, but if they continue taking the medication for a certain period without any adverse reactions, how about a system that would allow them to buy the same medication at a pharmacy as well?

For example, if there were no problems for six months after the first visit, it would be possible thereafter to repeat the same prescription purchase at a pharmacy without visiting the clinic.

2. Practical expansion of online telemedicine

On platforms such as Hims and Roman in the United States, both prescriptions and medication delivery are possible with only a simple questionnaire and video consultation.

In Korea, telemedicine apps such as Dr.Now, Nanaui Doctor, and Hold are already operating, but under current law, prescriptions are limited to a maximum of three months, and even though consultations can be conducted online, medication must still be received in person at an offline pharmacy.

This is still hard to consider "complete telemedicine," and

a fully integrated digital care system that connects consultation, prescription, and medication pickup

would need to be established for patients to experience a significant improvement in convenience.

Personally, I feel that a direction in which patients visit the clinic in person but receive their medication online is more realistic.

However, in reality, policy improvement does not seem easy because various medical organizations have intertwined interests.

3. An automatic renewal system based on electronic health records

An automatic renewal system could also be considered, in which patients who meet certain criteria based on regular medical records can automatically receive medication for a set period without a doctor’s approval.

This could be an alternative that allows medical resources to be allocated efficiently when the patient’s condition is stable.

If hair loss medication could be bought as easily as cold medicine?

Conclusion

The request, “Please let us buy it as conveniently as cold medicine,” carries meaning beyond mere convenience.

Hair loss is a condition that affects appearance and is also deeply connected to a patient’s self-esteem and mental health, so the right to receive treatment and access to care are also important issues.

That said, this does not mean hair loss medication should be distributed without any restrictions.

Medicine is not a "tool" that goes into the body; it is a "substance with effects" that must be used carefully.

Therefore, my suggestion is this.

"Hair loss medication is not a medicine that just anyone should be able to buy like cold medicine, but under a more reasonable and flexible system than the current one, we need a structure that allows more people to continue treatment consistently."

This issue is not solely the responsibility of doctors or patients.

It is a task that requires the government, pharmaceutical companies, pharmacies, and clinics to work together and think about convenience and safety at the same time.

Now it is time for hairhair to grow, this was Kim Jino.

Pilsaengsinmo (必生新毛).

[In accordance with Article 56, Paragraph 1 of the Medical Service Act, this post is written directly by a board-certified plastic surgeon for informational purposes. Hair loss surgery and treatment may have side effects, and you should make a careful decision through consultation with a specialist.]