Hair Loss A Problelm For Women But Options Are Increasing
There are now more options to help the 20-million U.S. women who suffer from hair loss.
Long, thick and lustrous are the locks Joan Denton longed to have.
"It was scary," she said. "It was heart-wrenching."
Joan wouldn't even walk outside when her hair loss got bad. But now, she enjoys the outdoors.
"Just like if you are on a health kick, you want to use diet and exercise to get the result, the same is true in other areas of medicine like hair loss," said hair restoration expert Dr. Alan Bauman. "And today, the number of tools is increasing."
One of the newest is lasers. The light energy stimulates cells and causes hair to grow. Patients need up to three, 15-minute sessions a week in an office setting. The cost is $4,000 a year. Or they can try hand-held lasers at home for up to $3,500.
"The FDA has approved a number of devices," said Dr. Bauman.
Rogaine is another option. The two-percent solution is FDA approved for women. It costs about $40 a month. Your doctor can also prescribe Propecia. It's a pill that costs about $60 a month. And the tried and true hair transplant offers impressive results for women at about $10,000.
Joan tried lasers, drugs and had a transplant.
"I am a different person," she said. "I got my life back. I no longer have to worry about going out and having the wind blow."
Propecia is not FDA approved for women. A doctor has to prescribe it off-label. The results vary for each of these treatments, but Dr. Bauman says hair transplants typically take up to a year to get the full result for women.