Your hair is falling out faster than you would like and you are already looking at hair growth treatment procedures that will be effective. But what many people fail to remember is that hair loss is not always natural. While losing a few hair every day is normal and natural, there could be a cause of worry when you are seeing too much hair loss, your hairline receding or actual bald patches. Rather than jumping into the first new therapy that you come across to treat your hair loss, it would make sense to first understand what could be causing the hair loss.
Here are some of the most common causes of hair loss:
- Heat and chemicals in your hair – Knowingly or not, we tend to use a fair amount of chemicals in our hair in the form of hair care products, shampoos, conditioners and hair colours. Same goes with heat –when you use curling rods or straightening irons, you are subjecting your hair to immense heat. The chemicals and heat can weaken the hair and lead to breakage.
- Trouble with your diet – Your hair grows, which means that it needs proper nutrition. When there are not enough nutrients in your diet, it will affect your hair quality and growth. Although you might want to concentrate on vitamins and minerals for faster hair growth, your first focus should be on figuring out what all is missing in your diet to make it complete.
- Age and the genes – Both age and genetics are factors that are commonly associated with hair loss. If there is a history of hair loss in the family, chances are that you might notice similar situations in your life too. And then there is the fact, that with age, you will start to notice hair thinning, receding hair line and bald spots.
- Medical conditions – In case there are any medical conditions afflicting your body, that too could lead to hair loss. Cancer, thyroid issues, anaemia could all cause excessive hair loss. Similarly, major life events such as an accident, a major surgical procedure or pregnancy and childbirth could also cause increased hair loss.
Once you have understood what could be causing your hair loss, you could move into locating the vitamins and minerals for faster hairgrowth.By making the necessary changes in your lifestyle and adding the necessary nutrients, you should be able to fight hair loss and see an improvement in your hair growth journey. Here are the 5 most important vitamins that you need in your diet for better hair:
- Vitamin A–Vitamin A is incredibly important for the cells in the body to grow, and when these cells grow at a healthy rate, your hair is also able to grow properly. It can also help with improved production of sebum that keeps the scalp moisturised and allows for healthy hair. This fat-soluble vitamin is also responsible for the development of epithelial tissues and interestingly a deficiency of this vitamin could lead to alopecia. The most common sources of vitamin A include milk and milk products such as yoghurt, eggs, vegetables like carrots, spinach, pumpkin and sweet potatoes.
- Vitamin B – There are several B vitamins, but when it comes to hair, it is B12 that you will need the most. These are actually needed for the formation of red blood cells, which carry oxygen to various parts of the body and the tissues. When the amount of B12 in your body is normal, you should able to see good hair growth. Milk products such as cheese and yoghurt as well as milk itself are considered really good sources of Vitamin B12.
- Vitamin C – C is the true powerhouse of the vitamin world – it can work wonders for your entire body. It can fight free radicals; it can help with the creation of collagen (which is needed to produce keratin) and it helps your body fight naturally against infections. All of this ensures a healthy body and that in turn will ensure that you might not need any serious hair growth treatment procedures. Citrus fruits such as lemons, strawberries, mandarin, oranges, grapefruit and guavas are good sources.
- Vitamin D – Yet another fat-soluble vitamin, vitamin D plays a crucial role in the regeneration of calcium in the body. It also promotes proper immune functioning and cell growth. When there is a deficiency in the body, it can lead to alopecia areata and increased hair loss. The easiest way to increase vitamin D in the body is to spend some time in the sunlight, because it can accentuate the absorption of the vitamin better. You can also include milk, cheese and yoghurt to your diet as well.
- Vitamin E – In the past few years, there has been a lot of talk about how vitamin E is good for the body. While there are several forms of this vitamin, only tocopherol is safe for humans to consume. The antioxidant activity of this vitamin could help reduce the oxidative stress that is present in the scalp. When the scalp is more relaxed, it means better hair growth and less hair fall. The easiest ways to increase vitamin E content in your body is by consuming almonds, peanuts, sunflower seeds and cooked spinach.
Now, while we have covered the vitamins part of the important vitamins and minerals for faster hair growth,there are also other factors that are important for hair growth, namely minerals:
- The first one would be iron, which is needed by the red blood cells to carry oxygen around the body. When there is a deficiency of iron, it causes anaemia and that can lead to hair loss. Red meat in moderation, dark leafy greens, tofu, beans and lentils are all good sources of iron.
- Water soluble B vitamin, also known as biotin is just what your body needs for better hair and because its water soluble, the excess will get removed from the body through urine. Whole grains, fish, egg yolks, nuts and seeds, cauliflower, sweet potatoes and broccoli are all good ways of adding biotin in your diet.
- Another nutrient that has come into a lot of attention is omega 3 fatty acids, which are known to be really good for hair and skin. The fatty acids are essential to cell health and can be found in shellfish and flaxseeds.
Many a times, several health-related problems can be sorted out by improving your diet – if you are noticing hair loss, you can include these nutrients in your diet. By improving your diet, you could most probably avoid the need for any expensive hair growth treatment too!
