BOSTON -- By the age of 40, about 40 percent of both women and men are noticeably losing their hair.
NewsCenter 5's Liz Brunner reported that the good news is there are treatments. But how well do they work, and given the cost, are they worth it?
"I'd notice a little more and more hair in the shower," said Melissa Rayes, who is concerned about hair loss.
Marketing representative Rayes is just 32, but there's a family history of hair loss, and she is worried.
"Most people say they can't see anything yet, but that's the point. I want to do something before it gets worse," Rayes said.
Rayes met with Dr. Robert Leonard, a 17-year veteran of hair-loss treatment.
"After 50 percent of the hair is already down the drain is when a person even begins to notice their hair thinning," Leonard said. "I don't have a crystal ball to see how bald they will become, but I can assure them they will have less hair if they do nothing."
Leonard uses a micro-camera to record the areas where hair is thinning.
He suggests Rayes does two things -- first, use the over-the-counter treatment, Rogaine.
"With Rogaine applied to the scalp twice a day, it takes about four months before we notice less hair falling out and about eight months before I notice hair regrowth," Leonard said.
Second, Leonard told Rayes about a new treatment called Luce.
"The Luce LDS system works by increasing capillary blood flow to the surface of the dermis where the follicles reside," Leonard said.
She will sit under the Luce light for 30 minutes a day, twice a week to start.
The Luce treatments will cost Rayes $3,900 over the next year.
She is ready to commit with the hope that six months from now, she'll see much less hair falling out.
"If she gets regrowth, which happens 50 percent of the time, that's more of a bonus situation," Leonard said.
"When people started thinking I was older than I really was, I was like, 'I better start doing something about that,'" said Ken Thomas Jr., 30, who is concerned about hair loss.
For computer technician Thomas, the idea of hair loss treatment has grown on him.
"First thing I thought about was what people would say," Thomas said "Then I started thinking to myself, what's the difference between that and going tanning or body building?"
Leonard suggests Thomas, too, use Rogaine and the Luce treatments. In addition, he will take the prescription pill Propecia to further hair growth and will undergo hair transplantation.
"If I surgically transplant follicles from here to here, those follicles will grow genetically life long," Leonard said.
Thomas' total treatment plan, including transplant surgery, will cost more than $8,200 over the next year. He said that he'd pay it off gradually in hopes that it will bring something back into the picture.
"My self-image. I'd like to get that image back that I'm losing and can't do anything about," Thomas said.
Will Rayes and Thomas get good results? NewsCenter 5 will check on their progress in six months.
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