Who Gets Hemorrhoids?

It is estimated that almost 5% of the total American population has hemorrhoids.

When considering that it is more likely to affect people as they mature, it may be more useful to express this statistic in another way, and that is - half of all Americans will develop hemorrhoids by the age of 50.

Age

Hemorrhoids can affect young people but it is more likely to affect middle-aged and older people. The most likely age group is 45 - 65 years of age.

External hemorrhoids tend to be more common in younger and middle-aged adults than in older adults.

Gender

Hemorrhoids does not appear to affect men any more than women (except during pregnancy, of course), but it does seem that men are more likely to seek medical treatment for hemorrhoids.

Race

It is not clear how it affects people on the basis of race, but Caucasian people are more likely to seek medical treatment.

Genetics

Some people have a genetic predisposition that makes them more susceptible to hemorrhoids. This doesn't mean that they will definitely get hemorrhoids - it just means that they are more likely to. Therefore, it's even more important that these people follow good practices to avoid getting hemorrhoids.