An FDA-approved glaucoma drug named bimatoprost may be the answer to many who have lost precious strands and can’t get their hair to grow, according to a recent research report that appeared online in the FASEB Journal and reported by Science Daily.

For the study, researchers conducted tests on human cells and one on the skin of mice. For the human cell tests, scientists applied bimatoprost on hair follicles grown in an organ culture as well as those directly from the human scalp. Researchers found that the bimatoprost stimulated hair growth. In the third test, scientists applied the drug to bald spots on mice and this also resulted in hair growth.

“We hope this study will lead to the development of a new therapy for balding which should improve the quality of life for many people with hair loss,” said Valerie Randall, a researcher from the University of Bradford, in the United Kingdom.

Scientists were excited about the findings because bimatoprost is approved for human use and has a positive safety profile. The drug is currently the active ingredient in Latisse, a popular topical medication used to regrow eyelash hair. Some doctors have already begun using bimatoprost on patients who requested treatments.

The bad news is, bimatoprost ain’t cheap. A news report stated that a tiny 3 ml bottle of the drug costs $120.00 and lasts just two to three weeks. What’s more, the drug still needs official studies so doctors can determine how to use it more effectively to treat patients fighting hair loss.

Hair growth can’t happen if you don’t have a healthy scalp. Click here to read more.