India's Biggest Hair Issues Based On 1 Lakh Hair Assessments

As per research, consumers in urban areas tend to spend 3 times more on hair care products as compared to those living in rural areas. Why? This is because of the various factors that affect the condition of hair and skin of people living in urban areas.

• Urban areas tend to have boring hard water supply which deteriorates the quality of our hair
• Pollution, climate changes add up and lead to dry and frizzy hair
• The daily lifestyle of people living in urban areas can include the consumption of more junk and intoxicating substances as compared to rural areas.

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All this gives brands a vast scope to grow and come up with haircare solutions. Many consumers now believe in moving towards problem-solving products than resorting to generic ones. Be it one or multiple hair issues, either way, hair problems in any measure cause much distress.

According to Freewill’s (A personalized haircare brand) research, they have found out the top 5 hair problems faced by Indians and what the industry is doing to tackle it. Freewill has taken over 1 lakh hair assessment of people living in India and found a pattern in the kind of responses that they got.

1. Oily Scalp

The study shows, about 60% of women in India have oily roots and split ends. There can be different reasons responsible for the same-

• Genetics
• Humid climate
• Shampooing more frequently than required
• Using products loaded with chemicals

These things can disturb the pH level of the scalp and lead to many other hair problems.

2. Hairfall

Freewill’s research indicates that 73.5% of women in India face hair fall issues and look for constant anti-hair fall solutions. Losing 50-100 strands in a day is absolutely normal. However, losing more hair than usual requires proper attention and care.

Amongst these people, 80% of the facial hair because of using heat styling tools or going under multiple chemical hair treatments. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, the best way to get rid of heat damaged hair is to cut them. To have healthy-looking locks, it’s important to get regular trims to avoid further unnecessary damage.

3. Frizzy Hair

This one doesn’t come by as a surprise as most of the regions in India have a very humid climate which results in frizzy hair. The hardness of the water in our area along with the products we use on our hair is also a major reason why people have frizzy hair. About 38.4% of Indian women chose anti-frizz as one of the three hair goals while curating their own personalized shampoo kit by Freewill. This speaks volumes about the commonality of this hair issue.

4. Dandruff

41% of women in India complain about having persistent dandruff. Scientifically, dandruff is a fungal condition that develops when the pH level of your hair is disturbed or the scalp is lacking hydration. The natural pH of our hair needs to be around.

However, most of the time we are not is about the chemical content and the pH level of the products we use on our hair. Weather also acts as a major cause of dandruff. 

What is the industry doing to tackle it?

India is a country where Ayurveda and natural home remedies are used to cure hair and skin religiously. People have this notion that market products are loaded with chemicals and toxins. With the rise in awareness about using the right kind of products- hydrating, SLS-free, paraben-free, toxin-free, natural and clean products- the consumers are now moving towards better and sustainable options. The brands who have been key players in the beauty industry are also coming up with better solutions and different marketing tactics to keep up with the competition. New brands these days focus on preserving resources along with providing immense value to the customers.

Brands are coming up with solutions to customer problems like water hardness, humid weather, etc to make their products more relevant to the customers.

People in rural areas also believe in getting personalized hair kits and the demand for the same is significantly increasing day by day. People prefer going for products that are specifically meant for their hair type and show results instead of the generic products. 

Author: Shweta Jhawar

Shweta is a freelance content writer and an aspiring digital marketer. She loves reading and writing about various domains such as marketing, travel, beauty and lifestyle. Her outgoing personality is always keen to learn about different cultures, travel the world and meet new people.