Are British Asians the Most Worried About Hair Loss?

The advent of search engines has given rise to unprecedented data collection, providing insights on both a local and global scale.

Now, leading hair transplant surgeon Dr. Bessam Farjo has used search trend data from technology titan Google to has shed light on the UK locations where people are most concerned about hair loss.

London boroughs top the table

The top five spots were split between the South and the Midlands, with Greater London boroughs topping the table.

Ilford, a town in the East London borough of Redbridge, swiped the crown, beating Hayes in Middlesex - which is classed as the West London borough of Hillingdon - into second place.

Luton in Bedfordshire, Birmingham and Leicester in the Midlands filled the rest of the top spots.

When exploring whether there are any similarities between the areas that may explain their placings in the Google search research, we found one thing all these areas appeared to have in common; according to the 2011 English census data, each of these top five locations has one of the largest Asian/British Asian populations in the country.

Redbridge has the third largest Asian/British Asian community in England, with Leicester following with the sixth largest. Luton, Birmingham and Hillingdon placed ninth, thirteenth and fourteenth, respectively out of a total of 326 districts.

This coincidence begs the question - could it be that Asian men and women are more likely to be worried about losing their hair? Or, at least, the most interested in preventing baldness?

Hair loss guide for Asian hair types

There are three main hair types: Afro, Asian and Caucasian/European; even those of a mixed heritage will fall into one of these medical classification groups.

The leading cause of hairloss across all these is Male Pattern Baldness and, for women, Female Pattern Hair Loss, which causes gradual thinning to hair located along the top of the scalp, from crown to hairline and temples.

Although the groups are equally affected, there is a reason those of Indian descent may feel worse hit by this hereditary condition.

"Although Asian hairs are naturally wider in diameter, there tends to be less hairs on the scalp than is seen in people with the other two hair types," explains senior Belgravia hair loss specialist, Leonora Doclis.

"This can mean that should thinning hair present - often as a result of genetic hair loss but also, particularly in women, temporary conditions such as Telogen Effluvium or Post-Partum Alopecia - it may become noticeable, and potentially appear quite advanced with the scalp becoming visible, quicker than in people with more hair."

The fact that it can be easy for Asian hair to look thinner, quicker, coupled with various cultural aspects related to having long and/or healthy hair, may provide an answer as to why Asians in the UK may be searching for hair loss solutions online.

Hair loss treatments

The good news for Asian men and women with hair loss is that, despite the fact that their thinning may look quite advanced, this does not mean it actually is, due to their unique hair count quirk.

A consultation with a hair loss specialist will provide those worried about a drop in hair density, excessive shedding, thinning, a receding hairline or sudden hair fall, with a professional diagnosis.

From there, personalised recommendations can be made for appropriate hair loss treatment course components, from clinically-proven, MHRA-licensed and FDA-approved medications to non-pharmaceutical hair growth supporting products, according to the condition, level and pattern of shedding, medical profile and any relevant lifestyle factors.

Whilst investigating hair loss products on the internet can be helpful to a point, anyone looking for proven ways to deal with hair loss should contact reputable specialists or hair loss clinics and arrange one-to-one appointments, either in person or online. This is an easy way to ensure they are getting solid, reliable advice from professionals, before deciding which hair loss treatment option is best for them.