Hair loss can be a big deal for people, especially men, and they can begin losing it at a younger age than you might think.
According to the American Hair Loss Association, two-thirds of men start losing their hair before they turn 35, and many want a quick remedy.
A bald head certainly didn’t hurt actor Bruce Willis’ career, but for many people, hair loss is traumatic. Do any products really help restore hair? To find out, Consumer Reports surveyed more than 8,000 subscribers who had dealt with serious hair loss.
“We asked people a broad spectrum of questions as to what worked and what didn’t when it came to treating pattern baldness,” said Tod Marks with Consumer Reports.
The prescription drug Finasteride, also sold under the brand name Propecia, was by far the most effective treatment for men. It’s not available for women.
“When it came to Finasteride, 27 percent of those men we surveyed said it was very effective, and another 41 percent said it was somewhat effective. So there’s more hope with Finasteride than there is with almost anything else,” Marks said.
The only other FDA-approved treatment for hair loss is Minoxidil, also sold as Rogaine. It’s approved for men and women, but in lower doses. Few readers found it helpful.
“Only 4 percent of those surveyed said it was very effective at treating hair loss,” Marks said.
Dr. Robert Bernstein treats many patients for baldness.
“Of the two, Propecia is a lot more effective. But we use both in many patients,” he said.
As for the best way to hide hair loss, wearing a wig or even a toupee won the most praise. But many were happy to embrace baldness by shaving their heads.
Women who attributed their hair loss to stress found that exercise and changing their diet helped. People who experienced hair loss because of chemotherapy or chronic illness were not included in the survey.
