Despite the worldwide economic downturn in 2008, more people continued to seek treatment for hair loss, according to statistics released from a recent member survey conducted by the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery (ISHRS) – the world’s leading medical authority on hair loss and hair restoration. The extrapolated worldwide number of hair restoration patients treated in 2008 was approximately 811,363 (236,468 surgical patients and 574,894 non-surgical patients) – up 26 percent from 2006.
This significant increase in hair restoration patients coincides with a 12 percent jump in the total number of surgical hair restoration procedures worldwide – from 225,779 procedures in 2006 to 252,002 procedures in 2008.
“Continual refinements in surgical techniques and more natural-looking results are driving the increased demand in hair restoration,”
Although the majority of hair restoration patients are men, the percentage of women seeking help for hair loss appears to be on the rise. Since the Practice Census was first conducted in 2005, the percent of hair restoration surgical patients who were female increased from 11.4 percent in 2004 to 13.8 percent in 2006 and 15.1 percent in 2008. Similarly, the percent of female non-surgical hair restoration patients has also increased – from 28.3 percent to 31.8 percent over the four-year period.
The survey also found that people of all different ages were seeking hair restoration surgery in 2008. For example, ISHRS members reported that the average age of their patients who underwent hair restoration surgery for the first time in 2008 was 38 years old. More than half of male and female patients fell between the ages of 30 to 49 years old (59.6 percent and 54.9 percent, respectively)
“We have noticed a similar trend in our practice of younger patients and more women seeking treatment for hair loss,” says Dr. Verret. “The key is to seek help early to prevent
ISHRS Practice Census future hair loss, and this survey shows that people are heeding our advice and not willing to delay treatment until they are older or their hair loss becomes more noticeable.”
About the ISHRS
Founded in 1993, the ISHRS is a non-profit medical association dedicated to the advancement of the art and science of hair restoration. With a membership of over 750 physicians worldwide, the ISHRS provides continuing medical education to physicians specializing in hair loss and restoration surgery and serves as a resource for the public on the latest medical and surgical hair restoration treatments for hair loss. For more information and to locate a physician, visit www.ishrs.org.
Conducted by RH Research of Chicago, IL, the ISHRS 2009 Practice Census survey is a compilation of information provided solely by participating physicians. The information published in this survey was developed from actual historical information and does not include any projected information. The margin of error for the sample is plus or minus
6.5 percent at the 95 percent confidence level. For a full reprint of the ISHRS 2009 Practice Census Report, visit www.ishrs.org/
