Why Hims is the default for Black men
Hims has the broadest legitimate medication menu in men's-health telehealth: ED medications (sildenafil, tadalafil, vardenafil), hair-loss treatments (oral minoxidil, finasteride, topical combination formulas), testosterone replacement therapy, and through the partnered Hims Skin track, dermatology including pseudofolliculitis barbae treatment. Most competitor services cover one or two of these; Hims covers all of them.
Operational reliability matters because Hims is a public company ($HIMS, NYSE) with the resources to maintain consistent shipping, billing, and customer-service quality. Smaller men's-health telehealth services (Rex MD, BlueChew) have had more inconsistent operational track records.
The cost-vs-convenience trade-off
Generic sildenafil at a retail pharmacy with a GoodRx coupon often runs $5-15 for a month's supply, versus $20-40 via Hims. The premium pays for: telehealth consultation, subscription auto-refill, and discreet shipping. If price is the only consideration, retail pharmacy wins. If you do not have a primary-care doctor who will write the prescription, or you value the discreet shipping, Hims is the cleaner path.
What it does not address
ED in Black men is often a marker of underlying cardiovascular disease, diabetes, or depression. Black men have the highest US rates of all three. A sildenafil prescription treats the symptom, not the underlying condition. If you are using ED medication regularly, also establish primary care for cardiovascular and metabolic screening. Hims does not provide this; it is downstream of a PCP visit.