It seems Joni Mitchell knew a thing or two about hair loss when she wrote her 1975 hit Big Yellow Taxi. “Don’t it always seem to go, that you don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone?” she sang. And just how right she was.
That’s the problem with hair loss. As a teenager you simply don’t appreciate your thick, lustrous and healthy mane. As soon as it starts to thin you’re left to contemplate life with less hair than you would like. Fortunately, we live in the 21st century; a time when the number of treatments available seems to grow by the day. So, if you’re loath to kiss your locks goodbye, here’s a cost analysis of the different hair loss treatments currently on the market.
Hair transplants
Hair transplants range widely in price depending on the amount of hair you wish to have transplanted. One things for sure though, you better have some pretty deep pockets!
The most commonly used hair transplant procedure is the strip method, which involves the removal of a strip of hair from the back of the head, before planting the individual grafts into areas where the hair grows more thinly. Potential problems with transplant hair loss treatments include scarring, infection and abnormal looking hair growth.
And the price? The princely sum of between £2,000 and £8,000, depending on the amount of hair you wish to transplant.
Laser therapy
Laser light therapy is sometimes an effective form of treatment for men who have noticed an increase in their rate of hair loss, so many use it to try to stop the exodus of hair before it’s too late. Success rates are mixed, and perhaps worryingly, the rates of regrowth and the cessation of shedding quoted by different laser hair clinics vary widely.
You can expect to pay anywhere between £40 for a single session to over a £1000 for a year-long treatment. However, laser hair treatment clinics in the UK seem to be particularly reluctant to give you any idea of their prices, so choose wisely, request a few quotes, and be careful you don’t get burned!
Cell therapy
This complicated procedure used to be more at home in the cardiology department than the hair loss clinic. Cell therapy involves the manipulation of blood cells to isolate growth proteins which can then be used on your scalp. Got it? Good. This is often used in conjunction with a hair transplant to improve the chances of success.
The bad news is, it’ll cost you in the region of £700; the slightly better news is, when purchased alongside a hair transplant, you’ll only have to fork out about £250 extra for both treatments.
Hair fibers
This hair loss treatment offers a proven method of restoring the appearance of a full head of hair. Rather than acting to halt the hair loss, the fibres conceal thinning areas and help to restore the confidence that comes with a full head of air.
But how much will it cost? Well, not much at all actually, a 12g bottle of natural keratin hair fibres costs £20 for a 30 day supply.
Are any of these hair loss treatments available on the NHS?
Sadly not. Male-pattern baldness is not a treatment usually offered by the NHS. This is due both to the expense of the treatments themselves and their variable success rates.