Why You Actually Need Hair Supplements

Your tresses need a variety of nutrients for healthy growth. Here’s how to ensure that you’re getting enough of the right ones.

- Balvinder Sandhu

Let’s be honest: Who doesn’t want to turn heads with healthy, bouncy locks? The reality for most of us though, is that our hair gets to a stage where it thins or breaks easily, thus denying us our Beyonce-like moment.

Common hair problems like dry or thinning hair could result from factors such as using the wrong products for your scalp. Maria Mazengarb, trichologist at DrHair, says that continuous air-conditioning, UV rays, mechanical damage from hair tools, hair products, and nutritional deficiencies can also contribute to your hair woes. Thankfully, these factors can all be controlled and rectified.

Our hair, as with every other part of our body, requires sufficient nutrients for healthy growth. Leonica Kei, founder and principal trichologist at Leonica K Trichology, explains that hair is a non-essential tissue, and its thickness depends on our general health. When our hair starts to thin or shed, it is usually related to internal issues such as stress, diet, general health, medication or genetic predisposition.

“Hair receives nutrients from our blood supply. A balanced diet rich in protein is good for hair density,” she says. “I have seen many cases of hair thinning and heavy hair shedding that were caused by low iron and low vitamin D. Some vegetarians may be low in vitamin B12.”

CHOOSE YOUR SUPPLEMENTS WISELY

This is why some experts recommend hair growth supplements with specific ingredients such as zinc, iron and B vitamins to remedy nutritional deficiencies and bolster the hair growth cycle.

According to Dr Karen Soh of Prive Clinic, hair supplements can support hair growth and overall hair health from within – the theory behind this comes down to internal structural support.