The bald truth of hair today, gone tomorrow

Pearl Ren, a doctoral candidate at a Beijing university, has a healthy volume of hair but is distressed about her naturally high hairline and widening down the middle parting. Further fueling her anxiety are the innumerable promotions of hair growth remedies embellished by beautiful models with flowing locks falling in glossy waves over their shoulders — down to their waist in many cases — and picture-perfect hairlines.

"There are many such advertisements at subway and bus stations, especially in areas full of tall office buildings," said Pearl, who prefers to be called by her English name. Pearl first contemplated undergoing a hair transplant surgery about three years ago after completing her master's degree. But she is yet to take the plunge, so to speak.

"I have done some research and it appears that the recovery period is long, which could disrupt my work schedule. Besides, I am worried that implanted follicles and attached hair could become a mess when I grow older," Pearl said. "So nowadays, I just apply hairline powder to the white patches to make them look fuller," she added.

Pearl belongs to a cohort of cautious consumers, and her prudence is justified, according to medical experts. The increasing number of people with thinning hair, receding hairline or spot baldness has given rise to a booming hair restoration/transplant industry. But experts have been warning people against being swayed by the exaggerated claims of such advertisements, stressing that hair loss treatment could be a lengthy process and is not foolproof.

Official data show that in China about 250 million people suffer hair loss or thinning hair, with 130 million of them affected by a condition called androgenetic alopecia, also known as pattern hair loss. Two other common forms of hair loss are telogen effluvium, temporary hair loss caused by stress, hormonal changes or medication, and alopecia areata, which is characterized by hair loss in small, coin-sized patches.

Yang Dingquan, head of the Trichology Center at China-Japan Friendship Hospital, said on average people have between 100,000 and 150,000 hairs on their head. Most people with pattern hair loss have about 40,000 hairs, and the majority of them can maintain them with standard treatment and about 70 percent of them can increase the number to between 50,000 to 70,000.

"But it is very difficult to restore their hair to the level when they were 18," Yang said. More importantly, they could suffer further hair loss after stopping treatment, and the condition could also worsen, leading to baldness.

Referring to hair transplant surgery, which involves removing natural hair follicles and transplanting them in bald spots, Yang said constant monitoring is required to check for inflammation and infections. One also needs to take meticulous care of the spots where hair is transplanted to prevent further hair loss.

"Hair loss is like a condition that requires long-term management," Yang said. "People undergoing treatment should follow the medication regime under the guidance of doctors and reinforce the outcome by taking proper care of their hair or constantly consulting professionals."

Despite the risk of failure, many private hair care companies claim a success rate of up to 95 percent for implanted follicles. A woman surnamed Zhang, who lives in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, said during an interview with China Central Television that a year after she underwent a hair transplant surgery at a local cosmetic surgery facility, she found that the hair on the treated spots still looked thin.

"When I confronted the facility about their self-proclaimed success rate, they simply told me that my follicles lacked 'vitality'," she said. "I am in my 20s. And yet, according to them, my follicles lack 'vitality'. If that is indeed the case, these companies should not boast a success rate of 95 percent, because they should be aware that such conditions could drastically bring down their success rate."

Chen Yinjiang, deputy secretary-general of the Consumer Protection Law Association of the China Law Society, said that some hair growth and transplant advertisements tend to exaggerate the severity of hair loss and the efficacy of their treatment, triggering anxiety among viewers.

China's Advertisement Law stipulates that advertisements for medical products should not contain assertions of efficacy or safety, nor should they claim any success rates. "Claims like the survival rate of hair follicles of up to 95 percent are a violation of the law," he said.

Li Fang, a 34-year-old Beijing resident, said he began losing hair a couple of years ago. But despite being intrigued by the hair transplant and hair growth advertisements, he doubts the claims these ads make. "I feel like the market is a mixed bunch, and I'm not sure where to find reliable services or whether the technologies are mature and foolproof," he said. "I am slowly getting comfortable with my look, although I know my hair does not look good when I look at myself in the mirror."

Wei Aihua, chief physician at the Dermatology Department of Beijing Tongren Hospital, which is affiliated with Capital Medical University, said that her department used to attend to a handful of people more than a decade ago. But today, appointment slots quickly run out.

"The demands of people have also widened. While in the past, people simply sought treatment for baldness, visitors nowadays want to make their scalp look less greasy and feel less itchy. Many girls want to look more beautiful by 'correcting' their high hairline or creating an aesthetically pleasing hairline," she said.

While many youths seek the professional advice of hair specialists before or immediately after detecting early signs of hair loss, an increasing number of hospitals have set up clinics specializing in the treatment of 'hair-related diseases' rather than redirecting patients to dermatology clinics and private hair transplant enterprises, Wei said.

"At hospitals, we focus on providing comprehensive services, from hair wash and nourishment to anti-hair loss treatment and hair transplantation surgery," she said. But one needs patience and constant care to cope with hair-related conditions.

Li Ren and Yang Xuanze contributed to this story.