You had glorious thick hair, and then you started noticing that it was thinning a bit in spots. Then a little thinner and thinner and then where did it all go? If you are faced with this dilemma, let’s explore the options.

Hair loss can be a problem faced by men, women, and even children. Hair loss can have a detrimental effect on self-esteem. You may approach the problem with depression or with enthusiasm to find a solution that you can be happy with. Let’s examine some of the options available today.

First, let’s put the effect of losing your hair into perspective. In a survey of 2,338 men conducted by the International Society for Hair Restoration Surgery, more than 1,300 said they would be willing to give up a personal possession in exchange for more hair. Of that group, 26% said they would be willing to give up a stereo, 21% a cell phone, 17% a laptop and 13% a plasma TV. This definitely shows how men feel about their hair loss.

In the US alone, hair restoration procedures are estimated to account for over $800 million in sales, primarily to men. You have a couple of options: shave your head (this takes a lot of guts) or find a treatment to regrow or replace your hair.

Society has shown that someone with a shaved head is seen as less trustworthy or visually appealing. TV commercials or magazines don’t show the hot girl with the bald man. No, she’s the type that looks like GQ with the nice, thick, well-trimmed haircut. The reason is that this type of look sells. Women just prefer it.

So what are the options if you want to find a treatment for your hair to grow back or be replaced?

– Your physical health. First, get checked out by a doctor to make sure there are no underlying health reasons for your hair loss. Your hair is a direct reflection of your physical health. If your body is deficient in a mineral or vitamin, it will show up in your hair growth.

– What about the medication? A dermatologist can help you find out if medications, such as prescription menoxidil (Rogaine) or propecia, are smart choices. These are the only two medications approved by the US Food and Drug Administration to treat hair loss, both have been shown to be effective in preventing hair loss for as long as they are used and can be taken simultaneously to obtain potentially better results. They can help with thinning hair and promote hair growth. Rogaine can cost around $30-$40 per month or around $400-$500 per year.

– Earlier this year, the FDA approved a portable home medical device called the HairMax LaserComb, which uses the energy of a laser to promote hair growth. The cost ranges from $395 to $545. Since some men may not want to take a pill every day for the rest of their lives or use a special comb regularly, many turn to hair transplantation or natural procedures.

– Follicular unit grafting is considered one of the most expensive hair transplant techniques. A decade ago, doctors took large grafts of hair, known as plugs, from the back of a patient’s head and transplanted them onto the crown of the head. Follicular unit grafting takes hair in groups of one to four. Procedures can take several hours and cost more than $10,000.

– There are all natural techniques designed to regrow hair using ordinary grocery store items as well. One of the techniques is to rub olive oil all over your head before going to bed. Keep it wrapped in a towel overnight while sleeping, and then shampoo it in the morning. You do this for a total of 8 days.

This procedure removes excess sebum that accumulates and hardens on the scalp, clogging the hair roots and making hair growth extremely difficult. Not only will it dissolve and remove layers of built-up sebum, but it will also kill bacteria that prevent hair from growing.

There are more all-natural techniques that help regrow hair using common grocery store items.