Hair Loss in Switzerland in Numbers

This page collects publicly available figures on hair loss in Switzerland. Every figure comes with its source and year. Where there is no Swiss data, we say so and label estimates as such. The page contains no patient data and no internal analyses from orva.

How common hereditary hair loss is

The most common form is androgenetic alopecia, hereditary hair loss. How common it is depends strongly on age. The most robust figures come from large samples in the USA, Australia and the United Kingdom. ^{[1] [2] [3] [4]} We found no Swiss prevalence study in the scientific literature, nor any analysis of military conscripts.

The studies measure in different ways, partly by examination and partly by self-report. The figures are therefore not directly comparable. Together they show that hereditary hair loss becomes the majority experience for men as they age. The guide to the causes of hair loss explains the background.

Hair loss in women and patchy hair loss

Women are affected too, usually with diffuse thinning along the parting. In a British study of 377 women who attended a skin clinic for other reasons, 6% of women under 50 and 38% of women aged 70 and over had female pattern hair loss. ^[5] In Australia, 57% of women aged 80 and over showed hair loss in the mid-frontal area. ^[4]

Patchy hair loss (alopecia areata) is an autoimmune condition and much rarer. In two US population studies, the risk of developing it over a lifetime was 1.7% and 2.1%. ^{[6] [15]} A meta-analysis of 94 studies found a prevalence of 0.75% at any one time in population-based surveys. ^[7] Across all studies the meta-analysis reports 2.11%. That figure also includes clinic samples, which is why we use the population-based value for Switzerland.

Estimates for the Swiss population

To get an order of magnitude for Switzerland, we multiplied the shares from the studies by the permanent resident population at the end of 2025. ^[8] At that point Switzerland had 9,127,125 residents, 4,540,323 of them men. The calculation assumes that the condition is as common here as in the study countries. That is a simplification.

The estimates are orders of magnitude. Ancestry of the population, measurement methods and definitions differ between the studies and Switzerland. More precise figures would require a dedicated Swiss survey, which does not yet exist.

What is authorised in Switzerland

According to Swissmedic's list of authorised medicines of 30 September 2026, two groups of active ingredients are authorised for hereditary hair loss. ^[9] Nine topical minoxidil products under four brands are authorised in dispensing category D, meaning they are available without a prescription after professional advice. Six products containing oral finasteride 1 mg and one topical finasteride product are prescription-only in category B.

No oral minoxidil product is authorised in Switzerland. Dutasteride is only authorised for benign prostate enlargement, not for hair loss. ^[9] For severe patchy hair loss, Swissmedic authorised the ingredient ritlecitinib (Litfulo) in February 2025. ^[10] You can find details on the individual ingredients in the comparison finasteride vs minoxidil and in the guide to minoxidil prescriptions in Switzerland.

What basic health insurance pays

Mandatory basic health insurance covers medicines that are on the specialities list (SL) of the Federal Office of Public Health and are effective, appropriate and economical. ^[12] A search of the SL on 21 October 2026 showed the following picture for hair loss. ^[11]

Treatment for hereditary hair loss is therefore usually self-pay. The guide to the cost of hair loss treatment in Switzerland shows what each route costs.

Care and hair transplants

According to the FMH physician statistics, 718 specialists in dermatology and venereology were practising in Switzerland at the end of 2025, 393 women and 325 men. ^[13] Relative to the population, that is around 7.9 per 100,000 residents, or one specialist for around 12,700 people (own calculation). ^{[8] [13]} They treat all skin conditions, and hair loss is only one part of that. The comparison of telemedicine, dermatologist or hair clinic sets out the options besides a practice.

There are no Swiss statistics on hair transplants. According to the worldwide member survey of the professional society ISHRS, 84.7% of surgical procedures in 2024 were performed on men. ^[14] The survey is based on self-reported data from 247 members and is not a count of the market.

What does not exist

The gaps matter as much as the available figures. We found no Swiss population study on how common hereditary hair loss is, no representative Swiss survey and no statistics on hair transplants in Switzerland. Frequently quoted figures such as "up to 80% of men" could not be clearly traced to a primary source. The closest documented figure is 73.5% in men aged 80 and over. ^[4]

We will update this page when new data are published. If you know of a public Swiss source that is missing here, write to us via the contact page.