Hair loss patients in their 20s and 30s are on the rise in South Korea, with more than one in three people in their younger years

The proportion of young people suffering from hair loss is particularly high in Korea. The number of patients in their 30s exceeds that of those in their 50s. A "hair loss shampoo" developed mainly by a professor at KAIST (Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology) has been released.
The fact that cumulative shipments have exceeded 1 million units in just one year since its launch is thought to be closely related to the increasing stress people in their 20s and 30s feel about hair removal.
Rep. Kim Ye-ji, a member of the National Assembly's Health and Welfare Committee, said,
According to documents obtained by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, the number of patients who visited medical institutions for hair loss increased from 234,780 in 2020 to 241,217 last year (2024), an increase of approximately 2.7% over four years.
These statistics are a compilation of the number of patients who visited the hospital for diseases such as alopecia areata that are covered by health insurance. This includes cases where patients received treatment for thinning hair due to aging or genetic reasons, or for cosmetic purposes.
Looking at patients by age last year (2024), the largest number of patients was in their 40s with 54,724 patients, followed by those in their 30s with 51,619 patients and those in their 50s with 46,000 patients.
The number of infected people was 913, 39,079 in their 20s, 33,167 in their 60s or older, and 20,168 under the age of 20. In particular, the proportion of people in their 20s and 30s accounted for 37.6% of the total, or more than one in three.
The upper group corresponds to the younger generation. Comparing 2020 and 2024, the total medical expenses for hair loss patients will increase from approximately 32.28 billion won (approximately 3.34 billion yen) to 38.95 billion won (
Approximately 4.15 billion yen), an increase of 20.7%. By type of hair loss disease, last year there were 172,090 cases of alopecia areata, accounting for 73% of all patients. There were 24,518 cases of male pattern baldness, and 1,000 cases of other disorders.
The number of people with alopecia areata was 28,561. Rep. Kim pointed out that "hair loss is not just a cosmetic issue, but a disease that is directly connected to the overall quality of life," and said, "Individualized treatment according to age and gender characteristics is recommended."
"We need to establish preventive measures and support measures for treating hair loss," he said. The fact that the number of hair loss patients is increasing and that a high proportion of them are in their 20s and 30s is a point of contention with Lee Hye-shin, a professor of chemistry at KAIST.
This led to interest in the hair loss shampoo developed by Professor Lee. KAIST startup Polyphenol Factory, founded by Professor Lee, released the hair loss shampoo "Gravity" in April last year.
Gravity sold out in 109 hours after its release, and all 17 pre-orders were sold out. It also sold out in 39 minutes at Olive Young, achieving the top spot in its category.
It also ranked first in searches for hair removal shampoos on Naver. It has sold over 1 million units in the first year since its release, with an average of 2,740 units sold per day, bringing in cumulative sales of 18.8 billion won.
This shampoo, developed primarily for people in their 30s to 50s who are concerned about hair loss, utilizes the polyphenol technology that Professor Lee has been researching for many years.
It has a very strong adhesive power and changes color when it comes into contact with air. Professor Lee is a leading expert on polyphenols, and his papers are among the most cited in the world.
The principle of the product is that the patented ingredient "Lift Max" instantly forms a protective film on the hair when washing, protecting it from damaged cuticles.
It protects nutrients from leaking out, thereby strengthening thin and weak hair from the roots.