Treating Male Pattern Baldness in Japan

If you’re moving to live or work in Japan, you may wonder what their attitude is to baldness, and what hair loss treatments are available to you as a foreigner.

In this article, we’ll cover the experience of losing hair for people in Japan.

What is it like to be bald in Japan?

Japan has the highest baldness rate in Asia, with nearly 25% of men experiencing some degree of hair loss. It is not uncommon to see balding men in public or on television, and there is a well-developed hair loss treatment industry that serves them.

Recently, attitudes in Japan towards baldness have been changing. In the past, comedians would frequently use bald jokes as a common gag. Lately, that kind of humor has become less popular, as the term “hair harassment” became popular around 2022.

A survey showed that 40% of men with hair loss had been the brunt of jokes about their hair loss. Overall, the growing awareness of the sensibilities of balding men is a sign of changes in Japanese society towards harassment in general.

This video shows people’s attitudes towards hair loss and baldness in Japan.

What is male pattern baldness?

Pattern hair loss, also known as androgenetic alopecia (AGA) is a condition of the thinning and loss of hair on the scalp.

Male pattern hair loss (MPHL) is the topic of this article, but similar hair loss patterns can occur in women, and this guide could also be useful for women with hair loss in Japan. Various hair loss solutions in Japan exist for both men and women.

Causes of hair loss

Apart from certain medical conditions, the main causes of baldness are hormones and genetics. In men, genes that are sensitive to dihydrotestosterone (DHT) are triggered and hair growth is affected, resulting in the loss of hair.

It’s believed that genetics play a major role in baldness and cannot generally be avoided. Hair loss can happen to anyone, but it is more common in men. For women, the main cause of hair loss is female pattern baldness. Like male pattern baldness, this also has a large genetic component, but may also be caused by hormones.

Effects of hair loss

For the balding man, the psychological effects of hair loss are primarily the loss of self-esteem and possible anxiety over self-image. The individual effects differ from person to person, and there are men who have no issues.

Hair loss treatment is one possible solution for the psychological impact of hair loss.

The decision to seek treatment for hair loss is a personal one, and from this point we will detail the methods commonly used in Japan.

What hair loss treatments are available in Japan?

Most treatment options available in other countries are commonly used in Japan.

Treatment with medication, therapies, and surgery exist. Each has its effects and side effects that should be considered when choosing a treatment.

Treatments for baldness are not covered under national health insurance in Japan, as they are considered to be a “cosmetic” treatment and not something absolutely necessary for preserving life.

If you are moving to Japan to work, you must pay for any hair loss treatments or medication you already take, like you would through private healthcare.

Type of treatment: 5ɑ reuptake inhibitors
Popular names: Finasteride Dutasteride
Cost (example): ¥3000-¥10,000 monthly
Effectiveness: Low to moderate

Type of treatment: Topical treatments

Popular names: Minoxidil, shampoos, creams, and serums
Cost (example): ¥3000-¥10,000 monthly
Effectiveness: Low to moderate

Type of treatment: PRP
Popular names: Platelet Rich Plasma
Cost (example): ¥20,000-¥60,000 per treatment
Effectiveness: Moderate to high

Type of treatment: Hair transplantation
Popular names: Hair implant, hair grafting
Cost (example): ～¥1,000,000 per 1000 grafts
Effectiveness: High

The purpose of this article isn’t to detail each type of treatment, and we would recommend that balding men investigate each type carefully before choosing and speak with a medical professional before starting.

You can find out more about Japan’s healthcare system compared to the US here.

How do I get my treatment?

The most common question we get from incoming ALTs is “how can I get my hair loss medications?” usually in the context of 5ɑ reuptake inhibitors like Finasteride or Dutasteride.

The environment today in Japan has a number of options for that type of treatment. We will mainly focus on these treatment methods from here.

Dermatology clinics

Some regular dermatology clinics in local towns prescribe hair loss medications.

In such cases, just going to the clinic and speaking to the doctor and getting any necessary testing is all that is needed. The doctor may sell the medication over the counter at the clinic, or refer the patient to a nearby pharmacy.

Beauty clinics

Beauty clinics in Japan that do facelifts and plastic surgery may also do AGA treatments with medication, PRP, and possibly hair transplantation. These types of clinics are often near major railway hubs and in high-street shopping areas.

The variety of options and skill levels may vary depending on the clinic, as well as the cost. For PRP and hair transplants, these clinics are the usual places where Japanese people would go for treatment.

AGA clinics

Some specialty “AGA” clinics exist that are dedicated to providing 5ɑ reuptake inhibitors like Finasteride or Dutasteride to bald men in Japan.

They may also provide topical or oral Minoxidil at the same time, and some also provide PDE5 inhibitors like Viagra and Cialis for erectile dysfunction at the same time if wanted.

They are rather popular lately, and it’s not uncommon to see commercials on television for “AGA clinics,” as it is illegal to directly market the names of drugs on television, so they refer the viewer to the clinic using the term “AGA.”

Typically, these specialty clinics in Japan may offer monthly regular subscriptions and deliver medications by post or takkyubin following an initial consultation.

Online

Similar to AGA clinics, purely online clinics dispensing 5ɑ reuptake inhibitors are popular.

The initial consultation and follow-up are held through an online platform and the medications are delivered monthly by post or takkyubin, with payment by credit card or bank transfer. You may be able to pay for your prescription from a convenience store. 

Drug stores 

The most common treatment available in drug stores is topical minoxidil lotion at a 5% concentration. A 60ml bottle is usually ¥5000-¥10,000, depending on the brand.

Some other types of Japanese-made hair tonics, hair-loss shampoos and treatments are also available, at various price points.

Final thoughts on baldness in Japan

Your choices for treating hair loss in Japan are varied, and it’s possible to get high-quality treatment in any part of the country.

Costs may be more or less than you’re used to, depending on the type of treatment. We recommend that you carefully look into the options available and choose the best solution for you.

Here are three clinics for hair loss treatment in the Tokyo area, ideal for foreigners.

Lastly, whether or not you’re bald does not affect your chances of being recruited as an ALT with Interac! We don’t consider it – many of our ALTs in Japan are balding.

If you are interested in learning more about living and working in Japan, please see our blog. If you’d like to make an application to become an Interac ALT, please apply on our website here, or find out more about how to become an English teacher in Japan.