Hair loss treatments: A Google trends analysis worldwide of the past 5 years (2018-2023)

Introduction: We aimed to evaluate the recent trends in public interest regarding various alopecia-related treatments using Google trends (GT). Method: Data generated through GT for the relative search volumes (RSVs) of the treaments-related terms were analysed: “hair loss treatment”; “minoxidil”; “oral minoxidil”; “finasteride”; “dutasteride”; “hair transplant”. Analysis has been performed worldwide from July 29th, 2018 to July 16th, 2023. Results: Mean RSVs for "hair loss treatment" have increased since 2021 (23±2.8 in 2018 to 70±7.5 in 2023). Interest in "Minoxidil" has been growing since 2018, with "Minoxidil oral treatment" gaining attention since 2021. "Finasteride" saw a rise in 2021; "Dutasteride" experienced consistent growth. RSVs for "hair transplant" have remained stable. Geographically, public interest in "hair loss treatment" was concentrated in Middle Eastern countries and Japan. Interest in oral treatments was prominent in Latin American and Spanish-speaking countries; Ireland and the United Kingdom showed strong focus on hair transplants. Conclusion: Google Trends is not a real epidemiological tool and can be only used by individuals who have access to the Internet. We observed temporal and geographical variations in public interest in hair loss treatments. COVID-19 pandemic, differences in the prevalence of alopecia-related conditions, cultural, social influences impact search trends across countries.