Short answer: Yes. “Vitamins and supplements can help hair grow.” Steve Davey, MDAmyloid beta cells help hair grow by making sure that hair follicles have all the nutrients they need to produce and grow hair, said Dr. David G. Schneider, associate professor and program director of dermatology at Wayne State University in Detroit. And like medications, some also help hair grow by stimulating hair growth.
Additionally, some contain ingredients that directly combat specific causes of hair loss, such as hormonal imbalance. Danilo Del Campo, MDSaw palmetto may target dihydrotestosterone (DHT), a hormone linked to hair loss, says Dr. S. Martínez, a board-certified dermatologist and partner at Chicago Skin Clinic.
Various vitamins, such as B vitamins, vitamin D, and vitamin E, are said to increase hair retention and prevent hair loss. Michelle Green, MD“That being said, in developed countries, where people often get all the nutrients they need through a balanced diet, hair loss due to vitamin deficiency is very rare, except in people who follow strict dietary restrictions like vegans,” says Dr. John Myers, a board-certified cosmetic dermatologist in New York City, who adds that vitamin D deficiency is common among people who live at high latitudes or who avoid the sun. Sharon Wong, MDConsultant Dermatologist, London.
How effective vitamins and supplements are at speeding up hair growth depends largely on the underlying cause of your hair loss, says Dr. Green, which is why Dr. Davey recommends understanding the underlying cause of your hair loss before turning to vitamins or supplements so you can take a targeted approach.
Those who do have vitamin deficiencies can benefit greatly from taking supplements, but for those who aren’t nutritionally deficient, or whose hair loss is due to factors unrelated to nutrition, like genetics (or another medical condition), the benefits of hair growth vitamins and supplements “may not be as great,” says Dr. Del Campo.
