Our Guide to Vitamins for Thicker Hair
Dreaming of thicker, stronger, and more resilient locks? Understanding the science behind how your hair works can help you better understand what you need to do to unlock your hair’s healthiest potential.
Vitamins for thicker hair are one way to repair, strengthen, and protect your mane. Let’s talk about which vitamins to look for and how best to harness their potential in your wellness routine.
The Structure of Our Hair
The journey to optimal hair health starts with knowing a little bit about its anatomy.
There are all different types of hair — straight, curly, thin, straight, wavy, coily, etc. However, no matter what kind of hair you were born with (or choose to have now), all of it is made out of the same two basic components — a root and a shaft.
The hair root is located deep inside the skin, extending all the way down into the subcutaneous layer. Surrounding the hair root is a sheath of connective skin and tissue called the hair follicle, which also connects it to a sebaceous (oil-producing) gland and an arrector pili muscle which helps the hair “stand up.”
The base of the hair root — known as the bulb — is also connected to a blood supply which helps ensure it gets what it needs to continue creating new hair cells. The hair shaft grows from the bulb and passes through the skin to be visible outside the body.
How Does Hair Grow?
When your hair is healthy and growing as it should, new hair cells are constantly being created in the hair bulb. As more and more hair cells are created, they begin to stick together and harden — slowly creating a full strand of hair. This process is known as the growth or anagen phase, where your hair spends about 90% of its life cycle.
As hair cells continue to be added to this cycle, the hair shaft grows longer until it pushes through the skin. Under normal conditions, the hair on your head will grow at a rate of about a centimeter a month.
Once the hair has reached the end of the growth phase, it enters the transitional (or catagen) phase, where the root detaches from its blood supply. This process takes only about a few weeks — when it’s done (known as the resting or telogen phase), the entire hair pushes its way out of the skin and is shed (the final part of the process, known as the exogen phase).
Most of us lose between 70 to 100 hairs a day, although most of them are regenerated, so we don’t often notice.
Vitamins for Thicker Hair: What Are They and How Can They Help?
Like every other body part, the hair requires specific vitamins, minerals and other nutrients to maintain optimal health. If you don’t provide your body with what it needs to function, you’ll notice that things just don’t work as well as they used to.
The same is true of the hair. Vitamins for thick hair can help you give your body what it needs to create hair that is thick, strong and resilient.
Iodine
Iodine is a mineral that people are often familiar with due to its inclusion in most of the table salt we consume. Iodine is also incredibly important for many bodily systems, especially the thyroid and the brain.
Because of iodine's crucial role in keeping our thyroid healthy, a deficiency can trigger many of the classic symptoms of hypothyroidism (low thyroid function). One of the most common signs of this disorder is hair loss.
Iodine can help to strengthen hair from the root up and support scalp health, helping to keep the path clear for hair to grow.
Zinc
Zinc is an essential antioxidant, mineral and nutrient; it has a multitude of crucial responsibilities throughout the body — DNA creation, immune system support and more.
However, Zinc is also a crucial active ingredient to look for when choosing vitamins for thick hair. The nutrient supports hair growth while keeping the sebaceous glands surrounding the hair follicles working smoothly.
But Zinc isn’t just vital for growing thick hair; a Zinc deficiency has also been tied to hair loss. While most of us get enough Zinc through our regular dietary intake or multivitamin use, people who have been diagnosed with Crohn’s disease, those with chronic kidney issues, pregnant or breastfeeding people, and those who drink alcohol excessively are still at risk.
Other Factors That Can Impact Your Hair Health
Vitamins for thicker hair are one way to help promote optimal hair health. To ensure you are supporting your hair health from all angles, it’s best to embrace a multi-faceted approach.
Here are other factors that can impact your hair health and how to use them to care for your hair.
Diet
What we choose to put in our bodies has a vast, wide-ranging impact on our overall health and wellness — and the diet’s impact on our hair is no exception.
Focus on including more fresh fruits and vegetables in your diet, which can help in various ways. Specifically, you’re looking for foods high in nutrients like Vitamins B and C, Iron and Magnesium. Broccoli, strawberries, spinach, and eggs are all excellent choices.
Hydration is also essential for keeping your hair (and the rest of your body) as healthy as possible. Drink plenty of water and other non-caffeinated, sugar-free beverages throughout the day to support your entire body.
Know What’s in Your Hair Products
The products that you choose to use on your hair can also have an impact on its health. When choosing your hair products — from your shampoo to your styling products — look for natural ingredients that support your hair’s health without weighing it down or drying it out.
There are also a few ingredients common to many hair products that can also cause your hair to be more likely to break. Check your labels for any of the following ingredients and steer away from them whenever possible:
- Alcohol
- Dimethicone
- Parabens
- Phthalates
- Polyethylene glycol (PEGs)
- Sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS)
Most of the above ingredients are excessively drying to the hair and leave behind a thick buildup, increasing the likelihood of breakage. Switching products that contain these ingredients out with more natural products can be a game changer.
Reduce Your Use of Heat Tools
Remember when our hair stories were pretty much written at birth? Those were the days before the advent of hair straighteners, and we had to live with whatever nature and our gene pools bestowed upon us. Then, the straightening iron (and its heat tool friends) entered the scene, opening up a whole new world of hair styling possibilities.
While these tools can make our hair look straight out of a shampoo commercial, using them too frequently can leave our locks thirsty and prone to breakage. They strip away the natural oils that serve as our hair's defenses.
If your trusty straightener or blow dryer is a non-negotiable part of your hair routine, don't worry! Just arm your hair with a protective spray. But, remember to take a peek at the label first. Your hair will thank you!
Exercise More
We all know how good exercise is for us, but did you know it can also contribute to increased hair growth?
Exercise is excellent for keeping your cardiovascular health, but it also helps to increase blood flow. The more blood flow you have, the more nutrients and oxygen can circulate through the area. Just make sure you take the time to shower after you’re done working out — extra build-up around the opening of the hair follicle can impede new hairs’ ability to push their way out of the skin.
Reduce Your Stress Levels
Stress and hair loss go hand in hand — especially if your stress and anxiety become chronic issues. Managing your day-to-day stress, and stopping it before it can become a recurrent issue, can also help keep your hair thicker and stronger. Consider it a win-win for both your mind and your body.
The Bottom Line
Finding the right vitamins for thicker hair is key to unlocking your healthiest hair yet. It's an essential step towards ensuring your hair shines with all the beauty and vitality it truly deserves.
Pair these vitamins with a keen eye on your hair product ingredients, a nourishing diet full of nutrient-rich foods, and a lifestyle filled with movement and hydration. This powerful combination is your secret formula for unveiling healthy and thriving locks.
At JSHealth, we are here to care for you from the inside and out.
Sources:
What is the structure of hair and how does it grow?| PubMed
Iodine - Health Professional Fact Sheet
Zinc - Health Professional Fact Sheet
Researchers discover how chronic stress leads to hair loss | Harvard Gazette