UK Haircare Statistics

John M

Hi, I'm John. About age 30 my hair started receding. After trying lots of products I eventually decided on a hair transplant. And now I have my hair back.

The UK hair care market has always been substantial. Marketers are finding new ways to engage customers with innovative hair care products. How will the UK hair care market develop and grow?

Key Statistics

In 2023, the Hair Care segment will generate £1.59 billion in revenue. The market is anticipated to expand by 0.90% yearly (CAGR 2023-2027).
In terms of global comparison, the United States will create the largest revenue (£11.170.00m in 2023).
In 2023, per-person revenues of £23.06 are produced based on population statistics.
Black adult women in the UK spend 10% of all money on hair care, while they only make up 2% of the adult population.
With a CAGR of 5.4%, the market for natural haircare products is projected to reach £10.12 billion in 2026 globally

UK haircare forecasted revenues

The UK hair care market has decreased over the past 9 years by 12.8% overall, with an increase of just 4% forecast from 2023 to 2027.

The reasons for the decline are a difficult economy, with the UK barely avoiding a recession towards the back end of 2022.

Disposable income

From 2014, there is a negative of 18.25% in the average revenue Brits have available for hair care products, with a marginal increase from 2023 to 2027 of just 2%.

However, it’s not all bad news as UK consumers move towards natural haircare products.

Information source Statista

Natural hair care products

At a compound annual growth rate of 8.9%, the market for natural haircare products is anticipated to increase from £7.89 billion in 2021 to £8.22 billion in 2022.

With a CAGR of 5.4%, the market for natural haircare products is projected to reach £10.71 billion in 2026.

Products for Organic Hair Care

Searches for organic hair products started at 30% in march 2018 and finished at 35% in January 2023, a small increase of 16.6%.

However, there are significant spikes in searches 0f 81% in august 2019 and then 100% in March 2022, a difference of 23.5%.

Organic shampoo clearly has the most searches as shampoo is a daily requirement for most people, male and female. The searches start strong at 100% in July 2020 and then tail off in Jan 2023 to 42%, a decrease of 58%.

The organic conditioner market does not reflect the same amount of searches as the shampoo, with a decline of 9% over the same period.

Although not searched as much as shampoo and conditioner, organic hair gel has interesting activity peaks over the same period and increased by 30.3 % over the same period.

Given the economic climate in the UK, search levels could be assessed in line with market conditions.

Information source Ask A Test Google Trends

Hairpieces and extensions 2019-2027

The market for female hair extensions, wigs, and hairpieces in the UK was valued at £509.47 million in 2019 and is anticipated to increase to £985,03 million by 2027, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11.7% from 2021 to 2027.

Google searches for hair extensions over 5 years show consistent interest, starting at 73% and finishing at 59%, a decrease of 19%. However, the trend for searches has equilibrium apart from a few spikes

Market growth

A breakthrough in the manufacture of synthetic hair is anticipated to fuel market expansion. Also, during the forecast period, it is projected that the advent of techniques such as strand applications would present lucrative chances for the market’s growth.

Information source Google Trends Allied Market Research

The Afro market

Its a market that has always been on the fringes (excuse the pun) and never catered for by the big shampoo and hair care producers. Still, the afro market is significant, with some unique opportunities.

Afro market size facts and figures

Although they make up only 2% of the adult population in the UK, black adult women spend 10% of the country’s money on hair care.
The UK haircare industry is worth £1.4 billion.
Black women in Britain spend £168 million annually on hair products.

How black women traditionally shop in the UK

In comparison to 35% of African American women, 13% of Black European women, and 30% of women worldwide, only 1% of Black British women purchase haircare items from supermarkets.
Compared to 18% of African American women, 30% of Black European women, and 37% of women worldwide who are Black, 59% of Black British women purchase their hair products from independent businesses.
Compared to 61% of African American women, 36% of Black European women, and 52% of women worldwide, 58% of Black British women purchase hair products at least once a month.

How do black women find hair products in the UK?

Black British women were more likely to learn about things through word of mouth than women from other regions.

Social media is important in discovering hair care products such as moisturising oils.

Information source Google Trends Beauty Matter

Hair transplants

Throughout the past 45 years, hair transplantation has become increasingly common. This is primarily due to social media influences, shifting perceptions of male grooming, and, most importantly, the procedure’s overall success rate.

Searches for hair transplants have increased from February 2018 to January 2023 by 64.4%.

Cost of a typical hair transplant by UK city

Location	Average Cost	Location	Average Cost
Bedford	£3,500	Leicester	£4,500
Belfast	£4,500	Liverpool	£5,239
Birmingham	£4,498	London	£4,467
Bournemouth	£3,500	Manchester	£6,599
Brentwood	£5,000	Nationwide	£3,335
Chiswick	£5,250	Newcastle	£3,999
Dublin	£5,500	Nottingham	£3,175
Essex	£3,175	Portsmouth	£7,000
Glasgow	£5,500	Sheffield	£2,999
Harley Street	£5,692	Hertfordshire	£2,999

Cost of hair restoration in London and Harley St.

Location	AveragePrice / Graft	AverageCost	Avg.No. Grafts	Avg.Surgeon’s Experience
UK	£3.04	£4,467	1627	10
London	£3.44	£5,239	1581	14
Harley St	£3.74	£5,692	1565	17

Information source Wimpole Clinic Google Trends

Conclusion

The UIK economy is in the doldrums at the moment and forecasted growth for traditional commercial shampoos and conditioners will be limited. But there is some key highlight, such as Organic hair care products and niche markets, such as afro hair care products (Black women in Britain spend £168 million annually on hair products).

The hair transplant market is gaining trajectory with reliable techniques and celebrity ambassadors undergoing the procedures.

Search trends are positive for most products, but consuming spending has and will decrease further, according to Statista.

Top 5 Reasons to go abroad for a Hair Transplant

1. Save at least 60% on the cost

A hair transplant in Europe is at least 60% cheaper than in the UK. And most packages are all inclusive, including your accommodation and airport transfers.

2. Europe has some of the most experienced surgeons in the world

Europe has more clinics, which have been established and running for much longer than clinics in the UK. The price is also lower, making it more accessible for people.

Surgeons in Europe will have carried out hundreds, if not thousands more procedures than UK based surgeons. Because of this some UK clinics will bring in surgeons from Europe to carry out your procedure.

3. Hair restoration clinics in Europe are state or the art

Many facilities in Europe are dedicated hair restoration clinics. They only perform that type of treatment. As such all equipment, facilities, techniques and staff are specialists in hair restoration.

Hair restoration is only now becoming more popular in the UK, so many UK clinics are general cosmetic facilities that carry out various procedures.

4. Get even more value by making your transplant into a holiday

Europe is such a popular holiday destination for many reasons, the culture, history, sights, cuisine, shopping, great weather, your money goes further, it’s widely English speaking, and it’s just 2 or 3 hours away by plane.

The list goes on! So why not travel a few days earlier, grab a low cost Airbnb or hotel, take a friend or partner and enjoy the city for a few days before your transplant.

5. Hassle free process

It’s so easy to get an assessment and price. Contact the clinic, arrange an initial consultation in the UK with your surgeon, or do an online consultation by sending a few pictures and answering some basic questions.

Once you’re happy, pick a date and you’re done! The clinic will send you all the paperwork and itinerary so you know exactly what’s happening. You don’t pay until you go for treatment.

You just hop on the plane. A transfer car will meet you as you get off the plane and take you to the clinic. It’s such an easy process. Easy!

Top 5 Hair Transplant Tips

1. Know your post-op timeline – The key dates!

You need to take the upmost care in the first 7 days
You can leave the house after 7 days, but I advise you take at least 2 weeks off work.
You won’t be able to wear a hat or exercise for up to 4 weeks after.
Around 2 – 4 weeks your new hair will fall out, you’ll look a little red and sore – similar to sunburn.
Around 4 months your new hair starts growing and looking good.
By 6 months you can’t tell you’ve had a transplant.

You can get a haircut after the first month, or you can keep it short yourself with clippers until it starts to grow back.

2. Pick the right time to schedule your treatment

Good clinics will be busy, so you may have to wait 2 months to get an appointment – this is a good thing. So knowing that and knowing your post-op timeline (above) means you can plan the perfect time around your social or work calendar.

If you have important social events coming up, particularly if you know you’ll be photographed then you may plan your transplant 6 months in advance, or wait until your calendar is free.

3. Set your expectations

If your hair has receded at the front you’ll want the clinic to draw an expected hairline on your head or on pictures of you as soon as possible. They’ll then also talk about the number of grafts or hairs you’ll need and how thick the result will look.

The sooner you can establish this, the sooner you’ll know exactly what to expect. A good clinic will also take into consideration a natural looking hair line for your age and your face and head shape. Have an honest conversation and be open to their expert feedback.

4. Knowing what the journey home looks like

There’s no way around it, you’ll have to go out in public to travel home. The worst part is sitting at the airport for 2 hours or so whilst you wait for your plane.

I found it was best to embrace it. People are nice for the most part and won’t stare, and if one or two do who cares – you will never see those people again! You may even be at the airport with other transplant patients, I wasn’t the only one!

Take a travel pillow and have someone pick you up if possible, so you can exit swiftly and get back home as soon as possible. It’s natural to be self-conscious, but it’s over fast and well worth it.

Tip! Just take carry-on luggage to keep your check-in and wait time down.

5. Choosing the right clinic

Pick somewhere you can travel to and from easily
Check their reviews online, not just on their site!
Do they have a good quality website and professional looking emails?
Can you see actual case studies of previous patients online?
Do they have an address? Can you see it on Google street view?
Can you meet your surgeon for a consultation beforehand?
Do you know someone who’s been there before – first hand opinion is amazing!

John M

Hi, I'm John. About age 30 my hair started receding. After trying lots of products I eventually decided on a hair transplant. And now I have my hair back.

A Simple Way To Keep Hair Healthy And Thick

Do you want to keep your hair without surgery? I get it … surgery can be expensive and frightening. Although it’s the most effective solution when things go bad and it helped me, you still experience some discomfort and have to take some time off from work.