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Treating hair loss online: from intake to medication delivered at home
You notice your hair is thinning and want to do something about it. Normally you would have to figure out which treatment is suitable, speak to a doctor, arrange a prescription and collect the medication from a pharmacy. At 3CO, the online intake, the doctor's assessment, the prescription, the medication and the delivery are all part of one treatment process. In this article we explain step by step how that works.
How a treatment at 3CO works
A treatment at 3CO does not start with ordering medication, but with a medical intake.
You fill in information online about your hair loss and your health. A doctor registered in the Dutch BIG register then personally assesses whether a treatment is suitable for you.
If the doctor considers the treatment appropriate, the required prescription medication can be prescribed. The pharmacy processes the medication and it is delivered discreetly to your home.
This brings together, in one online process, the separate steps you would normally have to arrange yourself.
Step 1: you start whenever it suits you
The first step is an online questionnaire.
You answer questions about your hair loss and your health, among other things. The doctor needs this information to assess whether your symptoms match the treatment you are considering and whether there are medical reasons not to prescribe a treatment.
You do not have to call a practice at a set time or sit in a waiting room. You can complete the intake online whenever it suits you.
That makes the first step accessible, without skipping the medical assessment.
Step 2: a doctor reviews your request
After the intake, your request is personally reviewed by a doctor.
3CO works with BIG-registered doctors. Their names and BIG numbers can be found on our medical team page.
Under our current process, a request is normally reviewed within 24 hours.
The doctor does not only look at which treatment you would like to use, but above all at whether that treatment fits your situation and is medically responsible.
Submitting a request therefore does not automatically mean you will receive medication.
If a treatment is not suitable, it will not be prescribed. Under 3CO's current policy, you will receive a refund in that case.
That medical assessment is precisely what belongs in a trustworthy process involving prescription medication.
Step 3: the prescription is arranged within the same process
With prescription-only treatments, you do not want to pick a product online and then still have to arrange a prescription somewhere yourself.
At 3CO, that is part of the same treatment process.
If, after assessment, the doctor determines that the treatment is appropriate, the prescription-only medication is prescribed. So after the online intake you do not have to visit your GP separately just to ask for a prescription.
This applies, for example, to finasteride and oral minoxidil.
Finasteride is prescription-only. Oral minoxidil is also prescription-only and is prescribed off-label for hair loss. That is why a medical assessment always takes place first.
Online prescribing is permitted in the Netherlands when the medical conditions for it are met. The Dutch government states, among other things, that the doctor must have sufficient information about the patient's medication use and that a physical examination must not be necessary for the assessment in question.
So the convenience at 3CO does not lie in bypassing a prescription.
The convenience lies in the fact that the medical assessment and any prescription are already part of the online process.
Step 4: the pharmacy takes care of the medication
Once the treatment has been approved, the medication is processed by the pharmacy.
For 3co.nl, Regenboog Apotheek Bavel B.V. is listed in the official Dutch register of online medication providers maintained by the CIBG. The website is registered there in category UR — prescription only.
You therefore do not have to take a prescription to different pharmacies yourself to see where you can get the medication.
Doctor, prescription and pharmacy are connected within the same process.
You can read more about the registration and how to verify it yourself in our article Is 3CO legitimate? How to check for yourself where you order medication online.
Step 5: delivered discreetly to your home
Once the pharmacy has processed the medication, it is delivered to your home.
Under 3CO's current process, this happens on average within three working days after medical approval.
The delivery is discreet. You do not have to go to a physical pharmacy to collect your treatment.
For a treatment that is typically used over a longer period, that saves recurring practical steps.
The care does not stop there
For us, convenience does not mean you are left on your own once a box of medication arrives.
During your treatment, you can contact your treating doctor through your personal account. You can ask questions about, for example, how to use the medication, possible side effects or the progress of your treatment.
On our website we call this ongoing support from your doctor.
This is particularly relevant for hair loss treatments, because results are not visible within a few days. Finasteride and minoxidil are used over a longer period and it can take months before the effect can be properly assessed.
An accessible point of contact during that period is therefore at least as important as the ease with which you start.
One process instead of separate steps
That is ultimately the most important difference in convenience.
Normally there can be several separate steps between your first decision and actually starting a treatment: searching for information, making an appointment, discussing your situation, getting a prescription, finding a pharmacy and collecting the medication.
At 3CO, those steps are connected for cases that are suitable for online treatment.
Online intake → assessment by a BIG-registered doctor → prescription if medically suitable → processing by the pharmacy → discreet home delivery → contact with your doctor during treatment.
As a result, you do not have to coordinate each part separately with different parties.
Convenient does not mean automatically prescribed
We consider that distinction important.
3CO tries to make the process around hair loss simple. But prescription medication remains prescription medication.
You therefore cannot simply add finasteride or oral minoxidil to a shopping basket and have it shipped without an assessment.
A doctor reviews your medical information first.
That also means a doctor may decide that a treatment is not suitable. In some situations it may be wiser to have your symptoms examined further by your GP or another healthcare provider first.
The process is designed to reduce the practical barriers without removing the medical assessment.
What can you arrange online at 3CO?
For treatments that prove suitable after assessment, you can complete the entire process from home: the intake, the medical assessment, the prescribing of the treatment, the processing of the medication and home delivery are all handled within the same process.
After that, you can still contact your treating doctor through your account.
That is what we at 3CO mean by fully online treatment.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to see my GP first for a prescription?
Not if the 3CO doctor can sufficiently assess your situation online and determines that the treatment is suitable for you. The medical assessment and any prescription are part of the 3CO process.
Will I automatically receive medication if I start a consultation?
No. A BIG-registered doctor first assesses whether the treatment is appropriate and responsible. Prescription medication is only prescribed after a positive medical assessment.
How quickly is my request reviewed?
3CO currently states that requests are reviewed by a doctor within 24 hours.
How quickly is my medication delivered?
After approval, the medication is delivered discreetly to your home, on average within three working days under 3CO's current process.
Who supplies the medication?
For 3co.nl, Regenboog Apotheek Bavel B.V. is registered in the official Dutch list of online medication providers, in category UR.
Can I still ask a doctor questions after ordering?
Yes. During your treatment you can contact your treating doctor through your personal account for questions and guidance.
Starting an online consultation
Do you think finasteride, oral minoxidil or another treatment for hereditary hair loss could be right for you?
You can start an online consultation at 3CO. You fill in your medical information and a BIG-registered doctor assesses whether a treatment fits your situation and is safe for you.
Upon approval, the prescription, the medication and home delivery are arranged within the same process.
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