Chinese born in the 1990s, long troubled by hectic lifestyles marked by working till late, heavy workload and career-related pressures, have a new problem to deal with: hair loss.

　　But certain manufacturers are sensing a big business opportunity as products that promise to cure or prevent hair loss are seeing something of a revival.

　　Last year, among consumers who bought hair care and hair growth products on e-commerce platforms of Alibaba Group Holding Ltd, 36 percent were born after 1990, and more than 38 percent were born between 1980 and 1990.

　　Middle-aged and senior consumers showed lower-than-expected demand for hair care products, according to a report by AliHealth, the health and medicine unit of Alibaba Group.

　　"With steady income growth of young Chinese, more people are paying attention to the quality of products, and they are willing to spend money on products that can help improve appearances," said Neil Wang, president of consultancy Frost& Sullivan in China.

　　"Fueled by the promotions featuring film stars and internet celebrities online, young consumers are increasingly seeking ways to appear more beautiful. Losing hair is something they can't stand. Expenditure toward better looks reflects the ongoing consumption upgrade trend in China," he said.

　　Besides, on social media platforms such as Weibo and Little Red Book, a Chinese online platform to share lifestyle tips, a large number of internet celebrities and makeup bloggers recommend or discuss products (like hair line powder and post-natal hair recovery oil) they think are good or useful.

　　"Internet celebrities and some KOLs (key opinion leaders) share user experiences and give good ratings for some niche products, so consumers get to know them, and young consumers tend to consider such recommendations. But product quality and personal preferences ultimately influence consumer decision whether or not to buy a product," Wang said.

　　The Alibaba report stated that among people who searched online using the keywords "hair loss", nearly 80 percent were male consumers. The largest number of buyers of hair care products came from Guangdong, Zhejiang, and Jiangsu provinces.

　　Online searches for hair care and hair growth products fluctuate through the year. In March, they tend to rise a bit; in August, they tend to surge, and peak in November, the report found.