Background information
I arrived with a serum and left with tablets
by Martin Jungfer
Gen Z’s taking up the fight against hair loss
9.2.2026
Translation: Katherine Martin
The demand for hair loss products on Galaxus has been growing for years. Most notably, an increasing number of customers under the age of 25 have been adding special tinctures and shampoos to their shopping carts. And they’re doing so despite the fact that most of these products have been proven largely ineffective.
Up to 70 per cent of men and around 40 per cent of women experience hereditary hair loss at some point in their lives (article in German). Thinning hair doesn’t only change a person’s appearance – it also impacts their mental health. Studies on the condition mention social anxiety, depression and persistent anxiety as knock-on effects (article in German). Some people experiencing hair loss are also affected by sleep disorders, exhaustion or mood swings.
For others, this distress is a real money spinner. The market’s teeming with shampoos, oils and serums purporting to stop hair loss or stimulate new hair growth. And people are eagerly buying them.
Despair’s good for business
First off, this hands-on Galaxus review demonstrates that over-the-counter products and shampoos can do very little to stop hair loss. This is nothing new, not to mention scientifically proven (article in German). Even so, Galaxus’s sales of hair oils and serums claiming to «treat hair loss» or promote «hair growth» have tripled in the last three years. Over the same period, sales of shampoos boasting the same promises have increased by 150 per cent.
Young people especially are buying hair loss prevention products earlier and earlier. While in 2022, one in 100 people under the age of 25 were buying serums and oils to help combat hair loss, the figure rose to one in ten in 2025. Currently, the proportion of hair loss products purchased by under-25s is as high as 16 per cent. Shoppers aged between 25 and 34 are also trying to combat receding hairlines and thinning hair more often. In fact, their share of the market has doubled in the last five years, hitting 40 per cent. This puts them at the top of the rankings. As of January 2026, under-35s also accounted for more than half of all of Galaxus’s sales for the first time.
The proportion of young shoppers buying hair loss shampoos is also increasing, albeit at a slower rate than in the serum and oil sectors. Shampoos, meanwhile, are still the hair loss remedy of choice for middle-aged people.
Both men and woman are battling hair loss
Noticeably more women are investing in maintaining voluminous locks. Two thirds of hair loss oils and serums sold on Galaxus are now purchased by female customers. Five years ago, the figure was less than half that. Plus, the gender gap in sales of hair loss shampoos has disappeared too.
In addition to the promise of putting a stop to hair loss, many products and shampoos also claim to having nourishing effects. That may well be effective – just highly unlikely to be effective in stopping hair loss. To effectively prevent or treat thinning hair, experts recommend consulting a doctor specialising in the condition. After all, it’s only once the causes of a person’s hair loss have been established that they can be targeted in a way that’s appropriate for them.
Are you affected by hair loss? If so, are you doing anything about it? If not, are you using products to prevent it from happening in the future? We look forward to your hair loss prevention tips.
Header image: Shutterstock
Tobias Heller
Communications Manager
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