For many women, they remember the days when their hair was long, luxurious, and thick. However, if they are have had the same experience as Ruth Caton, it which her hair became thin and started falling out, they might have a medical condition.

Caton realized early on that not only was her hair falling out, but that she was feeling dizzy and gaining weight. It took a few doctors to diagnose her with hypothyroidism, meaning her thyroid gland was not producing enough hormones. After taking replacement hormones, Caton?s hair returned back to normal.

According to Dr. Leslie Coker, hair loss really affects women because it is men that are thought of as being bald. ?We?re not supposed to lose our hair,? she stated.

However, more than 30 million women in the US have experienced hair loss, and in some women this can be a symptom of a chronic medical condition. These conditions include anemia, thyroid disease, and polycystic ovarian syndrome. Also some women can experience hair loss after childbirth, crash diets, emotional stress, and surgery.

Nowadays men have that have gone bald have a few options, these include either wearing a toupee or getting a hair transplant. A toupee is good if it looks natural and is properly serviced.

However, depending on your preference, you might be adverse to getting a hair transplant. Usually a hair transplant involves a surgeon removing hair from at the back of the donor?s head. Usually three strands are removed at a time. It is often called a follicular unit transplant. The section of hair is dissected into three different units and then the hair is placed into your scalp using a large needle.

In this process a hairline is created, however hair transplantation is not cheap, so be prepared to pay from $5,000-10,000 dollars.

Banyu Pharmaceuticals announced today that it was distributing Japan?s first male hair restoration pill.

Propecia is expected to retail for 250 Japanese Yen or 2 US dollars. Banyu Pharmaceutical is a division of the pharmaceutical giant, Merck and Co, Inc. which already sells the drug in many other countries.

Studies conducted by Banyu Pharm. showed that a least 58% of the men who took the drug Propecia had hair regrowth. The drug acts to reduce the effect of dihydrotestosterone.

The details of apartnership reveal that Anagen will provide the medical technician staff that Samson Hair Restoration requires.

Samson Hair Restoration is pleased with this new joint venture with Anagen Staffing as stated by William McCullough, President of Samson Hair Restoration: "We are very pleased to associate with Anagen Staffing. We have known of the quality of Al-Tariq's staff for some time. His people are reliably good. That was a huge factor in deciding to associate with his company. There is a tremendous variation in the quality of technicians in this field and their work is vital to the final result. We know our patients will be well-served by the staff of Anagen Staffing," explained William McCullough, President of Samson Hair Restoration.

President of Anagen Staffing, Al-Tariq Harris states that this new agreement will benefit Samson?s patients: "Unlike many cosmetic surgery procedures, doctors simply cannot perform these types of procedures by themselves. They need good technicians to insure a quality result for the patient. That's what we provide?.

Annabel Girard interviewed Madonna White Coffman who revealed that, "Your hair is part of that first impression. Losing your hair can be a life-altering experience. It can be just devastating. It affects you every minute of every day. When it happened to my child, it gave me a helpless feeling."

When Coffman and her daughter lost their hair after receiving vaccinations, she decided to start Locks Of Love.

Their hair grew back, but the Coffman felt Locks Of Love was needed. Her company collects charitable donations of hair that must be at least ten inches long. The hair is made into wigs for women or children who have suffered hair loss.

As women age their hair undergoes changes as well with some women experiencing hair loss with hormonal changes. According to Dr. Sam Assassa, of the Beverly Hills Aesthetics cosmetic center, Mesotherapy is a viable for hair loss women have due to hormonal changes associated with menopause, or after giving birth.

Dr. Assassa explained the benefits of the procedure: ?Mesotherapy replaces the vitamins and minerals that the body loses as we age. The medications in Mesotherapy treatments cause an increase in blood circulation to the scalp area and stimulates the hair follicles?, he said.

By using Mesotherapy, women suffering from hair loss have the benefit of being able to restore hair growth again.

Many doctors including dermatologists are using the hair to reveal just how healthy you are. According to Dr. Brian Williams, ?Hair grows fast, one of the fastest growing cells in the body, and because of that it reflects what?s going on??.

There are many medical conditions such as iron deficiency anemia or increased blood sugar in diabetes that causes changes in a person?s hair. Sometimes resulting in hair loss.

A few medications such as birth control pills can affect women and cause them to lose their hair. However, in instances where significant amount of hair is lost, it is recommended that you contact your doctor as quickly as possible. More information about how your hair can reveal how sick or healthy you are can be read here.

Male pattern baldness is the most common form of hairloss. Typically it is identified by a receeding hairline as pictured below.

Healthline describes how it happens:

Hair grows about an inch every couple of months. Each hair grows for 2 to 6 years, remains at that length for a short period, then falls out. A new hair soon begins growing in its place. At any one time, about 85% of the hair on your head is in the growing phase and 15% is not.

Each hair sits in a cavity in the skin called a follicle. Baldness in men occurs when the follicle shrinks over time, resulting in shorter and finer hair. The end result is a very small follicle with no hair inside. Ordinarily, hair should grow back. However, in men who are balding, the follicle fails to grow a new hair. Why this occurs is not well understood, but it is related to your genes and male sex hormones. Even though the follicles are small, they remain alive, suggesting the possibility of new growth.

The most common cures for male pattern baldness are hair transplants, Rogaine, and Propecia. Male pattern baldness is believed to effect nearly 2/3 of all adult males at some point in their lives.

Women can fight back against early stage hair loss by using laser surgery to stimulate blood flow and deliver more vitamins and protein to their hair.

At a price tag of around $2,000 laser technology costs around half the price tag of hair loss surgery. News Channel 8's Joce Mamintainta reports:

of her hair loss at 19 years old.

>"It was hard to lose, it would happen in the shower and it would just be in the handfuls."

Most of her hair is back after sitting for 20 minutes under a laser for nearly two years.

"What the laser does is it stimulates the blood to flow about 50 percent higher throughout the top of the scalp by doing that, it's going to feed the hair follicle more protein and vitamins."

However, the laser is only for early stage hair loss.

Stephanie has her life back, as do other women just like her empowered by more options.