Vitamin D is one of the famously known beauty vitamins that is said to have many benefits for good skin and healthy hair growth. Unfortunately, there are about 42% of adults in the US who are vitamin deficient and among them, some individuals are experiencing hair loss or alopecia. If you’re one of those who have vitamin D-related hair loss, raising your daily intake of vitamin D can be a good remedy for its symptoms.
So when does hair growth return after taking vitamin D supplements? The effects of vitamin D supplements for hair growth can be different for everyone depending on how low your vitamin levels are. It can take 3 to 4 months to increase your amounts of vitamin D and subsequently improve your nutritional deficiency symptoms. Some studies show initial hair loss improvements after a month of taking the supplements but regrowth activity normally returns after three months of daily vitamin maintenance.
Vitamin D For Hair Growth: When Can You See Results?
There is no dietary vitamin or hair care product that can work overnight to solve hair loss. Although there’s no exact timeline on when these supplements can take effect for hair growth, researchers suggest that it can take up to three months to see results.
In one study, a female diagnosed with diffuse hair loss caused by low vitamin D serum levels was recommended to take vitamin D supplementation. She was prescribed a daily dose of 1000 international units (IU) of vitamin D and in the first month of treatment, the amount of hair loss that was experienced reportedly decreased. After 3 months of continuous vitamin supplementation on hair growth, healthy scalp and active hair regrowth were observed.
Supplements aren’t an instant hair loss solution and there are several factors that can affect the time it takes to see its results such as:
- The length of new hair growth per anagen cycle: In the hair growth cycle, the anagen phase is the most important stage where the follicles are actively forming and pushing new hair out of its roots. It’s the longest phase and the follicles can stay in this stage for up to 5 years. During this time, new hair grows for only half an inch or about 1 cm every month.
- The role of vitamin D in hair growth and hair follicle cycling: The role of supplements in this phase is that they can bind with the vitamin D receptors to activate the production of new hair follicles. It helps regulate cell turnover to ensure continuous hair growth cycling. Inadequate vitamin D levels can slow down the development of follicles, which can lead to sparse regrowth and cause existing hair strands to fall out.
- Lifestyle and diet requirements: Vitamin D supplements alone may not be enough to reduce hair fall and treat hair thinning symptoms. They may provide better effects for your hair and scalp health if taken with a balanced diet that is enriched with other nutrients like vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, and vitamin B. Patients with hair loss may also benefit from naturally absorbing vitamin D by spending a few minutes in the sun.
How Can Vitamin D Improve Your Hair Health
The link between vitamin D and hair growth can be found in the production of new follicles. Like the other cells in the body, hair follicles need a healthy supply of vitamins, proteins, and other nutrients to function properly. Other positive hair benefits of vitamin D supplements can include:
- An adequate level of vitamin D can reduce inflammation which helps protect the scalp hair and follicle from damage that can cause hair fall and hair loss
- Vitamin D promotes a stronger immune system to prevent hair problems caused by autoimmune conditions
- Vitamin D supplements are essential for scalp care since they can keep the scalp skin moisturized and could reduce dryness and itchiness
- It can prevent brittle hair by ensuring that the new follicles produce stronger and thicker hair
Vitamin D is also an important fat-soluble vitamin that’s responsible for many biological processes. Some of the other health benefits of having sufficient vitamin D levels are:
- Improves absorption of calcium to promote bone growth and keep bones strong
- Strengthens immune system to prevent the risk for health conditions and autoimmune diseases
- Can improve heart health to lower risk for cardiovascular disorders
- Promotes growth of new cells for skin rejuvenation
- Increases production of growth factors to regulate normal wound healing
- Improves mood and reduces fatigue
Different Types of Vitamin D Supplements
Vitamin D supplements can require a prescription from a healthcare provider or can be bought over-the-counter. This nutrient can exist in different forms, but the best types of vitamin D to take are vitamin D2 and vitamin D3.
- Vitamin D2: this type of vitamin D is derived from plants and yeast, and it is most common in food sources like fortified foods like soy milk and oats, mushrooms, and dietary vitamins
- Vitamin D3: this can be taken from animal-based dietary sources like fatty fish, cod liver oil, beef liver, red meat, cow milk, and egg yolks. It is also said that taking nutritional supplements of vitamin D3 is the best way to improve your vitamin D content. Vitamin D3 can also be naturally produced in the skin by absorbing sunlight.
There are also different hair care products that are infused with vitamin D content for promoting hair growth. Dermatologists may recommend topical application or oral medications of vitamin D for improving overall hair health:
- Topical application via vitamin D creams: Topical products usually contain derivatives of vitamin D and one of its most common forms is calcipotriol. This ointment is commonly used for the treatment of psoriasis but it’s also shown to be beneficial for patients with inflamed scalp and can help manage symptoms of alopecia areata.
- Oral supplements and multivitamins – Most people can take their daily doses of vitamin D in capsule or tablet forms. Patients can also take multivitamins which contain different formulations of essential vitamins like vitamin A, C, E, biotin, zinc, and iron to decrease their nutrition gap for overall good hair health.
How Much Vitamin D Do You Need For Hair Growth?
According to the National Institutes of Health, the ideal dietary allowance of vitamin D for adults is 600 to 800 IU or 15 to 20 micrograms. In some studies, hair loss patients were administered 1000 IU of vitamin D intake to restore their serum levels to adequate amounts. This recommended amount is sufficient enough to maintain bone health, normal calcium levels, and healthy metabolism.
It’s also best to take hair growth vitamins and dietary supplements with caution since too much absorption of vitamin D could lead to toxicity. Although it’s a rare condition, vitamin D toxicity can lead to hypercalcemia which is the excess buildup of calcium in your blood and can cause symptoms like nausea, vomiting, and headaches. Make sure to consult with your doctor to get the right and safe dosage of vitamin D for hair growth.
What Is The Link Between Vitamin D Deficiency and Hair Loss?
The prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency has been shown to lead to the symptoms of alopecia areata, telogen effluvium, and androgenetic alopecia. These hair loss problems usually stem from the disruption in the production of hair follicles wherein vitamin D has a crucial role.
Alopecia areata
Lack of vitamin D can lead to a compromised immune system which can result in an autoimmune condition that can cause hair loss. Patients with alopecia areata usually have an abnormality in their immune system which causes the body to attack the healthy tissues and cells in the follicles. This can cause a significant decrease in hair production as the damaged follicles begin to shrink and existing hair begins to fall out prematurely.
Telogen effluvium
Vitamin D deficiency has also been linked to chronic telogen effluvium or diffuse hair loss. This type of hair loss happens when a majority of hair follicles enter the resting or telogen phase of the hair growth cycle. Excess hair shedding and hair thinning can appear as a result of the follicles being unable to start the anagen phase.
Androgenetic alopecia
Androgenetic alopecia is the most common type of hair problem that affects individuals. It’s also known as male pattern baldness or female pattern hair loss. Typically, androgenic alopecia is a genetic condition and can be triggered by changes to an individual’s hormone levels. Receding hairline, patchy bald spots, and severe hair thinning are some of the common symptoms of this form of hair loss.
Other Possible Causes of Hair Loss
Lack of vitamin D and other types of micronutrient deficiency is just one of the possible culprits for hair loss. Other factors can contribute to poor hair growth and weak hair such as:
- Natural hair aging over time
- Exposure to stressors or encounter with a traumatic life event
- Excessive hair styling that can pull or damage the hair and scalp
- Underlying medical condition like thyroid problems
- A side effect of medications or cancer treatment
- Scalp infections or scarring alopecia
Try PEP Factor For Hair Rejuvenation at FACE Med Store
Vitamin D supplementation can be a great way to support healthy hair growth and manage alopecia symptoms before it gets irreversible. Another possible treatment for hair loss is the PEP Factor serum which contains a special formula of different growth factors and proteins that could boost the hair growth benefits of supplements.
We at FACE Med Store are committed to offering quality and affordable supplies and tools for many businesses and aesthetic practices. Among our wide range of products, we sell PEP Factor products that providers can use to expand their skin rejuvenation services and hair loss treatments. Contact us today to know more about products and services.
Give your patients Pep Factor from FACE Med Store, and provide them with a unique alternative for promoting their skin and scalp health.
