An at-home wearable for the treatment of depression is now available by prescription in the US. Swedish firm Flow Neuroscience is positioning its device as an alternative to traditional drugs. But at the current four-figure price tag, it might take a while for the futuristic-looking headset to catch on with patients.

Worn on the forehead for 30 minutes a day and operated with an app, the device provides low-intensity electrical stimulation to the left frontal lobe of the brain, an area involved in regulating mood and emotions. People with depression tend to have lower activity and weaker neural connections in that part of the brain.

In a trial of 174 people with major depressive disorder, 45 percent of participants who received Flow’s device experienced a remission in symptoms at 10 weeks compared to 22 percent of those in a control group who received a sham version. The trial included people who were taking antidepressants and those who weren’t—evidence that the device can, under medical supervision, be used in addition to medication, says Flow CEO Daniel Månsson.

Reported side effects were mild: Some people experienced skin irritation, headaches, and trouble concentrating. Antidepressants, meanwhile, can cause nausea, weight gain, drowsiness, dry mouth, and sexual problems, but these can go away a few weeks after beginning medication.

In Europe, where the device has been approved since 2019, more than 65,000 people have used the Flow device, says Månsson. The UK’s National Health Service is also piloting the headset. In the US, patients will be able to get a prescription for the Flow device from a clinician in person or via telehealth. But at least for now, they’ll have to pay out of pocket to use it: $2,200 for 10 weeks and then $325 per month after. That’s a lot more than standard antidepressants, which are usually covered by insurance. Månsson says the company is working to get reimbursement from insurers.