FaroRx guides
Costs, comparisons and honest timelines
The questions people actually ask before starting treatment — what it costs, how it compares, and how long it takes to work. Each guide is written and reviewed by our clinical team.
Weight Loss
GLP-1 comparison
Semaglutide vs Tirzepatide: which GLP-1 is right for you?
Semaglutide is a single GLP-1 receptor agonist; tirzepatide acts on two gut hormone receptors (GIP and GLP-1). In clinical trials tirzepatide produced greater average weight loss, but semaglutide has the longer safety record and costs less. On FaroRx, compounded semaglutide starts at $159/mo and compounded tirzepatide at $249/mo — both weekly injections, both with provider review, supplies and shipping included.
Read the guide →Cost guide
How much does semaglutide cost without insurance?
Brand-name semaglutide (Wegovy or Ozempic) lists at roughly $1,000–$1,350 per month without insurance. Compounded semaglutide from a licensed U.S. pharmacy is far less: FaroRx starts at $159 per month, and that price includes the provider visit, the medication, syringes and free shipping — there is no separate consultation or membership fee.
Read the guide →Cost guide
Cheapest GLP-1 weight loss options in 2026
The cheapest legitimate way to get a GLP-1 in 2026 is compounded semaglutide from a licensed U.S. telehealth provider — around $159 per month, or $149 per month equivalent when prepaid quarterly. Brand-name Wegovy, Ozempic and Zepbound cost roughly $1,000–$1,350 per month at cash price. Metformin is cheaper still at $89 per quarter, but it is not a GLP-1 and produces far less weight loss.
Read the guide →What to expect
GLP-1 weight loss results: what to expect month by month
Most people lose 2–5 lb in the first month on a GLP-1 while at a starter dose, then 4–8 lb per month as the dose increases. By month six, average total loss is roughly 10–15% of starting body weight, and by month twelve 15–20% for those who stay on treatment. Appetite suppression usually appears within the first week, well before the scale moves much.
Read the guide →Explainer
Compounded vs brand-name GLP-1: what is actually different?
Compounded GLP-1s use the same active ingredient as the brand — semaglutide or tirzepatide — but are prepared for an individual patient by a licensed U.S. compounding pharmacy instead of being mass-produced by the brand manufacturer. Compounded medications are not FDA-approved as finished products, they cost far less, and dosing can be tailored. Brand versions carry FDA approval and the clinical trial data behind it.
Read the guide →Cost guide
Lipo-C injections: cost, benefits and how they compare to a GLP-1
Lipo-C is a lipotropic injection combining methionine, inositol, choline and B12 to support fat metabolism and energy. At a medspa, single shots typically run $25–$75 each, which adds up to $100–$300 a month. FaroRx supplies Lipo-C at $129 per month including the vial, supplies, provider review and shipping, self-administered at home.
Read the guide →Hair Growth
Hair comparison
Finasteride vs Minoxidil: which works better for hair loss?
Finasteride slows hair loss by blocking DHT, the hormone that shrinks follicles. Minoxidil regrows hair by extending the growth phase and improving blood flow to the follicle. They do different jobs, and the strongest results come from using both. On FaroRx, finasteride starts at $35/mo, minoxidil at $39/mo, and the 4-in-1 hair spray combines both plus tretinoin and fluocinolone at $119/mo.
Read the guide →Hair comparison
Topical vs oral finasteride: side effects compared
Oral finasteride lowers DHT throughout the body and has the strongest evidence for stopping hair loss. Topical finasteride targets the scalp with much lower systemic absorption, so sexual side effects are reported less often, though the evidence base is smaller. Many people who stop oral finasteride because of side effects continue successfully on a topical formulation.
Read the guide →What to expect
How long until finasteride works?
Finasteride lowers scalp DHT within days, but visible change takes time: shedding often slows by month three, new growth becomes noticeable around month six, and peak results appear at twelve to eighteen months. An increase in shedding during the first 4–8 weeks is normal and usually a sign the hair cycle is resetting.
Read the guide →Longevity & Wellness
Explainer
What are NAD+ injections — and do they actually work?
NAD+ is a coenzyme every cell uses to turn food into energy and to run DNA repair; levels decline with age. Injected NAD+ bypasses digestion and raises circulating levels directly, which is why people report improved energy, focus and recovery within the first weeks. Human evidence is early and mostly small-scale, so treat it as promising rather than proven. FaroRx supplies at-home NAD+ injections at $179 per month.
Read the guide →Comparison
NAD+ injections vs NMN supplements: which actually raises NAD?
Oral NAD+ is largely broken down in the digestive tract before it reaches your cells, which is why most supplements use precursors like NMN or NR instead. Injected NAD+ skips digestion entirely and raises circulating levels directly. If your goal is a measurable rise in NAD, injection is the more reliable route; supplements are cheaper and easier but far less efficient.
Read the guide →Explainer
Glutathione injections: benefits, results and what to expect
Glutathione is the body's primary antioxidant, central to detoxification, immune function and skin tone. Oral glutathione is poorly absorbed, so injection is the practical route. People typically use it for skin brightness and evenness, recovery and general antioxidant support; visible skin changes usually take six to twelve weeks. FaroRx supplies at-home glutathione at $119 per month.
Read the guide →Explainer
GHK-Cu cream: what it is and does it actually work?
GHK-Cu is a naturally occurring copper peptide that signals the skin to produce collagen and elastin and supports repair. Levels fall sharply with age. Applied topically it is one of the better-supported anti-ageing ingredients for firmness, fine lines and skin texture, with visible change usually appearing after six to twelve weeks of nightly use. FaroRx compounded GHK-Cu cream starts at $109 per month.
Read the guide →Comparison
GHK-Cu vs retinol: which is better for skin ageing?
Retinol has the deepest evidence base for wrinkles and photoageing, but it irritates, peels and requires a slow tolerance build. GHK-Cu copper peptide works through collagen signalling and repair instead of accelerated cell turnover, so it is far gentler and can be used on sensitive or compromised skin. They target ageing by different mechanisms and can be alternated rather than chosen between.
Read the guide →Explainer
Metformin for longevity: what the research actually says
Metformin is a decades-old diabetes medication that improves insulin sensitivity and activates AMPK, a cellular pathway linked to ageing. Observational data showed diabetics on metformin sometimes outliving non-diabetics, which is what started the longevity interest, but the definitive human trial (TAME) has not reported. It is a reasonable, inexpensive metabolic option — not a proven anti-ageing drug. FaroRx supplies metformin at $89 per quarter.
Read the guide →Strength
Comparison
Sermorelin vs HGH: what is the difference?
HGH is synthetic growth hormone injected directly, overriding your body's own control system. Sermorelin is a growth-hormone-releasing hormone analogue: it prompts your pituitary to produce more of its own growth hormone, so release stays pulsatile and self-limiting. That makes sermorelin gentler, legal to prescribe for a wider range of patients, and far less expensive — FaroRx sermorelin starts at $169 per month.
Read the guide →What to expect
Sermorelin results: a realistic before-and-after timeline
Sermorelin works gradually because it raises your own growth hormone rather than replacing it. Most people notice deeper sleep within two to four weeks, better recovery and energy by month two, and visible body-composition change between months three and six. Results depend on consistent nightly dosing, protein intake and resistance training.
Read the guide →Dosing guide
Sermorelin dosage explained
Sermorelin is typically prescribed as a nightly subcutaneous injection taken on an empty stomach, because growth hormone release naturally peaks in early sleep. Your provider sets the exact dose and schedule based on your age, goals, labs and response — this guide explains the principles, not a dose to self-prescribe.
Read the guide →