Do Hair Growth Supplements Work?

Ask anyone, “What’s the first thing you notice about a person?” and you’ll get a range of answers. However, the top three responses are likely to be some combination of the following: face, clothes, and hair, and it’s this last one that we’re focusing on today. It might surprise some people with regards to how big the hair industry is. While most know that skincare and fashion have major industries dedicated to them, industries that pull in billions of dollars per year, some might be shocked to learn that the hair product industry takes in around $11 billion per year. Yes: billion with a “B.” That’s because our hair is one of the most important parts of our appearance, and not all people are blessed with perfect hair. Some of us need a little help in that department, and one promised source of help is hair supplements. But can hair supplements really help not only the appearance of our hair, but make it grow?

First off, let’s learn a little bit about what hair is hair. Our bodies are covered in tiny, individual strands of fibers that we call, well, hairs. Each “hair” is actually a filament consisting of proteins all strung together into a chain produced by a hair follicle just below the surface of the skin. When everything is working properly, the hair follicles produce hair shafts that grow as long as your DNA will allow it to (typically two or three feet maximum). The growth period lasts anywhere from 3 to 5 years, followed by a brief period of rest, then the hair follicle releases the hair and rests, before starting to produce another hair. The hair growth process is both simple and complex, and it can be affected by a number of things including hormonal balance, stress, and nutrition – yes, nutrition. Inadequate nutrition is associated with hair breakage, hair loss, and weak hair growth.

It’s here that hair supplements start to come in. Because studies have shown that certain vitamins and minerals have been associated with good hair health, companies have come up with supplements containing ingredients which are supposed to make sure your body has enough of them, so that your hair can be its best. You’ll often find some of the following in these supplements:

• Zinc. Zinc is an important mineral that’s not always found in peoples’ diets, and a zinc deficiency has been associated with hair loss.

• Biotin. This substance is technically a B vitamin – a very important one, vitamin B7 – and one that is a part of the body’s essential processes. It also plays a huge part in the hair growth process, which involved the synthesis of fatty acids and cell signaling, which ensures that all cells – including hair growth cells – are working properly. It’s important to tell your doctor if you use biotin supplements, as biotin levels can affect some test results.

• Keratin. This is a protein which makes up the structure of the hair itself, in the form of alpha-keratin. It’s a tough protein that forms stable chains that are tough to break, which is why your hair doesn’t just fall apart upon touch. Taking it in supplement form is supposed to increase the amount of keratin that your body can use, leading to shinier, more filled-out hair strands.

Hair supplements can contain other ingredients too, ones that aren’t necessarily nutritional. Some of these can include ingredients like reishi mushrooms, which is supposed to increase circulation throughout the body so that nutrients can be delivered to your hair follicles. Other ingredients, such as flaxseed oil, are supposed to provide your body with fatty acids, which all parts of your body (including your skin and your scalp) need to function at their healthy best.

The main use of these supplements is to ensure that your body has enough of the materials and nutrients it needs to carry out the natural hair growth process, and ensure that if hair loss is being caused by a lack of adequate nutrients, that it can be taken care of.

Now here’s the bad news: there’s no magic pill that will “make” your hair grow more than your genetics allow. Also, if one’s hair loss is caused by a bigger condition, like a disease or hormonal disorder, supplements aren’t really the way out – it’s something that should be diagnosed and treated by a doctor.

In the, end of course, we can’t expect a simple answer for all our life’s problems. But for some people who want to make sure their hair growth and quality are as good as they can get naturally, nutritional hair growth supplements might just help them out a little. And every little bit can count, as it all leads up to that things we’re all seeking for: a great hair day.