More than 60 percent of Taiwanese men have shown signs of hair loss before the age of 30, higher than the percentages in South Korea and China, a survey showed.
The survey, which was commissioned by a German pharmaceutical and cosmetic company, showed that 39 percent of Taiwanese men — about 1.5 million people — suffer from hair loss, while more than 60 percent said they discovered signs of hair loss before turning 30.
Forty-three percent said stress was the main cause, followed by hereditary factors.
Clinical dermatologist Chao Chao-ming (趙昭明) said in addition to genetics, other factors, such as stress, dietary habits, changes in lifestyle and smoking, can also lead to hair loss in young men.
In his observations, Chao said more young people — especially men — are seeking medical treatment for hair loss, even some teenage senior-high school students.
One of his patients was a 20-year-old man, who said his hair began to fall out when he was in junior-high school and he nearly became bald in senior-high school, he said, adding that it was likely caused by stress from studying for school entrance exams.
The survey also showed that 40 percent consider hair to be an important part of their appearance, while nearly 30 percent think hair loss would affect their self-esteem.
Nearly 70 percent are willing to give up drinking alcohol and nearly 20 percent are willing to sacrifice sexual intercourse if it could alleviate their hair loss.
Chao said people who smoke, consume too much sugar and deep-fried or spicy food, or drink excessive amounts of coffee or alcohol are more likely to have the condition, and advised people to abstain from these habits.
Using an anti-hair loss shampoo every day could also help keep the scalp healthier and make hair stronger, he said.
The survey was conducted by marketing research firm Nielsen between Nov. 23 and Dec. 6 last year on 601 men aged between 25 and 45 in Taiwan, excluding Yilan, Hualien and Taitung counties.
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