Telehealth has exploded over the past few years. However, a lot of people might wonder whether getting medication online is actually safe, legitimate, or just too good to be true, which is fair!
It also matters because when done right, telehealth genuinely expands who can access good care: often with more access, better guidance, and greater convenience than the conventional system offers.
This guide is an honest breakdown of what telehealth is, where it really helps, where it doesn't, and how the process works, so you can decide for yourself whether it makes sense for you.
What is Telehealth?
Telehealth uses technology to deliver health care remotely. Telemedicine is the part of telehealth that specifically involves practicing medicine, like diagnosing and prescribing, which is what we do!
[We go deeper on what telehealth is here]
How does Telehealth work?
Since Happyglow practices telemedicine, here's how it works: you complete a medical intake about your health, history, and goals, and select the treatments you're interested in. A licensed provider reviews it and, if it's a fit, a partner pharmacy ships your prescription directly to your door.
[Here's the full step-by-step]
The Provider Lottery
One of the biggest problems with healthcare is the “provider lottery” patients are subjected to when seeking out care.
Think about it: when you go see a local medical provider, you can’t control who you get; there are just too many variables: the provider might not be informed about the condition or treatment, might be biased and dismiss you, or might not think something is worth treating medically.
The provider lottery can leave people dissatisfied with the treatment options, guidance, and education they receive.
It happens all the time: a woman losing clumps of hair goes to her doctor for help, only to be told that her bloodwork is normal. When she’s finally given treatment, she gets no help or support. What about the man with pattern baldness who gets denied treatment because his physician thinks it’s “not worth the side effects”?
Now imagine if these same two people wanted to explore further treatment options, such as managed, innovative care, with plans monitored in real time and adjusted as needed. What if a patient could benefit from a different dose or delivery method that's clinically appropriate for them, but their local office isn't set up to manage it?
The current system would let them down.
Your local physician may not have the specialized knowledge to confidently take on the responsibility and risk of dealing with these issues. The incentives aren’t in your favor either: physicians don’t earn more for going above and beyond, maximizing a single individual’s care over months.
Physicians are trained to treat diagnosable diseases; novel approaches to medicine, such as preventive care, aesthetic medicine, enhancement and optimization, and women’s health, are often dismissed.
These doctors aren’t evil or lazy; in fact, they are good, legitimate doctors operating within a rushed system that fails patients who need more. For them, refusing is often the logical choice, even if you, the patient, lose as a result.
This is the gap telehealth was built to close. You aren’t as limited by your location, so you can work with physicians who specialize in exactly what you’re dealing with, who’ll actually explain your options, adjust your treatment when it’s not working, and stay engaged instead of sending you home with a shrug.
For example, Happyglow works with physicians who have advanced training and fellowships and stay up to date with the latest research in their respective fields and specialties. You can be confident that your physician understands the problem and the solution and will provide appropriate guidance and set expectations.
The worst thing that can happen to a patient just trying to get answers is getting left with a bottle of new medication and side effects, and zero help or support. They have to teach themselves or force answers out of the very people who should be actively helping them.
Our platform also offers a well-researched educational library, allowing patients to learn about various conditions and potential solutions, putting information and access directly in their hands without gatekeeping.
That’s not to say you can just do or get whatever you want, either. You might not always be a fit for a certain medication, and that’s a good thing. Sometimes, being denied a specific treatment or medication is the correct medical decision.
Is Getting Medication Online Safe?
How do you actually know that what you’re putting in your body is real, safe, and exactly what it claims to be?
Not all sources are created equal. A legitimate pharmacy is licensed, regulated, and accountable for exactly what goes into your medication. An unregulated source is accountable to no one, and you’re the one taking the risk.
Not to mention, many of these shady companies are selling compounds that have no human data. Not only do you have no way to confirm that what you’re getting is of quality or safe, but you also risk exposing yourself to a variety of unintended medical consequences. No regulated pharmacy or provider allows this.
A helpful organization to know about is LegitScript: an independent body that certifies telehealth and pharmacy companies as legitimate, legal, and safe. It’s a way to separate the real, compliant platforms from the sketchy ones.
Happyglow is LegitScript certified.
Real Oversight, Not Guesswork
We’ve established that our medication is legitimate. Still, there’s another factor that matters just as much here: a real, accountable doctor is far less likely to prescribe something inappropriate or unnecessary in the first place.
Let’s not even talk about the internet “researchers”, podcasters, and influencers spreading misinformation and clickbait headlines, often with low-quality or heavily misinterpreted science.
Without proper care and guidance, you're flying blind. You don't really know if something is working, and worse, some of the most important things a drug does to your body can't be seen or felt at all. They only show up in your bloodwork.
Take medications like isotretinoin for acne, for example: isotretinoin requires labs to be done and monitored, and joining the iPledge program for safety. And that's before considering how a provider may tailor dosing to the individual, which requires exactly this kind of monitoring.
What if you were trying to do everything yourself and miscalculated dosing, or used too strong a medication for your condition, or had adverse side effects that went unnoticed because you weren’t consistently getting lab work done?
With Happyglow, every step of the process is in sync. You have access to free, unlimited messaging with your physician, our clinical and customer support teams, our education base, and more, all at your fingertips to help you.
No Waiting Room, No Judgment
Some things you just don’t want to wait for in a waiting room: hair loss, weight, and skin concerns. These are personal things, and the conventional process puts you on display: the front desk, the waiting room full of people, the pharmacy counter handing you your prescription in line.
Most of that is avoided when getting treatment from a telehealth company. You still get direct access to a physician, either via asynchronous chat or live video calls, but you don’t have to do much in person.
Nobody in person has to see or know why you’re seeking treatment. Nobody gets to silently judge you, laugh at you, or dismiss you.
It’s a hassle anyway; getting care shouldn’t mean taking off work, sitting in a waiting room, and making a separate trip to the pharmacy either. With telehealth, you skip waiting entirely. Medication is shipped directly to your doorstep.
Why It's Worth It
Yes, you can get many of these medications cheaper in person: a discount pharmacy or insurance may get you the treatment at a lower cost, and for some people, that’s a great option. But the treatment itself is just one aspect, and with telehealth, you’re getting so much more: a specialized provider who works with you directly, privacy, convenience, education, etc.
Nobody talks about the value of investing in high-quality services and products. People spend years buying low-quality, gimmicky products or getting the runaround elsewhere, only to end up spending more than they would’ve if they’d just seen a quality professional from the start.
Notice GLP-1s for weight loss: they require ongoing dose adjustments to ensure a smooth experience as you start the medication and build up to higher doses. If you use too much too soon, you might experience negative side effects. If you want to maintain a lower dose after weight loss, the dose will need to be adjusted and monitored.
For most conditions and treatments, this level of “managed outcome” care is extremely important. The molecule might be identical to what you'd find anywhere, but many treatments fail not because the drug doesn't work, but because no one tells you how to use it or what to expect during use.
What Telehealth Can't Do
Telehealth does have limitations. You can’t outsource the entirety of your care to virtual services. Things like emergencies, physical exams, and more complex medical cases need to be seen in person or by other specialists.
Emergencies fall into a different category: telehealth is not for emergencies. If you’re having a medical emergency, call 911 or go to your local hospital’s emergency room.
Even focused telehealth brands aren’t knowledgeable in every case. Highly specific diseases, like the autoimmune-related hair loss disease Alopecia Areata, wouldn't be treated by most hair loss telehealth companies today. Those patients would need to seek care with a specialist elsewhere.
Telehealth relies on you being a responsible participant. This means accurately reporting your medical history, following medication directions diligently, getting any necessary lab work done, and letting providers know about any problems you may be experiencing.
Treating the Whole You
Most telehealth companies do one thing: hair, skin, weight, longevity, or hormones. The problem is that your body is an interconnected system. The biggest benefit of working with Happyglow specifically is that we take the entire picture into account. We recognize that every patient has unique biology, goals, and experiences and tailor treatment for you.
See whether treatment with a licensed provider may be appropriate for you.