A new laser hair-loss treatment aims to be like going to the dentist twice a year

• Hair transplants are popular but involve surgery, high costs, and recovery time. • FoLix, a laser treatment for hair loss, could be a nonsurgical alternative. Not everyone is a candidate. • This article is part of "Transforming Treatments," a series on medical innovations that save time, money, or discomfort.

Hair transplants have exploded in popularity in recent years — so much so that flights returning from Turkey packed with men sporting freshly transplanted hairlines have become a meme. And the stigma surrounding the once-taboo procedure is lessening.

In August, John Cena said his recent hair transplant "completely changed the course of my life." While effective, transplants are still surgeries that require thousands of dollars, time off work, and a multi-week recovery process.