As the only FDA approved, over the counter hair loss treatment, Rogaine has become a household name. It has also been the subject of many scientific studies. But is it the right choice for you when you are experiencing thinning hair? Let's look into the facts about Rogaine.

Rogaine has been shown to produce some hair growth in 33% of men. This was the result of a survey conducted by the makers of Rogaine. A fascinating point of the survey was that the placebo treatment (the fake treatment with no Rogaine) produced hair growth in 20% of those in the study. Does this mean that people will regrow hair when they believe that they will? Is hair loss partially controlled by our attitude? Who knows. But it is certainly interesting that Rogaine is only 13% more successful than the fake treatment.

So you're interested. You've got a one in three chance of seeing some hair growth. The next thing to consider is the cost of Rogaine. Monthly, you're looking at around $40-$50. Maybe less if you go for the generic Rogaine that some stores offer. So now you have to consider whether a yearly cost of over $500 for a 33% chance of some hair regrowth is worth it. Rogaine says it may take 2 years of treatment before you see your hair grow back. So that's around $1000 for your one in three chance.

Let's say you drop the grand and turn out to be that lucky one in three. Guess what? Rogaine only works as long as you keep using it. So you have to continue your $500 a year treatment to keep your hair going. But here's the catch, Rogaine won't work forever. You can get about two years of growth out of it before your hair resumes its thinning.

So before investing that first $50 into a bottle of Rogaine, consider the long term possibilities. Several thousand dollars for a one in three chance at two years of hair growth. Is it worth it? You have to decide for yourself, but make sure you are making an educated choice.