Controlling Hair Loss

MCLEAN, Va. (WUSA) -- Nick Bennett started losing his hair while he was in high school.

Nick remembers, "Having more hair on your pillow. When you took a shower hair would fall out and it was a horrible feeling."

Nick says shortly after his hair started thinning, "My self confidence started to go down, because you see all my friends at the time were 18 years old and they have full heads of hair."

Nick explains that his extreme and early baldness was genetic. His father and brother both had similar problems too.

However, Nick opted for a product called the HairMax Laser Comb to bring back some of his hair.

Dr. Richard Giannotto with the Hair Restoration Group of Northern Virginia, "The effect of laser is to make the hair actually start growing again. The laser is not a drug so it doesn't have any side effects or potential side effects that some of the drugs have."

Dr. Giannotto recommends a two-fold laser comb process. Patients use a weaker version of the laser at home. Then he recommends they come into his office once a month for a stronger dose he administers.

Giannotto says a hot laser penetrates the skin 8 to 10 millimeters where the hair follicle is located.

The laser Giannotto explains, "It effects the hair follicle biochemically and it will accelerate growth and it will strengthen the follicle."

Dr. Giannotto also likes to see his patients weekly to check their progress and to see if oral medications are needed to help with hair growth stimulation.

Dr. Giannotto says that after four or five months patients will no longer see hair in their hands.

For Nick, he admits, "I just wanted to still be able to talk to women in my early twenties. I didn't want to look like I was thirty when I was talking to women in my early twenties."

The cost just for the at home HairMax Laser Comb is $700.

Experts from the American Hair Loss Association and the Wake Forest Dermatological Center say there could be a few drawbacks to the Laser Comb.

One of the concerns experts explain is that the low level lasers may not be strong enough to pass through the scalp to reach the hair follicle.

The experts also tell 9NEWS NOW there's no real data quite yet to establish the effectiveness of just the home comb because patients may also wind up getting the higher frequency treatments along with oral medications.