“Vitamins are essential for healthy hair growth and may help in preventing hair shedding and thinning,” says Michele Green, M.D., a cosmetic dermatologist in New York. “The best vitamins for hair growth include B vitamins, vitamin D, vitamin E, zinc, biotin and iron.
1. Biotin. Biotin (vitamin B7) is important for cells inside your body. Low levels of it can cause hair loss, skin rashes, and brittle nails.
Only riboflavin, biotin, folate, and vitamin B12 deficiencies have been associated with hair loss.
Biotin. Biotin, also known as vitamin B7, stimulates the production of keratin to increase follicle growth. Biotin deficiencies tend to be rare, with those diagnosed with Biotinidase Deficiency being the most common.
In other cases, thinning hair is triggered by something going on inside the body — for instance, a thyroid problem, a shift in hormones, a recent pregnancy, or an inflammatory condition. Hair loss may also be genetic. The most common genetic condition is known as female-pattern hair loss, or androgenic alopecia.
To date, no clinical studies show that hair vitamins and supplements promote hair growth, prevent hair loss, or improve other facets of healthy hair such as dryness, shine, and thickness. In rare cases in which poor hair health is caused by nutrient deficiencies, taking supplements may improve hair quality.
How is female hair loss treated? Minoxidil (Rogaine) 5% is the only topical medication approved by the FDA for female-pattern hair loss. The once daily use foam treatment regrows hair in 81% of the women who try it. Liquid options of 2% and 5% solutions are available over the counter.
There are various treatment options for female hair loss, including topical medications, such as Rogaine. Other options include light therapy, hormone therapy, or in some cases, hair transplants. Eating a nutritious diet and maintaining a healthy lifestyle can also help keep hair healthy.
Here's the truth: You can't change the size of your hair follicles. If you were born with fine hair, it's genetics, and no product will completely alter that. Of course, there are ways to maintain your hair health, add volume, and keep it from getting any thinner.
As with male pattern baldness, female pattern baldness comes from hormone imbalances, specifically dihydrotestosterone imbalances, or DHT. This hormone is similar in structure to testosterone, but it is significantly more potent [3]. DHT can attach to receptors on the hair follicles, causing the follicles to shrink.
In addition to biotin, the other B vitamins are important for healthy hair growth, including Vitamin B6, B12, and folic acid. In fact, Vitamin B12 helps hair cells and hair growth by promoting healthy hair follicles through the production of oxygen-rich red blood cells.
Answer: No Vitamins are better or worse for hair growth.
There are no vitamins that target hair growth.
Hormonal Hair Loss: Gradual Thinning Of Hair
In women, androgenic alopecia begins with a gradual widening of the part line, followed by increased thinning starting at the top of the head. “A patient may begin to notice a thinner ponytail or may say 'I see more of my scalp,'” St. Surin-Lord says.
DHT is a sex hormone that is a derivative of testosterone, but excess amounts of this hormone can affect the hair follicles. DHT interferes with the hair's growth cycle, shrinking and shortening the hair making it easier for it to fall out and more difficult for it to grow back.
Lifestyle factors could include using certain hair products, wearing your hair up too tightly, experiencing high stress levels, or not getting enough of certain vitamins and minerals in your diet. People who have immune system deficiencies could also have thinning hair.
Hair thinning causes can include aging, your genes, shifting hormones, and your diet. Learn what else might be playing a role. Whether you're a woman or a man, it's normal for your hair to thin as you get older, according to Cleveland Clinic.
As people age, their rate of hair growth slows. There are many types of hair loss, also called alopecia: Involutional alopecia is a natural condition in which the hair gradually thins with age. More hair follicles go into the resting phase, and the remaining hairs become shorter and fewer in number.
Over time, hair fibers become thinner and drop out; unfortunately, they never regenerate. There are natural pigment changes that occur in hair as you age as well. Pigment cells stop producing as much pigment and eventually your once thick, chestnut hair becomes thin, fine and gray.