Rising hair concerns drive the appearance-conscious toward treatment

A growing number of youths are suffering hair loss and other hair problems, and they are more than willing to splurge on professional hair treatment compared with the older generations, according to a report on Chinese people's hair health.

About 74 percent of people born in the 1990s and 73 percent born in the 2000s suffer from hair problems, according to the report jointly issued by the Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health, affiliated with the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and Chinanews.com, a news outlet, in September 2023.

Besides, 52 percent of the younger respondents to the survey, on which the report is based, said they prefer getting treatment for their hair problems in professional healthcare institutes, compared with less than 40 percent of people in their 40s or 50s.

Beyond basic requirements such as improving their hair coverage, 25.7 percent of the respondents born in the 2000s said they are also interested in "hair aesthetics" apart from seeking hair treatment. The corresponding figures for those born in the 1990s, 1980s and 1970s are about 19 percent, 17 percent and 11 percent, respectively.

The survey gathered data through questionnaires and in-depth interviews with respondents, according to the Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health of the CAS. Chen Daming, a researcher at the institute, said that the demand for hair care among residents in second-tier and third-tier cities — usually provincial capitals and cities with moderate economic growth — has risen dramatically in recent years.

"Our survey shows that 54 percent of the people in third-tier cities and 48 percent in second-tier cities have considered seeking hair treatment in hospitals," Chen said.

The report also shows that people born in the 1990s are more open to paying for hair care products and services and spend an average of 9,980 yuan ($1,400) a year on them.

Chen said a significant trend in the hair care industry is the rising demand for personalized and holistic services. "About half of the respondents said they look for combined hair transplant and hair care services," Chen said. "And 66 percent said they will factor whether a medical institution offers postoperative services after hair transplant into their choice."

An increasing number of services and products are available in the market for the treatment of thinning hair, and they include shampoo and hair conditioner infused with traditional Chinese medicines to prevent hair loss, finasteride and other common hair loss pills, hair transplant surgery, laser light therapy and injections.

"The stereotype of hair treatment (for baldness and other medical conditions) has been shattered, as some young women tend to undergo hair treatment to look more beautiful. Also, personalized services with good aesthetic taste are becoming increasingly popular," he said.

The report also said that hair health issues are now closely related to confidence, with 79 percent of the respondents saying they would opt for a hair transplant if they have bald spots or their hair loss worsens to the point of "ruining" their appearance.

Given this trend, novel hair care technologies could emerge in the near future to meet the customized demands of consumers, Chen said.