3CO in De Ondernemer: how two brothers are breaking open a taboo market

Link to the full article in De Ondernemer

A business built on personal experience

Robin and Valentijn both started experiencing hair loss at eighteen: receding hairlines and a thinning crown. While their peers weren't thinking about it yet, it became a daily reality for them and a source of stress that no one talked about.

That silence was perhaps the hardest part. "It keeps you up at night," Valentijn says in the article. "Because almost no one around you is dealing with it, you don't talk about it. It feels like shame." That experience sparked the conviction that things had to—and could—be different.

The search: a forest of half-truths

Determined to do something about it, the brothers began their own research. What they encountered perfectly illustrates the problem 3CO aims to solve:

• an online market full of marketing claims, pseudoscience, and half-truths
• products without scientific backing—from hair gummies to biotin supplements—that yielded no results
• a lack of empathy: a referral that amounted to "just get used to it"

It wasn't until they visited a specialized clinic that they finally gained access to medication that actually worked. A year later, the difference was so visible that people assumed they’d had a hair transplant. The effectiveness was beyond doubt, but the path to getting there was expensive, messy, and cold.

The answer: a digital healthcare platform built on three pillars

The brothers decided to set things up fundamentally differently. They built a platform based on three principles:

• Accessibility Online consultations, without unnecessary barriers
• Safety Assessment by licensed medical professionals
• Discretion Scientifically proven hair loss medication, delivered discreetly via licensed pharmacies, straight to your door

Transparency as our foundation

Underpinning these pillars is a conscious choice for honest, scientific information. In a market dominated by supplement marketing on one side and fear-mongering about side effects on the other, 3CO chooses nuance and the real scientific story.

WHAT 3CO IS HONEST ABOUT

• Yes, side effects can occur — in a small percentage of customers
• Yes, timing is crucial: the earlier you start, the better the results
• No, not everyone achieves the same results

"We don't want to sell based on gut feelings," says Robin. "We want people to be able to make their own choices, based on real data." Precisely because effective products can also have downsides, the brothers focus on providing clear background information.

"What sets this story apart from other hair growth providers is the explicit focus on the mental aspect."

The hidden component: psychology

Medically speaking, hair loss is not urgent. Psychologically, however, it can be, especially at a young age. That is why 3CO has a second mission: normalizing the conversation. Not as a marketing gimmick, but as part of our core proposition.

Think of campaigns, social content, and community building where vulnerability is central. "It only gets easier when you talk about it," the brothers say. "Then you suddenly realize that many more people are dealing with the same thing."

Three choices for those who want to take action

3CO narrows the problem down to three clear options:

• Medication Scientifically proven treatment, medically reviewed
• Transplant A surgical route for those who choose it
• Acceptance Living with it or shaving your head

The core message: not making a choice causes the most stress. If you want to know what you're getting into without an endless search, 3CO is here for you.

The 3CO vision

The profile in De Ondernemer aligns perfectly with what 3CO stands for: treating hair loss based on science, not marketing. This means:

• medical assessment by BIG-registered doctors
• exclusively scientifically proven treatments
• transparent information about what does and doesn't work
• explicit attention to the mental side of hair loss

The goal: to help men and women in a timely and effective manner, with realistic expectations and genuine attention to how hair loss feels.