Vitamins for Your Hair – What You Need to Know
We all need a little pick me up sometimes, and your hair is no exception.
If your hair has been feeling dry, brittle, or thinner than usual, it may be time to introduce a new product into your haircare routine.
While vitamins for hair loss have been available for men and women struggling with hair loss and hair thinning for some time, never before have there been so many varieties and options.
The desire to care for your body from the inside out, rather than solely through topical or external means, is also a contributing cause for the rise in popularity of vitamins for hair loss. Made up of vital ingredients that your body needs to support hair follicles and growth, a hair loss vitamin is the perfect added nourishment that your body may be missing.
Should you add a hair loss vitamin to your haircare routine? Read on to find out…
What Is Damaging Your Hair
We all want a thick, full mane, and that’s why it can be frustrating when our hair begins to let us down.
Luckily, more often than not, this change doesn’t happen overnight; there are some telltale signs to watch out for, as well as preventative steps that you can take to ensure healthy hair growth and revitalization.
Wet Hair
Coming out of the shower or bath is when hair is most vulnerable, so you need to make sure you are treating it accordingly. Wet hair is generally weaker, fragile, and more prone to breakage, so gently pressing the water out of hair is best, instead of roughly drying it with a towel.
You might even consider this tip for drying your hair from our friends at The Beauty Department, who recommend using a t-shirt instead of a towel to dry your hair to avoid causing added frizz and unwanted texture.
If you use a hair brush on wet hair, you may also notice more hair piling up in the hair brush than you want. Always use a wide tooth comb when dealing with wet hair, never use a hair brush.
If you need help deciding when to use certain hair brushes, our Hair Brush and Comb Guide is perfect for a quick tutorial!
Heat-Styling Tools
A huge contributor to damaged hair is using heat-styling tools. Hair dryers and straighteners are the main culprits and are responsible for causing dry, brittle, or even burning hair.
Watch this video of a young girl’s hair tutorial gone very wrong at the hands of a heat-styling tool – never let this happen to you!
Damaged hair caused by a heat-styling tool can lead to split ends, and possibly an unwanted haircut, if the hair is weakened so much that it is beyond repair.
To avoid hair damage, hair loss or an unwanted haircut, try setting the styling tool to the lowest heat setting. This will help minimize damage and help you avoid hair from being burned off like the poor girl in the video link above!
If you cannot avoid using heat-styling tools, make sure to use a moisturizing shampoo and a weekly hair mask to replenish the moisture lost during the styling process.
Hair Brush Cleaning
A dirty hair brush containing hair, oil, and product build-up is a breeding ground for bacteria. If you don’t already, make sure you are cleaning your hair brush at least once a month to prevent any bacteria on the brush from getting back into your hair. Mix together baking soda and warm water to wash the hair brush and help avoid unnecessary damage to the hair.
To read about other contributing factors to hair loss and damage, see our blog posts on Men’s Hair Loss and Women’s Hair Loss.
Vitamin Myths
Before you take any sort of hair loss vitamin or general supplement, make sure you know the facts about vitamins and how they affect your body. We’ve debunked some common myths about vitamins below.
Myth: You should choose vitamins with the words, “all-natural” on the label.
Answer: The term, “all natural” is not an official term nor is it regulated by a federal government agency, like the FDA. It does not in fact, offer any guarantee as to the product’s safety.
Myth: All vitamins can be kept in the same place.
Answer: This is not true. Some vitamins or supplements need to be kept in the fridge to maintain their quality and shelf life. Storing these vitamins elsewhere can actually cause them to lose their potency quicker and become ineffective.
Myth: Vitamins can be taken anytime, even at night, before bed.
Answer: If you take vitamins or supplements without food, you may actually be lessening their effects. Almost all vitamins should be taken with food for optimal absorption. Taking vitamins or supplements with food not only allows the nutrients to work in conjunction with each other, but it also helps to prevent an upset stomach.
Myth: You should try to buy vitamins with the terms “pharmaceutical strength” or “pharmaceutical grade” on the bottle.
Answer: Again, be cautious of these terms. There’s no such thing as ‘pharmaceutical strength’ or grade for dietary supplements – this phrase can only be used when referring to drugs, so be cautious of making a selection based on this criteria alone.
Now that you have a better understanding about vitamins and supplements, it’s crucial that you pick out the best vitamins for hair growth and repair.
The Vitamins Your Hair Craves
Not every vitamin or supplement will have the right ingredients to repair, strengthen and grow hair. Here are some vital ingredients to look for when searching for the best vitamins for hair growth.
Iron
Iron plays a vital role in transferring oxygen to cells throughout the body. With enough oxygen, hair follicle cells can maintain healthy hair growth. If you’re not getting enough iron in your body through different foods, having iron in a vitamin form is the next best thing.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D promotes a healthy hair follicle cycle, a necessity if you are looking for new hair growth, or longer, more luscious locks.
Zinc
If you’re feeling like your hair has become dry and brittle, it may be that you are not getting enough zinc in your diet. Zinc feeds the oil glands near the hair follicles, which in turn keeps the hair nourished and supple. Too little zinc is also a potential contributor to hair loss, so make sure this mineral is included in your hair loss vitamin.
B-complex Vitamins
B vitamins don’t necessarily aid in the process of growing new hair, but they do help existing hair regain its natural shine and thickness. If your hair has been looking lackluster or dull, make sure the vitamins for hair growth that you pick contain B-complex vitamins in the form of biotin, niacin or cobalamin to help restore your hair.
Eating the right foods that promote hair growth is another way to revitalize hair follicles, and when combined with the appropriate vitamins for hair loss, weak hair doesn’t stand a chance.
If your hair has been feeling dry, brittle, or thinner than usual, it may be time to introduce a new product into your haircare routine.
While vitamins for hair loss have been available for men and women struggling with hair loss and hair thinning for some time, never before have there been so many varieties and options.
The desire to care for your body from the inside out, rather than solely through topical or external means, is also a contributing cause for the rise in popularity of vitamins for hair loss. Made up of vital ingredients that your body needs to support hair follicles and growth, a hair loss vitamin is the perfect added nourishment that your body may be missing.
Should you add a hair loss vitamin to your haircare routine? Read on to find out…
What Is Damaging Your Hair
We all want a thick, full mane, and that’s why it can be frustrating when our hair begins to let us down.
Luckily, more often than not, this change doesn’t happen overnight; there are some telltale signs to watch out for, as well as preventative steps that you can take to ensure healthy hair growth and revitalization.
Wet Hair
Coming out of the shower or bath is when hair is most vulnerable, so you need to make sure you are treating it accordingly. Wet hair is generally weaker, fragile, and more prone to breakage, so gently pressing the water out of hair is best, instead of roughly drying it with a towel.
You might even consider this tip for drying your hair from our friends at The Beauty Department, who recommend using a t-shirt instead of a towel to dry your hair to avoid causing added frizz and unwanted texture.
If you use a hair brush on wet hair, you may also notice more hair piling up in the hair brush than you want. Always use a wide tooth comb when dealing with wet hair, never use a hair brush.
If you need help deciding when to use certain hair brushes, our Hair Brush and Comb Guide is perfect for a quick tutorial!
Heat-Styling Tools
A huge contributor to damaged hair is using heat-styling tools. Hair dryers and straighteners are the main culprits and are responsible for causing dry, brittle, or even burning hair.
Watch this video of a young girl’s hair tutorial gone very wrong at the hands of a heat-styling tool – never let this happen to you!
Damaged hair caused by a heat-styling tool can lead to split ends, and possibly an unwanted haircut, if the hair is weakened so much that it is beyond repair.
To avoid hair damage, hair loss or an unwanted haircut, try setting the styling tool to the lowest heat setting. This will help minimize damage and help you avoid hair from being burned off like the poor girl in the video link above!
If you cannot avoid using heat-styling tools, make sure to use a moisturizing shampoo and a weekly hair mask to replenish the moisture lost during the styling process.
Hair Brush Cleaning
A dirty hair brush containing hair, oil, and product build-up is a breeding ground for bacteria. If you don’t already, make sure you are cleaning your hair brush at least once a month to prevent any bacteria on the brush from getting back into your hair. Mix together baking soda and warm water to wash the hair brush and help avoid unnecessary damage to the hair.
To read about other contributing factors to hair loss and damage, see our blog posts on Men’s Hair Loss and Women’s Hair Loss.
Vitamin Myths
Before you take any sort of hair loss vitamin or general supplement, make sure you know the facts about vitamins and how they affect your body. We’ve debunked some common myths about vitamins below.
Myth: You should choose vitamins with the words, “all-natural” on the label.
Answer: The term, “all natural” is not an official term nor is it regulated by a federal government agency, like the FDA. It does not in fact, offer any guarantee as to the product’s safety.
Myth: All vitamins can be kept in the same place.
Answer: This is not true. Some vitamins or supplements need to be kept in the fridge to maintain their quality and shelf life. Storing these vitamins elsewhere can actually cause them to lose their potency quicker and become ineffective.
Myth: Vitamins can be taken anytime, even at night, before bed.
Answer: If you take vitamins or supplements without food, you may actually be lessening their effects. Almost all vitamins should be taken with food for optimal absorption. Taking vitamins or supplements with food not only allows the nutrients to work in conjunction with each other, but it also helps to prevent an upset stomach.
Myth: You should try to buy vitamins with the terms “pharmaceutical strength” or “pharmaceutical grade” on the bottle.
Answer: Again, be cautious of these terms. There’s no such thing as ‘pharmaceutical strength’ or grade for dietary supplements – this phrase can only be used when referring to drugs, so be cautious of making a selection based on this criteria alone.
Now that you have a better understanding about vitamins and supplements, it’s crucial that you pick out the best vitamins for hair growth and repair.
The Vitamins Your Hair Craves
Not every vitamin or supplement will have the right ingredients to repair, strengthen and grow hair. Here are some vital ingredients to look for when searching for the best vitamins for hair growth.
Iron
Iron plays a vital role in transferring oxygen to cells throughout the body. With enough oxygen, hair follicle cells can maintain healthy hair growth. If you’re not getting enough iron in your body through different foods, having iron in a vitamin form is the next best thing.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D promotes a healthy hair follicle cycle, a necessity if you are looking for new hair growth, or longer, more luscious locks.
Zinc
If you’re feeling like your hair has become dry and brittle, it may be that you are not getting enough zinc in your diet. Zinc feeds the oil glands near the hair follicles, which in turn keeps the hair nourished and supple. Too little zinc is also a potential contributor to hair loss, so make sure this mineral is included in your hair loss vitamin.
B-complex Vitamins
B vitamins don’t necessarily aid in the process of growing new hair, but they do help existing hair regain its natural shine and thickness. If your hair has been looking lackluster or dull, make sure the vitamins for hair growth that you pick contain B-complex vitamins in the form of biotin, niacin or cobalamin to help restore your hair.
Eating the right foods that promote hair growth is another way to revitalize hair follicles, and when combined with the appropriate vitamins for hair loss, weak hair doesn’t stand a chance.
