Faithfully using a lasercomb can help you grow new hair

Q. Will using a lasercomb help me grow hair?

A. Yes, about 10 percent more. The Food and Drug Administration recently endorsed the LaserComb ($550, lasercomb.net) after reviewing a 26-week product study funded by the comb's manufacturer.

Eighty-two men slowly glided the LaserComb over their scalps three times a week. After the trial, 93 percent of the men had experienced a 10 percent increase in scalp hair.

The key to the comb's success: low-level lasers that fire compressed light into hair follicles as the comb's teeth uncover them. Says Dr. Alan Bauman, a hair-restoration physician in Florida, "It's believed that the mitochondria, or power plants, within each follicle's cells absorb this light and convert it into energy."

These cells are responsible for hair's growth, shine and strength.

"This energy boost jump-starts weakened follicles and bolsters healthy ones, causing them to produce high-quality hair," Bauman says.

A year's worth of in-office laser therapy runs about $4,000. Another option: Sunetic's Laser Hair Brush ($400, sunetics.com). "Sunetics makes the larger office units, and the technology is the same," Bauman says.

But remember: If you stop using the laser, hair loss resumes.

Q. Is there such a thing as "too-low" LDL cholesterol?

A. There could be. Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol or LDL -- the bad type -- that's below 100 mg/dl is an indicator of excellent cardiovascular health. Do your best to hit or beat that number.

But don't overdo it. In a review of 1,214 studies, University of Michigan researchers found no evidence to support ultra-low LDL targets of 70 mg/dl or lower. And there have been study results that might make you worry about hitting low double digits. Too-low LDL has been linked to depression and anxiety, since very low cholesterol may reduce serotonin levels in the brain. Until that's resolved, stick with an LDL goal of around 100.