What Propia does

Propia Co., Ltd. (株式会社プロピア) is a Japanese private hair solutions company founded in 1984 and headquartered in Shinjuku, Tokyo. The company develops, manufactures, and retails proprietary hair integration and hair growth products through a vertically integrated model spanning dedicated factories (Saitama Koshigaya from 2003 and Tsukuba from 2005 with up to 250 planting machines), 10 directly operated retail salons across Japan, 6 authorized agencies, and 365+ partner/franchise stores, plus a direct e-commerce portal for hair care SKUs.

The company's core technology is the 'Hair Contact' (ヘア.contact) platform, a custom-made hair integration system using a 0.03mm ultra-thin breathable membrane into which proprietary artificial hair (HUMAX HAIR) is implanted via Propia-developed special-shaped needles, then adhered directly to the scalp via a medical-grade adhesive co-developed with a major pharmaceutical company. The product family spans three generations (Hair Contact launched 2003, Hair Contact GRAN launched 2018, Hair Contact Reve launched 2025) and extends into Hair Veil hair weaving (using MicroUp Platinum technology), the MIRAIS wig line, Medical Hair Contact for alopecia patients, the patented GDS trichogenous hair growth system (with Japan and USA patents), and the PROGNO branded hair care line (shampoo, tonic, treatment, supplements). Propia also offers a Makeup Hair Contact line using thinner 0.02mm film for temporary facial hair styling.

Propia serves individual consumers across multiple segments: men with hair loss or thinning (primary), women through the dedicated Propia Ladies salon and website, medical/alopecia patients, general hair care consumers, and fashion/lifestyle users. Revenue is generated primarily through one-time purchases of custom-made products priced individually based on coverage area (no public price list), supplemented by subscription/rental revenue from the GDS Shellter personal hair growth system and recurring purchases of PROGNO hair care items through e-commerce. Customer acquisition runs through a free trial program in directly operated salons, supported by the propia.co.jp website, the PROPIA STYLE blog, Facebook, Twitter/X, and SEO. The 'Hair Contact' mark is a registered trademark of Propia in Japan.

Name

Propia

Legal name

株式会社プロピア

Website

https://propia.co.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Propia is a Japanese private hair solutions company (founded 1984, Tokyo) that develops and retails proprietary hair integration technology (Hair Contact), hair extensions, wigs, medical hair products, and hair care items through 10 directly operated salons and a 365+ partner store network across Japan.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Hair Replacement Services

NAICS

Beauty Salons (812112), Toilet Preparation Manufacturing (325620)

SIC

Perfumes, Cosmetics & Other Toilet Preparations (2844)

akta.pro primary industry

Hair & Wig Replacement Systems (Hairpieces/Toupees) (HSALAAAK)

akta.pro secondary industry

Hair Extensions, Wigs & Hairpieces (CRABABAH)

Keywords

• Hair replacement services
• Hair integration technology
• Custom hair systems
• Hair growth treatments
• Medical hair solutions

Headquarters

HQ city

Shinjuku

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices10 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Hair Contact Products and Services: Custom-made hair replacement products using proprietary technology. Products are made to order based on individual customer conditions. Customers order and receive products after approximately 30 days.
2. Hair Extension (Hair Veil): Various hair extension methods including Micro Hyper, Hair Veil wigs, and Mirais. Products and services provided through directly operated stores and partner locations.
3. Trichogenous/Hair Growth Services: GDS system and Shellter personal hair growth rental. Professional services and home-use products for maintaining healthy hair.
4. PROGNO Hair Care Products: Online shopping sales of PROGNO shampoo, lotion, and hair care products including PROGNO126 EX, PROGNO216, and nutritional supplements.
5. Makeup Hair Contact (Facial Hair): Facial hair products using thinner (0.02mm) material for temporary beard/stubble appearance during events and parties.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Propia provides custom hair replacement solutions and hair care services in Japan. The flagship offering is the proprietary Hair Contact system, which uses a 0.03mm ultra-thin breathable membrane with implanted artificial hair (HUMAX HAIR) bonded directly to the scalp for a natural, undetectable appearance. Supporting lines include Hair Veil hair extensions/weaving, MIRAIS wigs, the patented GDS trichogenous hair-growth system, Medical Hair Contact for alopecia patients, the PROGNO hair care product line, and Makeup Hair Contact for temporary facial hair.

Product overview

Propia operates as a comprehensive hair solutions company offering a unified product portfolio centered on proprietary hair integration technology. The core offering is the Hair Contact series - a range of ultra-thin (0.03mm) permeable membrane hair integration products where artificial hair is implanted into a film that bonds directly with the scalp. The product family includes: Hair Contact (original, launched 2003), Hair Contact GRAN (premium tier, 2018), and Hair Contact Reve (latest generation, 2025). Supporting services include Hair Veil (hair weaving) using MicroUp Platinum proprietary artificial hair, wigs under the MIRAIS brand, and Medical Hair Contact for alopecia patients. The trichogenous system GDS provides hair growth services with patented technology. A complementary line of PROGNO branded hair care products (shampoo, tonic, treatment, supplements) supports the service ecosystem. Services are delivered through 10 directly-managed salons nationwide, with franchise and agent networks expanding reach.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Hair Contact Reve (レイヴ): Highest-level scalp integration and natural hair appearance product in the Hair Contact series, featuring gradient function and new adhesive technology for scalp integration. Name derives from French 'dream/desire/aspiration'.
• Hair Contact GRAN (グラン)
• PROGNO (プログノ)
• GDS (ジーディーエス)
• Shellter (シェルタ)
• ミクロアッププラチナ (Micro Up Platinum)
• Propia Ladies

Products and services

• Hair Contact Reve Latest-generation premium Hair Contact product featuring 0.03mm ultra-thin permeable membrane with implanted HUMAX HAIR artificial hair, a gradation function for natural front hairline density, and a new adsorption agent for superior scalp integration. Designed for customers seeking the highest level of natural appearance.
• Hair Contact GRAN Premium-tier Hair Contact product with enhanced scalp integration technology; an evolution of the original Hair Contact with improved adsorption and natural appearance.
• Hair Contact Original proprietary hair integration product using 0.03mm ultra-thin permeable membrane with implanted artificial hair that integrates directly with the scalp. Enables washing, blow-drying, sports activities, and sauna use without removal. Registered trademark of Propia.
• Medical Hair Contact Medical-use Hair Contact product designed for patients with alopecia areata, circular hair loss, and other medical hair-loss conditions. Designed for direct scalp application without adhesive tape.
• Hair Veil (hair weaving/extension) Hair weaving service using Propia's original artificial hair with proprietary bonding technique. Includes MicroUp Platinum (less-visible bonding method) and MicroUp Hyper (specialized method for minimal visible bonding).
• MIRAIS Wig Wig product line under the Hair Veil brand, offering full wig solutions for hair loss and volume enhancement.
• GDS Trichogenous System Proprietary hair growth system with patents in Japan and USA, developed specifically for hair-growth purposes (not adapted from beauty equipment). Includes GDS Shellter (personal) — a compact home-use variant launched December 2000.
• PROGNO Hair Care Series Proprietary hair care product line including PROGNO126 EX shampoo, PROGNO216 medicinal hair tonic, PROGNO1360 treatment pack, and PROGNO3000 GrowthSupport supplement. Features protein (moisturizing ingredient) formulation with no odor. Sold online at propia-shopping.jp.
• Makeup Hair Contact Facial hair accessory using the same material as Hair Contact but with a thinner 0.02mm permeable membrane. Designed for casual use during holidays, events, and parties as a fashion item for temporary beard/stubble appearance.

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature10 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Major Pharmaceutical Company (Unnamed)coreTechnology or IntegrationDevelopment collaboration for medical-grade adhesive used in Hair Contact products. The adhesive was developed with cooperation from a major pharmaceutical company's medical adhesive division, ensuring safety standards suitable for medical applications.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Aderans: Japan's largest hair replacement company, offering custom-made wigs, hair systems, and hair growth services through directly operated salons across Japan. Directly comparable to Propia in product category, salon-led GTM, and Japanese consumer focus; Aderans is the market-share leader against which Propia competes.
• Artnature: Publicly listed Japanese hair replacement company (TSE) competing head-to-head with Propia in custom wigs, hair systems, and ladies' hair solutions. Closely comparable in business model — own salons, custom production, and brand-led marketing — but at meaningfully larger scale.
• Hair Club (under Bosley): North American non-surgical hair replacement and restoration chain now part of Bosley. Directly comparable to Propia in the non-surgical hair system and extension category with similar salon-style service delivery.

Broad incumbents

• Bosley: Largest US-based hair restoration company (surgical transplants and non-surgical options, including acquired Hair Club). Comparable to Propia in non-surgical hair replacement and hair growth services, but with a US-centric footprint and a heavier emphasis on surgical offerings.

Emerging players

• Lexington International (HairMax parent): Developer and manufacturer of the HairMax line of laser phototherapy devices for hair growth. Comparable to Propia's GDS system and Shellter home-use rental in the consumer/professional hair growth device category.
• Keeps: US-based DTC subscription service for hair loss treatments (finasteride, minoxidil, ketoconazole). Comparable to Propia in addressing male-pattern hair loss but via ongoing pharmaceutical subscriptions rather than salon-based custom hardware.
• Hims & Hers Health: US-based DTC telehealth and consumer wellness platform offering prescription hair loss treatments (finasteride, minoxidil) and primary care. Comparable as a hair loss solution provider targeting the same end-customer need, but with a digital-first, pharmaceutical-led approach rather than custom hardware.
• HairMax: Manufacturer of FDA-cleared laser hair growth devices (LaserComb, LaserBand) for home use. Comparable to Propia's GDS hair growth system in targeting the hair growth category, but with a hardware/light-based technology rather than Propia's salon-device approach.

Regional players

• Ruky: Japanese wig specialist (operating company of Aderans) focused on wigs for medical hair loss, including cancer treatment-related alopecia. Comparable to Propia's Medical Hair Contact and MIRAIS wig product lines in the medical/medical-adjacent hair loss segment in Japan.
• Lordhair: China-based direct-to-consumer hair system and toupee manufacturer with global e-commerce distribution. Comparable to Propia's Hair Contact hair system category but operates primarily through online channels rather than salon-based service.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Propia_progno
• Facebookfacebook.com/propia.jp
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/propia-co.-ltd.

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Propia