How to Treat Asian Hair Loss

It’s an unfortunate truth that hair loss happens to millions of people all around the world. With Asian hair loss on the rise, it makes sense that more and more Asian people are looking at hair restoration options to treat thinning and balding hair.

How Common is Asian Hair Loss?

An Asian bald person used to be an infrequent occurrence. Unfortunately, Asian people are experiencing hair loss more frequently due to several factors. According to a study into the Characteristics of Androgenetic Alopecia in Asians [1], up to 73% of the Asian population suffers from hair loss. However, it’s a little different to those of European descent – Asian hair loss is more uncommon for those under forty, so age plays a bigger role.

What Does Asian Hair Loss Look Like?

One difference in Asian hair loss compared to those of European descent is where the hair loss occurs. In Asian men and women, hair loss tends to occur at the crown of the head, getting worse and widening over the years.

Asian hair itself tends to be dark and thick, which makes this hair loss much more noticeable when it occurs. Hair loss in blonde, fine hair generally wouldn’t be as noticeable, at least in the early years of hair loss.

What Causes Asian Hair Loss?

It’s a widely known truth that genetics plays a significant role in hair loss – so, if your mother or father experienced androgenetic alopecia, then you are more likely to also get it. However, that’s not the only cause of Asian people losing their hair; there have been significant cultural changes over the years that have contributed to the rising statistics. Here are some of the common causes of Asian hair loss:

Stress

Many Asian countries have very high stress levels, with Singaporeans and Filipinos at the highest risk of stress. [2] That is often due to work cultures, which put a lot of pressure on individuals to work extremely long hours. Of course, stress varies from person to person – there are many factors involved.

Stress is directly linked to hair loss, with Telogen Effluvium being a common cause of alopecia. [2] When a person experiences high levels of stress, that can trigger telogen effluvium, which leads to hair shedding.

Diet

Changes to the Asian diet are another contributor to the increase in hair loss. If a person does not get all the nutrients they need, they are more likely to experience hair loss. It is particularly common in people with eating disorders, which are unfortunately common in Asian countries, with the rate of eating disorders rising over the years. [4] If a person does not get enough vitamin D, vitamin C, calcium, vitamin B12, or iron, they may experience hair shedding.

Why is Asian Hair Loss Such a Big Problem?

Hair loss does not directly impact your health, which is good news. However, that doesn’t mean the rise of hair loss in Asian countries is a non-issue, as there is a lot of stigma around hair loss in Asian men and women.

Asians often have dark, thick, straight hair, which is seen as very attractive. When a person then experiences hair loss, this can defeat their self-confidence, leading to stress and low self-esteem. One study even showed that bald men were considered less attractive by 90% of Korean participants, [5] showing the negative perception of those with hair loss in this country. It’s no surprise, then, that Asian people are on the lookout for the most innovative and effective hair loss treatment.

Preventing Asian Hair Loss

Like most things, it’s always better to prevent hair loss than treat it. If your hair is Asian and you’re worried about experiencing Asian hair loss, here are some lifestyle adjustments you can make to help prevent it:

Lower Stress

It might be easier said than done, but lowering your stress levels is crucial if you want to prevent hair loss. There are some habits you can form to make this easier, such as incorporating meditation into your daily routine.

Eat a Healthy Diet

Getting all the proper nutrients is imperative if you want to enjoy healthy hair for longer. If you are deficient in anything, it might also be a good idea to take a multivitamin.

Take Care of Your Hair

Taking care of your hair is another helpful way to prevent hair loss, no matter your hair type. Avoiding too much heat and chemical damage is a good idea, as is using hair oils and deep conditioners to prevent breakage and thinning.

It’s important to note that you can’t always prevent Asian hair loss. Hereditary causes cannot be prevented – in this case, you’ll need to go directly to Asian hair loss treatment.

Treating Asian Hair Loss

Have you already experienced hair loss? It can be really disheartening, especially if you’ve had thick, dark Asian hair all your life. You don’t have to give up on shiny, healthy hair, though, as there are plenty of hair loss treatments that may just work best for you. Here are some of the best.

Try a New Hairstyle

While a hairstyle will not actively treat the hair loss, it can make the hair loss a lot less noticeable, which can be enough while you’re looking for other treatments. There are many lovely Asian haircuts that work well for hair thinning. The butterfly haircut is particularly flattering for Asian women, as it uses short, choppy layers in a shorter hairstyle, giving the hair plenty of volume.

Use Minoxidil or Finasteride

It’s best to try a non-invasive hair restoration method before opting for a surgical procedure. Minoxidil and Finasteride are hair loss medications that directly treat hair loss, leading to regrowth. Minoxidil is a topical treatment, whereas Finasteride is an oral medication. Some people with significant hair loss use these medications together for optimal results. Keep in mind that for either of these hair loss treatments to work, they must be taken every single day.

Natural Solutions

There are some natural solutions to solve hair loss, with certain oils having a significant impact on hair growth. Some effective hair oils include rosemary and pumpkin seed oil, which both work towards stimulating hair growth and thickening the strands. In fact, one study [6] showed that rosemary oil was just as effective at treating androgenetic alopecia. If you’ve experienced hair loss, it’s definitely worth a try.

Get a Hair Transplant

Hair transplants are becoming increasingly popular in Asian countries, and for a good reason – hair transplants are a highly effective solution to androgenetic alopecia. A hair transplant works by transplanting hair grafts from the hair follicles of a healthy donor area into the balding/thinning section. Then, after several months, the hair begins naturally growing through once more. If you get a hair transplant with us here at Harley Street Hair Clinic, you can track your hair growth with our handy hair track app. It helps you see how far your hair has come.

Should You Get a Hair Transplant?

As mentioned, hair transplants in Asian countries are becoming more popular, which means you’ll have plenty of options when looking at clinics. Of course, you’ll have to meet the criteria before getting a hair transplant. To be a good candidate, you’ll need to be a healthy adult who has experienced some significant hair loss but also has a section of healthy hair (which the surgeon can extract grafts from).

When considering whether to get a hair transplant, you also have to make the choice between the FUT and FUE methods. Both are highly effective at helping hair regrow, but the FUE (follicular unit extraction) method undoubtedly produces the most natural results, as it extracts individual grafts from the follicles. That’s the method we use here at Harley Street Hair Clinic. If you want to see the results of this method, we have a patients gallery for you to look at – you can see just how effective it is.

Book a Consultation

Before you make the decision to get a hair transplant, it’s a good idea to have a lengthy conversation with a surgeon to discuss your options and to understand what to expect. We offer consultations with only the very best doctors so you can understand the ins and outs of the procedure.

Asian Hair Loss: It’s Treatable

Dealing with Asian hair loss can be really difficult, no matter your age. With how increasingly common hair loss is becoming in Asian countries, it’s good news that there are highly effective treatment options, and they will only get more effective and less invasive over time. The revolutionary FUE method is beneficial for Asian hair loss, as it produces the most natural results and doesn’t require you to take daily medication. With this treatment, you don’t have to worry about the stigma that surrounds losing your hair.

Sources:

1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3412231/
2. https://www.asiainsurancereview.com/Magazine/ReadMagazineArticle?aid=45163
3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7320655/
4. https://jeatdisord.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s40337-015-0070-2
5. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12492971/
6. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25842469/