Hair Loss amongst Foreigners in China

[Tianjin42]

On a number of occasions fellow China-based foreign nationals have told me that they think they have lost hair since being in China. I myself still have a decent head of hair though I do think I lost a significant amount and for example, receded a little further than my brother back home. Of course there are many variables here and the evidence is anecdotal but the amount of times that people have spoken about this, it seems worth bringing up here. It is difficult because if you come here then there is no real control against which to compare. Also, your genetic profile plays a significant part (as I understand it Chinese are less likely to go bald – at a guess I would presume that is due to testosterone which is typically linked to baldness).

 

Friends and colleagues have ventured a number of ideas about what is happening – the oil, the food, the pollution, the water (drinking water and water in which you shower). Regardless, there is a trend of people who feel they are losing more hair than they would at home.

 

So what about you? Do you think that you have lost any hair because of being here for a long period and if so what do you think was the cause?

[geraldc]

You simply lose hair as you get older. If it was to do with environment, then I'd expect western women in China to lose as much hair as the men.

 

With regards to baldness it is mainly genetic, look at the UK royal family.  It's going to be male pattern baldness.

 

http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/hair-loss/Pages/Introduction.aspx

[m000gle]

If you ever wanted a perfect example of correlation vs causation...

 

Foreigners don't lose hair, or go bald, from anything in China, environmental or otherwise; they go to China at precisely the time of life, in their 20's and 30's, when male pattern baldness (if you'll pardon the pun) rears its ugly head.

[Guest realmayo]

erm enough of the "ugly" please!

[anonymoose]

Or some people just like to 怨天忧人 - in other words, find excuses for their own shortcomings.

I've lost hair since coming to China. Never once did saying it's because of China cross my mind.

[imron]

I lived in china for 6 years and didn't experience any hair loss with the exception of getting haircuts.

[ouyangjun]

I know a lot of foreigners who have been here for over a decade and have not experienced hair loss, and I know others who have.  My guess is that the same result would've happened in their home countries as well.

[Tianjin42]

Obviously people lose hair as they get older but we are talking about something slightly different. For example women who felt they lost a lot of hair when in China previously and then once again starting to lose a lot when brushing after coming back here.

 

Same for some guys at a range of ages who feel they have experienced accelerated hair loss when living out here.

 

We speak to a lot of foreign nationals in China and it is surprising how often they raise this when discussing living here (both men and women mention it).

 

Of course, some people will keep their head of hair regardless and some will go bald. But a lot of people feel that for whatever reason, they have experienced something worse than when they are based at home – including those who returned home for long periods then came back. 

[Kenny同志]

Not necessarily relevant in your case but in the theory of traditional Chinese medicine, 腎虛, which is often caused by old age, certain chronic illnesses, or being overly sexually active, can contribute to hair loss and looseness of teeth.

[liuzhou]

In twenty years in China, I've heard all sorts, but never anything about hair loss in foreigners being somehow China related. I'm decidedly unbald.

[mjXueHanYu]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/science/science-news/3341490/Pollution-sends-men-bald.html

[Tianjin42]

Really interesting post mjXueHanYu.

Certainly it is something people raise with us when we ask about living out here. As stated, we are talking about men and women, not just going bald but thinning hair etc, hair breaking when brushing. Whatever the reality, a significant number of people feel the environment here is at least adding to any problems. As well as the pollution some are worried about the shower water on the scalp.

[Simon_CH]

Why speculate or tell personal anecdotes when there is research on the matter?

 

 

Research conducted by scientists at the University of London, England, has linked male pattern hair loss to increased levels of environmental pollution and the damaging effect of smoking. Genetic factors play the largest role in male pattern hair loss, but men who live in heavily polluted areas may experience hair loss sooner or more dramatically than those in less polluted areas. - See more at: http://www.belgraviacentre.com/blog/the-hair-up-there-pollution-linked-to-baldness015/#sthash.pYvVs7Ki.dpuf

 

It seems that living in China could very well aggravate hair loss for people with a genetic predisposition towards it and that moving to a cleaner place could not reverse this but at least slow it down. 

[dnevets]

I've heard Chinese students, male and female, here in the UK complaining about hair loss too. Many of them believe that it is caused by the water here.

[Lu]

It could also be related to the kind of shampoo one is using. I had some serious hair loss once when I was in the UK for a few weeks and used cheap English shampoo (as I had forgotten to bring my own).

[geraldc]

Michael Chang the tennis player, used to advertise Rejoice Shampoo in Hong Kong. He's now receding quite severely. I now make a point never to use Rejoice shampoo.  I know there is no link between the 2 things, but given the way my hair isn't staying on my head as long as it used to, I'm in no position to take any risks.

 

Just to be safe, I also don't plan on winning the French open.

[geraldc]

And now UK papers are running stories on hair loss in China. This forum really has its finger on the news pulse!

 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/peoplesdaily/article-2987988/Chinese-men-getting-balder-Report-says-combined-bald-patches-three-times-size-London.html

[Angelina]

Gerald, maybe it's tennis, look at Andre Agassi Don't play tennis lol!

 

 For example women who felt they lost a lot of hair when in China previously and then once again starting to lose a lot when brushing after coming back here.

 

Yup, I have seen seen this. When I am in China I am usually seeing more hair falling off when brushing. 

 

I can't really say I am experiencing hair loss since my hair is still super long. However, I have definitely seen a slight decrease in the thickness and quality of my hair. 

 

It's probably because of the pollution. Pollution might affect your health and the state of your hair says a lot about the state of your general health. It's probably pollution-related, not China-related, yet, pollution in urban China is terrible.