What experts want you to know about vitamin A for hair health
“Consider food vitamin A as your foundation, the nutrition that feeds your follicles from the inside,” explains Dr. Anand. This comes from foods such as carrots, leafy green vegetables, egg yolks and mangoes.
Topical forms, such as the scalp serums based on retinoids, consist more of solving the conditions of the scalp such as puff pastry or congestion. “I occasionally use topical retinoids in combined treatments,” explains Dr. Mour. “But their advantage is mainly the health of the scalp, and not to directly stimulate hair growth.”
Anand adds a word of prudence. “The scalp is delicate and too much vitamin A topical can leave it dry or irritated. Always see your doctor before trying it. ”
Can it be too much vitamin to cause hair loss?
Vitamin A for hair health is an act of balancing. Too little is not ideal, but too much can be worse.
“Vitamin A is soluble of fat, so your body stores excess rather than eliminating it,” explains Dr. Anand. “Do too much, and your follicles can go to hibernation.”
Dr Mour adds. “Excessive intake, in particular via supplements, can cause a telogen effluvium, where a large number of hair move prematurely in the loss phase.” The upper limit for adults is around 3,000 mcg, or 10,000 IU, per day. Going out this can cause dry skin, brittle nails, fatigue and liver stress, as well as diffuse hair loss.
The best food sources of vitamin A for hair health
Vegetable sources::
- Sweet potatoes
- Carrots
- Pumpkin
- Spinach
- Red peppers
Animal sources::
- Egg yolks
- Milk, cheese and yogurt
- Oily fish like salmon
- Liver (sparingly)
“Beta-carotene is the safest form because your body only converts what it needs,” explains Dr. Anand. “Consider him as the slow and stable friend you can count on.”
Dr. Mour suggests associating them with healthy fats such as ghee, olive oil or avocado. “Since vitamin A is soluble, it needs fat for optimal absorption.”
What does a vitamin A deficiency look like?
If you don’t get enough vitamin A, your hair will make you know.
“The hair becomes dry, brittle, more pronounced. The scalp can develop impeccity or follicular roughness, ”explains Dr. Kohli. In more serious cases, a deficiency can cause follicular hyperkeratosis, where small rough bumps are formed around the follicles and can contribute to overall clarification and rupture.
Do you have to try vitamin A scalp products?
Dr. Mour says nutrition should always be your first step. “The diet is the first wave of improving hair health. Retinoids or topical serums can help improve the quality of the scalp, especially when used alongside growth factors or peptides. ”
