What is vitamin E known for?
Vitamin E is best known for its antioxidant properties that help reduce free radical damage and Benefit Your Hair and protect the body’s cells. Although you can find it in the supplement aisle, many companies add vitamin E to their beauty products. And for good reason!
Vitamin E has been used in dermatology since the 1950s to help protect the skin against aging, inflammation, and sun damage. The fat-soluble antioxidant is vital for maintaining healthy skin and Benefit Your Hair, a strong immune system.
Recently, vitamin E has been hailed as a cure-all to turn frizzy, damaged, unmanageable hair into shiny, luscious locks worthy of a shampoo commercial — or a sun-soaked Instagram image.
Keep reading to learn how the skin-boosting properties of vitamin E may be used to improve hair health and promote growth.
What can vitamin E do for your hair?
Early research suggests that vitamin E can help improve overall scalp and hair health. More studies are needed to truly understand its possible benefits.
Prevent hair loss
A small trial from 2010 found that vitamin E supplements improved hair growth in people with hair loss. It’s thought that the vitamin’s antioxidant properties helped reduce oxidative stress in the scalp. Oxidative stress has been linked with hair loss.
Improve scalp circulation
Vitamin E may increase blood flow, which is said to improve hair health. Researchers in one 1999 study found that high doses of vitamin E increased blood flow to the eyes in people with type 1 diabetes.
A separate 2001 study found that increased blood supply encouraged hair growth and increased the hair follicle and size in mice.
However, more research is needed to see if vitamin E directly affects blood supply to the scalp and if so, what that means for hair growth.
Balance oil production
Vitamin E is important for creating a protective barrier on the skin’s surface. This barrier helps lock in moisture. Dry, irritated skin can be a sign of vitamin E deficiency.
Although it’s unclear whether topical vitamin E can balance out scalp oil production, oils that contain vitamin E — like avocado oil — may help moisturize the scalp. They may also help prevent excess oil production.
Add shine
Hair can look dull and frizzy when it’s damaged. When the protective fat layer on the outside of the hair’s cuticle is removed, it loses its shine and becomes difficult to manage or style according to the Academy of Dermatology. A vitamin E-rich oil can help replace that protective layer by Benefit Your Hair and bring back shine. Oil in general also helps seal out moisture, reduce breakage, and protect the hair from damage.
How to use vitamin E for your hair
The good news is that vitamin E is easy to get through a balanced diet. In fact, a vitamin E deficiency is extremely rare, because most people get plenty throughout the day from whole and enriched foods.
But if you want to specifically target your hair, vitamin E can also be applied topically with a shampoo, conditioner, mask, or oil.
Diet
What you eat — and how much — is crucial for healthy hair. A lack of calories, protein, or micronutrients like vitamin E can impact your hair’s growth, structure, and loss.
Nuts, leafy greens, olive oil, and sunflower oil are some of the richest sources of vitamin E. It’s also found in meats and fortified foods like breakfast cereal.
Supplements
Although supplements are readily available, they aren’t necessary. Most people get enough vitamin E through diet alone. Some research even suggests that people benefit more from vitamin E when they get it through whole foods rather than a supplement.
Supplements can also put you at risk of getting too much vitamin E, which can be dangerous. You should always talk to your healthcare provider before starting a new supplement.
Vitamin E oil
Most vitamin E oils contain a carrier oil to dilute the oil and help prevent skin irritation. If you want use pure vitamin E oil, be sure to properly dilute the oil before use. That said, vitamin E oils are often expensive and can be difficult to work with — they’re usually thick and oxidize quickly when exposed to air.
To get the most out of the vitamin E-rich oil:
- Massage it onto your scalp.
- Gently comb through with a wide-tooth comb.
- Let the oil sit for at least 15 minutes.
- When you’re done, wash the oil out of your hair with your regular shampoo.
- If your hair already feels well moisturized, you can skip conditioner.
Read More at Healthline
