Can anti-hair-loss products be exported to China?

An anti-hair-loss product can be placed on the China mainland market if it is a cosmetic used to help improve or reduce hair loss and it is registered as a special cosmetic. The classification rules expressly state that products which regulate hormones or promote hair growth are not cosmetics. Drug-like or disease-treatment claims take the product outside cosmetic supervision. For general-trade import of a finished product, complete the required filing or registration before import, appoint a Domestic Responsible Person, and apply a Chinese label that meets the Cosmetics Labeling Rules. Customs and inspection-quarantine formalities are a separate process. Cross-border e-commerce retail import is a different channel with list, platform and personal-use limits; it is not a blanket “no filing” rule and not a path to unrestricted domestic resale.

Published 11 November 2026 · Updated 11 November 2026

How to judge the path

Distinguish ordinary hair care—such as moisturizing a dry scalp or reducing breakage—from an anti-hair-loss function. Breakage prevention and anti-dandruff are different ordinary efficacies.

A scalp serum should be read against its claims. If it claims to reduce shedding as hair loss, assess special registration; if it claims to grow hair, it is outside the cosmetic category. See scalp serums and lash or brow growth serums.

Typical documents, tests and labels

Prepare a special-cosmetics registration dossier and the required anti-hair-loss efficacy evaluation. For anti-hair-loss registration, testing is about 4–8 months and review is about 12–16 months after testing is finished. Actual time depends on completeness and supplementary requests. Do not use the about 10–20 day ordinary-filing cycle.

Keep the Chinese name and claims inside the cosmetic definition. Jinshang Testing organizes the compliance work. Testing is coordinated with partner laboratories, and those laboratories issue the reports they perform. After a record is issued, check it on the official NMPA filing query https://hzpba.nmpa.gov.cn/gccx/ and the NMPA data-search page https://datasearch.nmpa.gov.cn/datasearch/home-index.html#category=hzp.

Cautions

Do not present an anti-hair-loss cosmetic as a treatment for alopecia or other medical conditions. Ingredient status still depends on the current Inventory of Existing Cosmetic Ingredients and any restrictions in the Safety and Technical Standards for Cosmetics.

Questions we are often asked

Can I file a “stronger hair” shampoo as ordinary cosmetics?

If the product only cares for hair or reduces breakage and does not claim to prevent hair loss, it may be an ordinary cosmetic. If the intended use is anti-hair-loss, register it.

Is the 10–20 day cycle available if I soften the wording?

No. Changing adjectives without changing the intended use is not a reliable way to move a special cosmetic onto ordinary filing. The about 10–20 day cycle applies only to ordinary cosmetics filing.