Roman Hair Loss Review Summer 2023: Does Roman Work?

Roman Hair Loss Treatments Review: Does it Work?

Roman hair loss reviews found on the internet yield mixed results. Healthline.com rates Roman at 4.6 out of 5. According to at least 35 Amazon reviews, Roman’s hair support supplement for men holds a 3.7 out of 5 rating. BBB reviews on Roman Health Ventures, Inc., the company that owns Roman, have an average rating of 1.38 out of 5. Negative reviews on Roman spans various issues, ranging from billing errors to difficulties in reaching Roman’s customer service department.

Given the mixed reviews surrounding Roman, we turned to Randall Higgins, a distinguished Doctor of Pharmacy and a specialist in hair loss treatment drugs, for expert insights. You can also visit the top 5 best hair loss treatments page for our 2023 best and worst picks.

Company Information:

Roman (Roman Health Ventures, Inc.) is a brand of hair loss products from Ro, a telehealth medical company with a mission to make healthcare more affordable and accessible. Established in 2017 by Zachariah Reitano, Saman Rahmanian, and Rob Schutz, the company offers a wide range of medical treatments, including erectile dysfunction, premature ejaculation, genital herpes and cold sore treatments, smoking cessation, women’s health products, and, of course, hair loss treatments.

Review Roman Hair Loss Treatments Selection

Roman’s hair loss treatments include a simple selection of prescription finasteride and minoxidil, over-the-counter minoxidil (Rogaine), and hair care products. While Roman primarily focuses on hair loss treatment for men, Ro offers additional medical services designed to address common health issues for both men and women. With a solid product selection, competitive pricing, and free shipping, Roman from Ro offers a balanced approach to hair loss solutions.

Product Selection

Roman offers a brief menu of hair loss mainstays: oral finasteride, oral or topical minoxidil, and a package deal with both. They also sell hair care products and supplements designed to give your hair a thicker, fuller appearance. Here’s their line-up:

Roman has a super simple questionnaire that you’ll find when you first arrive on their website. Answer a few questions about your hair loss and it’ll let you know which treatment options might work for you. Some Roman hair loss treatments like finasteride and oral minoxidil are prescription-only, so you’ll need to have a virtual consultation with a Ro medical provider if you’re interested in those treatments.

Key Ingredients and Products

Finasteride

Finasteride is an FDA-approved hair loss treatment that works by blocking dihydrotestosterone (DHT), the hormone responsible for male pattern hair loss. Roman finasteride is only available in 1 mg tablets—they don’t have a topical finasteride product.

Minoxidil

Minoxidil is another medication that’s clinically-proven and FDA-approved for hair loss. Originally tested as a blood pressure medication, researchers discovered its value as a hair loss treatment when 80% of patients experienced unusual hair growth while taking it.

How minoxidil works isn’t fully understood, but it appears to increase blood flow to hair follicles and promote their growth during the anagen (growth) phase of the hair cycle. Roman minoxidil comes in 2.5 mg tablets and a 5% topical solution. The topical is FDA-approved for hair loss, while the oral tablets are prescribed off-label, usually 1-2 tablets daily.

Pro-Tip: There is no added benefit to using topical and oral minoxidil together, so to save your time and money, pick one and stick with it.

Finasteride + Minoxidil

For the best chance to regrow hair, the combination of oral finasteride and topical minoxidil is the most powerful treatment Roman offers.

Hair Support Supplement

Roman has a doctor-formulated hair supplement called Hair Support with15 hair-healthy ingredients, including saw palmetto, reishi mushroom, a collagen blend, and biotin.

Revive Hair Thickening Shampoo

Roman’s Revive Shampoo contains saw palmetto, pumpkin seed oil, salicylic acid, and caffeine, and it smells like peppermint!

Restore Hair Thickening Conditioner

Roman’s Restore Conditioner is formulated with plant proteins, coconut oil, and shea butter for thicker-looking hair. Peppermint-scented too!

Convenience

Availability

Roman provides medical services and ships to all 50 US states and Washington, D.C. Right now, they don’t ship to Puerto Rico or to military/government addresses (e.g. APO, FPO, DPO). Prescription orders are normally filled by Roman’s pharmacy network, but you can request to have your prescription filled by another pharmacy if you prefer. Keep in mind that Roman doesn’t guarantee prices or offer free delivery in those cases.

How Do I Get Started?

Ordering from Roman is entirely online, and you can complete the entire process without leaving home, including doctor visits.

1. Select A Treatment
   Head over to Roman hair loss and click the Get Started button under the treatment you’re interested in.
2. Take the questionnaire
   After entering some personal details, they’ll ask about your medical history, medications, and previous treatments for hair loss. There are also questions about how you feel about your hair and how hair loss affects your satisfaction with your appearance, self-confidence, etc.
   We liked how each of these had a clickable pop-up to explain why they’re asking. It’s a small detail, but it made the process seem a little more humanized and transparent.
3. Upload ID and Hair Pics
   When you finish the survey, you’ll upload a photo of your ID and some pictures of your hair for your Ro provider to use in assessing your treatment needs. If your treatment requires a prescription, they’ll contact you within 24 hours to set up your consultation.
4. Treatment Consultation
   You’ll have a chance to virtually meet with a provider in your state to discuss your treatment options and ask questions. If you’re eligible, your provider will write you a prescription for the treatment.
5. Pharmacy Fill and Shipping
   Roman uses their own network of pharmacies to fill and ship your prescription at no extra cost. Your treatment will arrive in discreet packaging in about two business days.

How Much Does Roman Cost?

Roman is big on transparent, clearly-stated pricing, which we appreciate, but their prices are mixed compared to their competition. For example, if we look at Roman vs Hims, you’ll pay $60 for a 3-month supply of Roman finasteride 1 mg tablets, while the same medication from Hims costs $78. On the other hand, Roman minoxidil 5% solution is more expensive than at some other major competitors like Keep and Hims.
Pro-Tip: You can often find Roman’s supplements and hair care products in retail stores at much lower prices than on their website.

Can I Order A Larger Supply?

Roman only offers 3-month subscriptions for most products, so there isn’t really an opportunity to save by buying more. In some instances though, you’ll actually pay less per month for a 3-month supply from Roman than you would for a volume-discounted 12-month supply elsewhere. All products are by subscription and auto-refill when your next refill date gets close.

Billing and Subscriptions

Roman bills your credit card for add-on or over-the-counter products right after you check out. For prescription orders, you won’t be billed until your Ro provider approves the treatment and then every 3 months after. Anticipate being billed several days in advance of your renewal date, which Roman does to ensure you receive your new fill before you run out.

Discounts and Pricing

First orders for treatments get a 33% automatic discount on the total price of a 3-month supply. For the Hair Support supplement, you can also save about 18% by ordering the 3-month supply instead of monthly.

Telehealth Costs

Initial consultation with a licensed provider is included with your treatment order. Follow-up appointments are free, and patients get unlimited messaging with their doctor via their secure system.

Insurance and Payment

Roman does not accept insurance, health savings accounts (HSA), flexible spending accounts (FSA), or health reimbursement accounts (HRA). They do say they can provide itemized receipts for reimbursement, but hair loss treatment isn’t usually eligible for this.

Customer Service

Getting In Touch

General Customer Service (non-medical issues)
Roman’s customer service is available by email only. That said, we received friendly, helpful responses to our questions within an hour. You can contact customer service any time of day, but you may not receive a response until the next day if it’s after hours.

Medical Questions
For non-emergency medical questions, patients can message their provider 24/7 using the secure message portal. This service is free and unlimited, but expect at least two business days for a response.
Patients with account, medication, or upcoming refill questions can speak to a Roman Heath Pharmacy Network pharmacist by phone Monday–Friday, 9am–8pm ET, and on Saturday from 8am–2pm ET.

Scheduling

You can request schedule changes on your account management screen. You can also turn off automatic refills for subscriptions, delay or expedite your next order, or change shipping frequency.
Pro-Tip: Ro has an easy-to-use app where you can make changes to your account, but some options aren’t available through mobile. If you don’t see the option you want, you’ll need to log in on a computer or laptop.

Shipping

Shipping with Roman is always free, and most orders arrive in two business days. You’ll get an email with a tracking number once your order ships.

Refunds, Replacements, & Guarantees

Roman does not accept returns on prescription products. They encourage customers to get in touch with customer service if they feel an error was made with their order.

Canceling a Subscription

To cancel your subscription with Roman, contact customer service at least 4-5 days before your refill date. They aren’t able to cancel orders that have already shipped.

Who Is Roman For?

Can I use Roman for other kinds of hair loss, like from chemotherapy?
No, Roman only treats androgenetic alopecia, which is hair loss caused by hormones like DHT. In general, their products won’t work for other causes of hair loss like chemotherapy or immune system disease.

Can Women Use Roman?
No. Roman is for men over the age of 18. While lower-strength minoxidil can be used for female pattern hair loss, Roman only offers the 5% OTC strength for men. However, Ro—Roman’s parent company—does offer treatments intended for women.

Does Roman Work?

Oral finasteride and topical minoxidil are both FDA-approved for hair loss and backed up by reliable clinical evidence. Treatment with finasteride and/or minoxidil typically produces results in 3–6 months.
Pro-Tip: Both finasteride and minoxidil may cause a temporary increase in the number of hairs being shed as old hairs are pushed out to make room for the new ones growing in. If you notice that your hair is falling out faster than usual, don’t panic or stop your treatment—the effect reverses after a couple months.

Oral vs topical minoxidil: Which to use?

Oral minoxidil is more convenient for guys who prefer taking a pill daily vs applying a topical product. Roman suggests that oral minoxidil may be a bit more effective than topical, which they think is because of better treatment adherence and more consistent exposure to the medication.

Oral minoxidil vs finasteride: Is one better than the other?

Minoxidil is thought to work more on hair loss at the vertex (crown) of the head than on the hairline, while finasteride can help with hair loss at both vertex and hairline. It’s really too close to pick one over the other, so your selection may come down to side effects and your unique medical history.

Is Roman Safe To Use?

As with any medication, there’s always the chance of a bad reaction or side effects, but both finasteride and minoxidil have a long record of being safe and effective hair loss treatments when used as directed.

Is oral minoxidil for hair loss safe to take? Are there side effects?

For most people, it’s safe. The most common side effect is increased growth and darkening of hair on the face or body. Less commonly, it can cause low blood pressure, swelling of the legs, and headaches.

That said, oral minoxidil does carry a warning about serious cardiac side effects in some patients. It’s very important to share your entire medical history and current medications with your Ro healthcare provider, especially if you’ve had heart or kidney problems.

Is topical minoxidil safer than oral? Are there side effects?

Topical application of minoxidil results in much less systemic absorption—only 2% for topical minoxidil vs. over 90% for oral. That means the effects and side effects of the drug are limited to the application area. Although this lowers the risk of more serious side effects like cardiac issues, it increases the risk of skin side effects like irritation and redness.

Is oral finasteride for hair loss safe to take?

Taking finasteride by mouth for hair loss is safe for otherwise healthy adult men. A small percentage of men experience loss of libido and sexual dysfunction. While these usually resolve after discontinuing finasteride, they can persist for some men.

Safety Note: Women, especially women who are pregnant or able to become pregnant, should not take or use finasteride or handle broken finasteride tablets or topicals because it can cause serious birth defects.

Roman Hair Loss Reviews: What Customers Think

Roman doesn’t post customer reviews on their website, so we looked to TrustPilot and Better Business Bureau to see what people were saying about Roman.
At first glance, reviews for Roman look sharply polarized, with half giving five stars, half giving one star, and a big empty void in the middle. That’s a pretty unusual distribution, so we looked into it and found that the negative reviews were mainly because of medication shortages unrelated to hair loss treatment. The rest had to do with billing issues or unresponsive customer service/medical. Roman customer service responded to most bad reviews, and there were far more glowing reviews of their customer service than complaints.
The reviews we found that specifically talked about hair loss were all very positive, with reviewers saying treatment with Roman had helped stop their hair loss and regrow new hair.

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

The Final Verdict: Is Roman Legit?

Roman is absolutely the real deal, with real providers, real healthcare, and real pharmacies filling their prescriptions.

The deal part is mostly true too, because even though Roman’s minoxidil 5% is more expensive, prices on the rest of their products are lower.

Coupled with free shipping, free consultations, and the ability to message your healthcare provider whenever you like, Roman is a great option for men who want convenient hair loss treatment without added bells and whistles.

Roman Rating Breakdown

Calculating Ratings
Overall Score: Report total points from all 4 sections, out of 100.
Section Scores = Report ([Points earned in that section] / [Max points for that section] X 100)

Why You Can Trust Hair Loss Treatment Reviews From TCR

Thousands of readers rely on Trusted Company Reviews for the up-to-date, unbiased info they need to make decisions about their health. You can too. Our reviews are written by experienced healthcare professionals with one goal in mind: cutting through the fluff to bring you the unvarnished facts.

How We Evaluate

We want our readers to get the whole story, so when reviewing hair loss companies like Roman, we look at the following:

1. Treatment Selection (40 points)
   What treatments are available? What’s in them and where are they sourced from? Are they safe and effective? Are there flexible options for patients with specific needs?
2. Convenience (20 points)
   Is their website/app easy to navigate and understand? Is the onboarding process intuitive? Are options available that make treatment more convenient and accessible?
3. Cost and Value (20 points)
   Are their prices reasonable? How do they stack up against competitors? Are there added costs or fees? How do subscriptions and bulk pricing work? Are discounts available?
4. Service Quality (20 points)
   Is customer service easy to contact and responsive? How do they handle the administrative and logistics part of the business such as prescription processing, shipping, and returns/refunds? Are telehealth services and medical support provided?

Company Information: 

• Roman’s website: GetRoman.com (also known as: https://ro.co/hair-loss/)
• Customer Service Email: Care@ro.co
• Phone number: +1 424-347-6299

Source

Sources:
Roman Wikipedia page, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ro_(company)
Roman’s website, https://ro.co/hair-loss/
Roman BBB Review, https://www.bbb.org/us/ny/new-york/profile/telemedicine/roman-health-ventures-inc-0121-173581

About Author

Randall Higgins, PharmD