Seen At 11: The Hair Helmet

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Millions of Americans suffer from hair loss and they spend millions of dollars on treatments to restore their hair.

But now technology is opening the door to a new non-surgical, non-invasive option that you can use in your own home.

CBS 2's Kristine Johnson has what you need to know about the hair helmet.

"I cried every night over it. I didn't feel like a woman," Sabra Hardy said, referring to the devastation she felt over losing her hair.

Hardy said she hid the problem with turbans and wigs, but nothing could hide her pain.

"You can deal with not having a lot of jewelry or clothes or perfume. You could deal with not even having a guy. But when you lose your hair, it's just too much," Hardy said.

Today, Hardy's hair is back.

"This is my pride and joy," she said, referring to the Theradome, a helmet with lasers inside.

The difference between what Hardy looked like six months before using the device and how she looks today is striking.

"This is about getting energy down to the cells," said Grant Gunderson, who works for the Theradome Company.

Gunderson said when the helmet is worn twice a week, the lasers stimulate hair growth.

"It increases blood flow at the base of the follicle so that there's more nutrients and keratin, everything the hair needs to actually produce and become healthy again," Gunderson said.

After six months to a year, users actually see new hair growth.

"People who stick with it see good results," Gunderson said.

Dermatologist Dr. Joyce Davis said lasers do show promise, but shouldn't be used alone.

"It could conceivably work," Davis said. "For some people the laser may be also helpful, but I would recommend it in addition to medication -- not as a substitute."

Dr. Davis said that new, medically proven treatments are becoming available all the time, treatments that can be less cumbersome than using lasers.

"The laser requires active use of the product. For some people this is a little bit more than inconvenient," Davis said.

But Hardy said she didn't mind at all, and though she may still have some thin spots she insists the Theradome changed her life.

"It's like having myself back. It's like opening the door and saying, 'hey, you're back,' and it's me," Hardy said. "It feels fantastic."

You might think that mostly men would be interested in hair-loss products, but actually post-menopausal women are the fastest growing part of the market, Johnson reported.

The Theradome can be used by both men and women.

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