Western lifestyle linked to hair loss

Permanent hair loss is on the rise among young men in the territory, according to a recent survey.

Conducted by Radio Television Hong Kong, the study interviewed more than 630 local males suffering from hair loss.

Findings of the survey indicate that hair loss problems are affecting younger men in Hong Kong - with about 50 per cent under the age of 30 claiming they were suffering from permanent hair loss.

The emerging trend has been blamed on stress, unhealthy lifestyles and an increasingly westernized diet, characterized by excessive meat, high calories and fatty foods.

The study also attributed hair loss among young males to the rise of androgen levels in the body following the onset of puberty and early adulthood.

The survey recommended young men in the territory should adopt healthy eating habits and lifestyles to prevent premature hair loss.

Currently, medical research worldwide generally supports the perception that Caucasian men in Europe and the US have a higher hair loss ratio. But hair loss ratio of men in Asian countries has increased about twofold in the last 20 years.
 
The main cause of the trend cited in these studies include aging societies, an increase in the popularity of westernized foods as well as an increase in psychological stress.

Results from the surveys also indicate that the hair loss ratio tends to be higher in Western countries and regions but relatively low in Asian countries.