Report says hair restoration a major topic on Xiaohongshu
By Li Jiaying | chinadaily.com.cn | Updated: 2026-03-18 19:43
Rising aesthetic awareness and evolving beauty standards are driving growing interest among women in hair restoration procedures, with customized hair transplants emerging as a new trend, according to a recent industry report.
The 2026 Hair Aesthetics Trends Report, jointly released by major social media platform Xiaohongshu and Yonghe Medical Group, showed that searches related to hair topics on the platform rose 65 percent in 2025, as part of three-year growth.
The report also found that hair loss concerns are widespread, particularly among younger users. Among people aged 24 to 35, one in six experiences hair loss, with women accounting for 80 percent of those affected.
"More and more women are seeking natural-looking results through customized hair transplants," said Mi Yang, an executive at Xiaohongshu's commercial division.
"Styles such as petal-shaped hairlines and traditional Chinese 'beauty peaks' have become popular choices among young women, and having a personalized hairline designed by professionals is becoming a new trend in the market," Mi added.
The shift is also reflected in business data from Yonghe Medical, a hair treatment service provider. Founder and CEO Zhang Yu said women now account for more than 60 percent of online consultations for hair transplants on the company's platforms. In leading clinics in first-tier cities, the proportion of female patients has exceeded 50 percent, while women contribute more than 30 percent of total business.
"Choosing hair transplants for aesthetic improvement reflects a growing sense of self-awareness among consumers," Zhang said.
"As this awareness continues to rise, public understanding of hair healthcare will deepen, and the industry will see broader development."
To meet rising demand from female consumers, Yonghe has introduced a design system that divides the hairline into six key anchor points, categorizes hair into five functional zones and structures the design across four layers.
The system is expected to allow for detailed planning down to individual hairs and follicles, helping ensure that aesthetic designs are accurately translated into surgical procedures. It also enables consumers to preview simulated results in advance, offering a clearer expectation of outcomes, the group said.
