The average person loses between 50 and 100 hairs per day through normal movement, activity, and grooming practices. For a person with a healthy scalp and an uninterrupted hair growth cycle, these hairs will be naturally replenished on a regular basis, meaning that the appearance and thickness of their hair will not change through natural shedding.
However, if your scalp is unhealthy or your natural hair growth cycle has been interrupted or halted in some way, you will most likely notice hair loss well over 100 strands per day. Whether this acceleration of hair loss is caused by a genetic predisposition, a medical condition, stress, or some other catalyst completely, hair loss can be extremely frustrating to deal with.
What to Do About Hair Loss
If you’re experiencing hair thinning or hair loss, you’re probably wondering what you can do to slow the spread or even reverse the effects. Two of the most common medications on the market today when it comes to halting hair loss are minoxidil and finasteride, which are both found in several drug store hair loss products.
Minoxidil is a topical treatment that usually comes in the form of a cream or gel and can be purchased over the counter. Finasteride is an oral medication that generally requires a doctor’s prescription to obtain. Many people see results from using these products, particularly when used together; however, it’s a known fact that neither minoxidil nor finasteride are designed to support hair regrowth.
You want your thick, healthy hair back as much as the next person experiencing hair loss. Therefore, though medications can potentially slow the spread of your hair loss, it may be more productive to look into treatment options that will not only stop hair loss from occurring but also help your scalp and hair follicles to grow new hair, restoring your hair to its previous appearance.
Laser Hair Therapy: The Go-To for Total Hair Restoration
When most people hear the term “laser therapy,” they think of a series of potentially painful doctor’s visits that end with a bill climbing into the thousands of dollars. Though these treatments are still available today, they’re becoming a thing of the past more and more, especially with the advent of low-level laser therapy.
Low-level laser therapy goes by several different names depending on the provider: low-level light therapy, red light therapy, and cold laser therapy are some of the most common. Though the names have slight variations, these all refer to the same thing: a low-intensity laser treatment that is designed to halt hair loss and support healthy hair regrowth.
How does low-level laser therapy work, you may ask? The products that utilize this technology, such as laser caps, allow the irradiation of photons into scalp tissues during wear. This slows the progression of hair follicle damage, therefore slowing hair loss, and invigorates the circulation of blood flow to the scalp, providing follicles with the oxygen they need to grow new hair.
Though low-level light therapy is a relatively new method when it comes to the hair loss prevention and the hair regrowth industries, it’s proven to be completely safe for use. In fact, the technology is FDA-cleared and was found to be both safe and effective as a hair growth product for both men and women in a 2014 study.
Known Benefits of Laser Hair Therapy
Low-level laser therapy is extremely beneficial in many ways, and the list will only continue to expand as the technology progresses. Here are some of the top benefits of laser hair therapy:
It’s cost-effective. When compared to its medical predecessor, low-level laser therapy is incredibly affordable. Most hair therapy treatments and hair transplants performed by surgeons can cost between $5000 and $15000, and what’s more, these procedures are rarely covered by medical insurance. Low-level laser therapy caps almost always fall within the several hundred-dollar range, and purchase often includes other products like hair care or hair growth vitamins.
It’s non-invasive and painless. Laser hair treatments and hair transplants can be uncomfortable and sometimes downright painful, plus they often require a lengthy recovery time. Low-level light therapy is completely painless and is usually designed to be worn beneath a standard ball cap, so those around you won’t even know you’re wearing it.
It’s convenient. Low-level light therapy caps can be worn to the grocery store while walking your dog, or wherever you need to go throughout the day. You won’t have to worry about taking the time to visit a surgeon or changing your schedule to fit in surgical recovery—you can tailor your hair growth journey to your ideal timeline and make it work around your schedule.
