Choosing between Keeps and Sesame Care depends on what you actually need. Keeps focuses purely on hair loss treatment for men, while Sesame Care works as a broader healthcare marketplace connecting you with doctors for everything from primary care to specialty visits. Both launched in 2018, but they serve very different purposes.
Keeps vs Sesame Care: Quick Overview
Keeps is a telehealth service built specifically for men dealing with hair loss, offering FDA-approved finasteride and minoxidil through a subscription model starting at $25 per month. The company holds a 4.5/5 rating on Trustpilot and accepts HSA/FSA payments, which makes sense given that finasteride and minoxidil are both FDA-approved for androgenetic alopecia according to the
FDA orange book.
Sesame Care takes a completely different approach by acting as a marketplace where you book appointments directly with licensed doctors at transparent cash prices. Primary care visits start around $30, and you can find specialists, mental health providers, dental care, and prescription consultations all in one place. The platform holds a 4.7/5 Trustpilot rating.
The core distinction is scope. Keeps does one thing well, treating male pattern hair loss with proven medications. Sesame Care covers nearly any common health need without requiring insurance, which appeals if you are uninsured, underinsured, or just want predictable pricing.
Pricing Comparison
Keeps pricing starts at $25 per month for generic finasteride and runs about $35 per month for topical minoxidil, with bundle options combining both treatments. Shipping is included, and you pay quarterly in most cases, so a year of treatment typically costs $300 to $720 depending on what you choose. HSA and FSA cards are accepted, which can offset costs since the IRS allows medically necessary prescriptions as qualified expenses per
IRS Publication 502.
Sesame Care charges per visit rather than per month. A general primary care appointment runs $30 to $60, mental health visits range from $40 to $150, and specialist consultations vary by provider. There is no membership fee, and prescription pricing is shown upfront before you book.
If you only need ongoing hair loss treatment, Keeps is more economical because you are locked into a flat monthly rate. If your healthcare needs vary or you only need occasional visits, Sesame Care can be cheaper than carrying insurance copays for similar services.
Treatment Options and Medications
Keeps offers a focused menu of hair loss treatments including oral finasteride 1mg, topical finasteride, topical minoxidil 5%, ketoconazole shampoo, and a few supporting products. Finasteride works by inhibiting the enzyme that converts testosterone to DHT, the hormone responsible for follicle miniaturization, as documented in research published by the
National Library of Medicine.
Sesame Care does not stock medications directly but connects you with doctors who can prescribe whatever your situation requires. That includes hair loss medications, but also antibiotics, mental health prescriptions, blood pressure drugs, GLP-1 medications, and almost anything else a licensed physician can write. Prescriptions are sent to your pharmacy of choice.
For someone strictly seeking hair regrowth treatment, Keeps simplifies the process. For someone managing multiple conditions or wanting flexibility to address different issues with the same provider relationship, Sesame Care offers more range.
Clinical Process and Support
Keeps uses an asynchronous telehealth model where you fill out a medical questionnaire, upload photos of your scalp, and a licensed physician reviews everything before approving a prescription. The whole process takes a few days, and ongoing support comes through messaging with the medical team. This approach matches standards for telemedicine prescribing outlined by the Federation of State Medical Boards.
Sesame Care offers real-time video and in-person visits with actual appointment slots you book on a calendar. You see the doctor, talk through your concerns, and get follow-up care if needed. This works better for issues requiring conversation, examination, or nuance that a questionnaire cannot capture.
Both platforms vet their providers, but the experience differs. Keeps feels efficient and product-focused, while Sesame Care feels closer to a traditional doctor visit without the insurance billing hassle.
Who Each Brand Is Best For
Keeps is best if you are a man noticing thinning hair, a receding hairline, or early-stage male pattern baldness and want a simple, affordable way to start treatment. Clinical studies on finasteride 1mg show it slowed hair loss in roughly 80% to 90% of men over two years according to research summarized by the
American Academy of Dermatology, though results vary by individual.
Sesame Care is best if you lack insurance, have a high-deductible plan, or want to skip the typical wait times and copay confusion of traditional healthcare. It works well for one-off needs like a UTI prescription, a therapy session, a dermatology consult, or a sports physical.
There is also overlap worth noting. You could technically get a finasteride prescription through a Sesame Care doctor, but you would handle the pharmacy fulfillment yourself. Keeps removes that step entirely if hair loss is your only concern.
Final Comparison
Keeps wins on hair loss specialization. The pricing is predictable at $25 to $70 per month, the products ship to your door, and the medical team understands androgenetic alopecia in depth. If hair regrowth is your goal, the streamlined experience saves time.
Sesame Care wins on flexibility and breadth. Booking a real appointment for $30 to $60 with no insurance involvement is hard to beat, particularly when the
Kaiser Family Foundation reports that millions of working-age adults remain uninsured each year.
The honest answer for most men dealing with hair loss is that Keeps is the better fit. For broader healthcare needs or if you want a doctor relationship rather than a product subscription, Sesame Care makes more sense. They are not really competitors so much as different tools for different jobs.
Final Verdict: Keeps vs Sesame Care
If hair loss is your concern, Keeps is the more efficient and affordable choice with its $25 per month starting price and specialized focus. If you need broader healthcare access without insurance, Sesame Care offers transparent pricing for real doctor visits across primary care, mental health, and specialties. They solve different problems, so the right pick depends entirely on what you are trying to address.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I get hair loss treatment through Sesame Care instead of Keeps?
Yes, you can book a doctor through Sesame Care who can prescribe finasteride or minoxidil. However, you will pay separately for the visit and the prescription at a pharmacy, which often costs more total than the flat $25 per month Keeps charges for the same generic medication.
Does Keeps treat women with hair loss?
No, Keeps only treats men. Finasteride is not FDA-approved for women due to safety concerns including risk to a developing fetus. If you are a woman experiencing hair loss, you would need to book with a provider through Sesame Care or another platform that treats female pattern hair loss.
Do either of these accept insurance?
Neither platform bills insurance. Keeps accepts HSA and FSA cards for tax-advantaged payment, and Sesame Care operates as a cash-pay marketplace with transparent pricing. Some Sesame Care visits may also be eligible for HSA/FSA reimbursement.
How quickly do hair loss medications from Keeps work?
In clinical trials of finasteride 1mg, visible changes typically required three to six months of consistent daily use, with maximum results seen around the 12-month mark. Individual results vary, and stopping treatment generally leads to loss of any regrowth within a year.
Can Sesame Care prescribe controlled substances?
Generally no. Most Sesame Care providers cannot prescribe controlled substances like Adderall, Xanax, or opioids due to federal telehealth regulations. The platform is better suited for non-controlled prescriptions, primary care, mental health therapy, and routine specialty consultations.
Which has better customer support?
Keeps offers messaging-based support with their medical team, which works well for medication questions and refill issues. Sesame Care offers customer service plus direct contact with whichever provider you booked. Both hold high Trustpilot ratings, with Sesame Care at 4.7/5 and Keeps at 4.5/5.
Editorial Note: Researched and edited by our editorial team. AI tools assist with initial research and drafting; all content is fact-checked and edited by humans before publication. Learn more about our editorial standards
