80 million American men and women suffer from male or female pattern hair loss according to a study

While lately most people are skeptical about their return on investment from stocks, it appears they have no qualms about making a solid investment in their locks.

According to a new online survey conducted by the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery (ISHRS), 59 percent of people asked whether they would rather have more hair, more money or more friends chose more hair. By comparison, only 26 percent of respondents chose more money and 13 percent said they would rather have more friends. Of the 1,407 participants who answered this question, slightly more women (64 percent) than men (59 percent) indicated they wanted more hair than money or friends.

“In our practice, patients often comment that they view treating their hair loss as an investment, both personally and professionally,” said Dr. Craig Ziering of Ziering Medical in Los Angeles.

With more than 18 years of experience, Dr. Ziering is a leading expert in the field of hair restoration. In that time he has treated a number of patients, many of whom have undergone treatment to look more youthful and even more “marketable” to employers and help build confidence when stepping back into dating and other social scenes.

“This survey shows that men and women really place a high value on having more hair. In today’s unpredictable economy, people are looking for ways to boost their moods and settle their nerves. Hair restoration and other cosmetic treatments are helping do just that,” said Dr. Ziering.

Other key findings of the survey include:

• More than half of respondents (54 percent) said they would be more inclined to consider having a hair transplant if celebrities or public figures were more open about their hair restoration experiences. When analyzed by gender, men were more likely to agree with this statement than women – 56 percent said yes among men vs. 45 percent among women.
• When asked what locations hair can be transplanted to, a surprising 46 percent of respondents answered that hair can only be transplanted to the scalp. In reality, hair can be transplanted to several areas of the body, including the eyebrows, beard, eyelashes, and pubic areas.
• When asked what percentage of hair loss was needed to be cosmetically visible, only one-quarter (25 percent) of respondents correctly chose 50 percent as the response.

An estimated 80 million American men and women suffer from male or female pattern hair loss. Fortunately, recent scientific breakthroughs have made hair restoration an option for almost everyone. Hair restoration surgery and proven medical treatments are an effective combination in treating people with thinning hair and limiting future hair loss.