One in six Chinese people have problems with hair loss according to a new report from the National Health Commission. As of 2019, the number of people who had reported losing hair in China exceeded 250 million, among which 163 million were men and 88 million were women.
Hair loss is becoming increasingly common among young people and 84% of under-30s have suffered from the condition. Many are experiencing hair loss up to 20 years earlier than previous generations due to young people’s high-stress lifestyles, overtime working and change in diets.
The trend has resulted in the hair loss industry developing rapidly. China’s hair transplant industry has grown by 60-80% in recent years and exceeded 20 billion RMB ($3.1 billion) in 2020. However, hair transplant is an expensive option, especially for younger consumers, and so, many have opted for alternative remedies, including wigs, treatments and supplements. Yanagiya’s hair loss shampoo and Swisse‘s hair nutrition supplements are both popular on the e-commerce platform Tmall. The size of China’s wig market is predicted to grow to 25 to 35 billion RMB in the next few years.
Although the issue has not been trending in response to the report, hair loss has gained lots of traction on social media in the last couple of years. Recommendation-based platform Xiaohongshu is home to a lot of content about hair loss, many of which receive high engagement. Among these, users have given advice about products, supplements and food products to prevent hair loss, and doctors have shared their tips.
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