Hair loss is a problem that many of us know about. The loss of hairpieces is a problem that most of us face from time to time. Meeting people who tell you they have thick, gorgeous hair that fades over time has become commonplace. So the truth is, if you don’t care about your hair, it won’t care about you.
Limiting the problem of hair loss is not simple. With all the remedies that claim to fix the problem, there are only a few that show real results. Vitamin E is one of these remedies. It is considered an ideal remedy because of its antioxidant properties. This means that it acts as a shield against free radicals that damage the skin and hair cells.
The chemical name for vitamin E is alpha-tocopherol. It is a fat-soluble vitamin that offers a multitude of health and beauty benefits such as reducing frizz, dryness, and dullness, and giving a luminescent glow to your hair. Oil and vitamin E supplements have gained popularity as excellent hair care products. But before I go into detail, do you know what vitamin E makes your hair so good? We are going to take a look!
What can vitamin E do for hair?
Vitamin E has natural antioxidant effects that could help maintain hair growth.
People have claimed that vitamin E has several health benefits for hair, but many of these claims lack rigorous scientific evidence to back them up.
Most claims regarding the role of vitamin E in hair health relate to its antioxidant properties.
Benefits Of Vitamin E For Hair Growth:
1. Could help support a healthy scalp
Vitamin E has natural antioxidant effects that could help maintain hair growth.
The antioxidant properties of the vitamin could help reduce the amount of oxidative stress and free radicals that cause the breakdown of hair follicle cells in a person’s scalp.
2. Improves Blood Circulation
Vitamin E helps widen blood vessels for easier transport. It also prevents blood from clotting, ensuring a fluid flow. The oil, when massaged topically in the scalp, improves blood circulation which provides optimal nourishment to the hair follicles. It also stimulates hair growth by detoxifying the basic damage caused by oxidative stress. This helps the follicles to work more efficiently, promoting hair growth.
3. Help prevent hair loss
There is limited evidence to support the claim that vitamin E can help prevent hair loss.
A small research study using a total of 38 volunteers suffering from hair loss examined the role played by vitamin E in the prevention of this loss. The study found that one of the components of vitamin E improved hair growth in volunteers compared to a placebo. More research is still needed to determine how vitamin E affects hair loss.
4. Normalizes Oil Production And pH Levels
Most often, the main cause of hair loss is excessive oil production or an imbalance of pH levels on your scalp. When your scalp is dry, the sebaceous glands are overdriven, producing more oil than necessary. Excess oil begins to clog the hair follicles, causing problems such as itching and dandruff, and ultimately hair loss. Vitamin E oil counteracts this by providing moisture, thereby calming overzealous sebaceous glands while balancing pH levels.
5. Increased shine
According to some people, vitamin E can help restore the shine that hair loses as a result of damage. Chemicals, heat styling products can damage your hair quality.
A person can restore shine with the help of oils, which provide an extra layer of protection to the skin and hair.
There is little research on the effectiveness of vitamin E in making hair shiny.
6. Antioxidant Activity
Vitamin E is known for its rich antioxidant activity that helps neutralize free radicals that damage your scalp and hair. This prevents your follicles from being damaged while limiting division and breakage.
How to use or get more vitamin E
Vitamin E is a natural nutrient found in certain foods. People can also find it in supplements and other products.
Following methods can help us to increase their vitamin E intake or apply more of this vitamin to the hair and scalp:
Shampoo and other hair products
Many shampoos and conditioners contain vitamin E. People can wash their hair with a shampoo and conditioner fortified with vitamin E as they would with regular products.
It is essential to follow the instructions on the information label when using special products and supplements.
Enriched shampoos containing vitamin E and other nutrients are available for purchase online. Again, it should be noted that there is little evidence to support their effectiveness in improving hair health.
Improve overall diet
Vitamin E is found in several types of food. These include:
- leafy greens
- nuts and seeds
- vegetable oil
- fortified breakfast cereals
To increase their vitamin E intake, people can eat foods that are naturally rich in this vitamin. Here are some good food sources of vitamin E:
- 1 tablespoon wheat germ oil – 20.3 milligrams (mg)
- 1 ounce (oz) dry roasted sunflower seeds – 7.4 mg
- 1 oz dry roasted almonds – 6.8 mg
- 2 tablespoons peanut butter – 2.9 mg
- half a cup of cooked spinach – 1.9 mg
- half a cup of boiled broccoli – 1.2 mg
Experts generally consider increasing the intake of foods containing vitamin E to be safe.
Use of supplements
Vitamin E supplements are often available in specialty stores and the pharmacy section of various stores.
People taking vitamin E should always use it according to the instructions. They should also take it with food as it is a fat-soluble vitamin.
Supplements contain a synthetic form of vitamin E.
It is best to speak to a doctor before taking vitamin E supplements because too much vitamin E can be harmful.
Vitamin E oils
Some oils contain an infusion of vitamin E. People should mix these oils with a carrier oil if the manufacturers have not already diluted them. This will help prevent skin irritation.
While it is possible to apply vitamin E oils directly to the scalp, infused oils may not be the best choice for most people because they are expensive and can be difficult to use.
Are there potential side effects or risks?
Always dilute before applying Vitamin E to your skin, scalp or hair. Undiluted vitamin E oil can cause skin irritation or rash.
Taking supplements can increase your risk of ingesting dangerous amounts of vitamin E.
High doses of vitamin E can:
- disrupt the production of thyroid hormones
- weaken the bones
- increase the risk of prostate cancer
It is important to speak to your doctor before adding a vitamin E supplement to your diet.
The average adult needs only 15 milligrams (22.4 IU) of vitamin E per day. The National Institute of Health recommends no more than 1,500 IU of naturally occurring vitamin E or 1,100 IU of synthetic vitamin E per day.
The bottom line
Vitamin E can be a great addition to your hair care arsenal, and you don’t need a fancy product to do it! The food in your fridge is a great place to start.
Although you can find many products that contain the powerful antioxidant, it is best to speak to your health care professional before using vitamin E treatment or taking a supplement, especially if you have hair problems, skin or scalp.
