Seeing existing hair strands fall out can be alarming but it’s said that it’s completely normal to experience some level of hair shedding on a daily basis. People can shed at least 50 to 100 hair strands per day and it’s a part of the healthy renewal cycle of the body. But when hair shedding becomes too much, you can consider looking into hair care supplements to help manage hair loss. Vitamin D supplementation can be a natural remedy for reducing hair loss and hair fall.
So how quickly can vitamin D hair supplements work to stop hair fall? Available studies have shown that taking a vitamin D supplement for three months can decrease hair fall and stimulate hair regrowth from the follicles. When taking vitamin D dietary supplements for alopecia or hair loss, doctors should recommend appropriate dosage for daily vitamin consumption and closely monitor the patient for results and any side effects.
How Long Do Vitamin D Supplements Take To Work For Hair Loss?
Hair growth vitamins such as vitamin D supplements are said to help curb alopecia and balding to a certain extent. Vitamin D deficiency is believed to cause certain types of hair loss problems, namely alopecia areata and male pattern baldness. Low vitamin D levels may be associated with a poor hair growth cycle which can result in slow regrowth that could aggravate hair thinning and the appearance of bald spots.
Several trials have proven that addressing vitamin D insufficiency with supplements can promote healthier hair growth and active hair follicles. In one study, a 45 year old female diagnosed with diffuse hair loss was treated with vitamin D supplements for three months. She received a 1000 IU of vitamin D every day and in the first month of her medication, the patient experienced decreased amounts of hair fall.
At the end of the three-month observation period, the researchers had noted restoration of healthy scalp and active hair regrowth. What worked for the patient was correcting her vitamin deficiency with necessary supplements to get her nutrients and vitamin levels back to normal.
Results of vitamin D supplementation for hair care and hair loss treatment can still vary depending on the severity of a person’s hair loss symptoms. There are also several factors that should be considered when deciding to take the hair growth vitamins:
- Hair growth supplements may not produce immediate effects: On average, the hair growth cycle can take a long time to complete. Taking into consideration that the anagen phase or growing stage can last for several years before moving to catagen (transition) phase, new hair could only grow one-half inch per month.
- Maintaining a healthy scalp and follicles can help increase the anagen phase: Hair naturally grows from the root of the follicle. A person needs an adequate vitamin supply to stimulate cells to create new hair follicles which can increase hair regeneration. In addition to vitamin D, people can also take supplements for vitamin C, biotin, vitamin E, vitamin A, and vitamin B7 for good follicle and scalp health to prevent hair thinning and alopecia.
- Hair growth supplementation should be accompanied with outdoors and sun exposure: One of the best sources of vitamin D is the sun and dermatologists could also advise that patients with hair loss spend time under the sun to naturally absorb vitamin D.
Vitamin D: Understanding Its Role for Hair and Overall Health
Vitamin D pertains to a class of fat-soluble vitamins that has multiple important functions in the body. Most people get vitamin D from its two common forms:
- Vitamin D2: it’s a supplement that can be obtained from plant-based food sources such as mushrooms, leafy greens, fortified foods, and certain dietary medications
- Vitamin D3: it’s a common type of vitamin D that can be ingested in oral supplement forms or taken from animal-sourced foods like oily fish, egg yolk, fatty fish, milk, cheese, and liver. This is also the form of vitamin D that the body produces when the sunlight converts cholesterol into vitamin D.
In a person’s biological system, vitamin D is involved in many processes that help maintain overall good health and wellbeing. The positive health effects of vitamin D include:
- Helps the body to better absorb calcium to promote strong bone density
- Can help control weight gain by aiding in the decrease of body fat
- Strengthens immune system to lower the risk for health condition and autoimmune diseases
- Stimulates skin cell growth and repair for skin rejuvenation
- Provides protection against free radicals that could harm the skin and scalp hair
- Can help create new hair follicles to promote thicker and fuller hair
- Has anti-inflammatory properties to prevent scalp hair and follicle damage
Vitamin D Deficiency and Its Link To Hair Loss
Not all hair loss problems are particularly caused by low levels of vitamin D. Some forms of hair loss like telogen effluvium hair loss can be brought upon by extreme stress or a traumatic life event. However, some clinical studies have associated vitamin D depletion with the occurrence of alopecia areata and pattern baldness in males and females.
- Alopecia areata: it’s a type of hair loss caused by an autoimmune reaction the body’s immune system attacks the healthy cells in the hair follicle. Its symptoms typically include the appearance of small bald spots, patchy hair loss, or severe hair shedding over a short period of time. There are multiple studies that support the lack of vitamin D to be a potential cause of alopecia areata in some patients.
- Androgenetic alopecia: also known as male pattern baldness or female pattern baldness, this usually happens because of changing hormone levels specifically when there are high DHT levels that cause hair follicles to shrink.
When it comes to hair growth, vitamin D is known to act by binding itself to certain receptors found in the hair follicle. They help regulate its function by stimulating cell activity, particularly in the anagen phase of the hair growth cycle. Sufficient vitamin D levels can help create new hair follicles to support healthy hair growth, while inversely its deficiency can disrupt the hair follicle cycling and lead to sparse hair growth.
They’re also thought to have a connection with keratin in the hair. Vitamin D is absorbed and metabolized by keratinocyte cells which are needed to produce keratin for growing new hair. Lack of vitamin D in the body could also mean that there won’t be enough keratin to stimulate hair growth and control thinning and loss of hair.
Possible Reasons Why You’re Vitamin D Deficient
Several factors could affect why an individual isn’t getting enough vitamin D to sustain their hair health. Some of these reasons could include:
- Having a poor diet and nutritional deficiency
- Staying indoors too much and not having enough exposure to the sun
- Not enough production or absorption of vitamin D in the skin
- Having liver or kidney disease that could affect the conversion of vitamin D
- Too much weight gain or obesity can cause low levels of vit D
- Individuals with darker skin could’ve excess melanin that may affect vitamin D absorption
Hair loss and hair thinning concerns can also be instigated by other vitamin and nutritional deficiencies. Here are the other essential vitamins needed to support healthy hair:
- Iron – Iron deficiency causes hair loss due to a lack of oxygen and blood that’s carried to the roots. Taking iron supplementation in hair loss could improve blood circulation and restore a healthy supply of nutrients to the follicle so it could grow thicker hair.
- Biotin – Vitamin B7 or biotin deficiency can cause symptoms of thinning hair. Biotin supplements address hair loss by stimulating the production of keratin protein to boost hair growth activity in the follicles.
- Zinc – Zinc is important for hair health because it provides protection from hair damage, breakage, and hair loss. Taking zinc supplements could help repair hair tissues and stimulate oil production to protect the scalp skin around the follicles.
- Vitamin B12 – Vitamin B12 supplements also help improve blood flow to prevent thin and brittle hair and delay hair aging by encouraging hair regeneration.
- Vitamin E – Vitamin E has amazing antioxidant properties which benefit hair health by combatting the harmful effects of oxidative stress and free radicals to the follicles. People with androgenetic alopecia have also been studied to improve by supplementing their vitamin E levels.
How To Get Your Dose of Vitamin D For Treating Hair Loss
Dermatologists can prescribe taking vitamin D supplementation for hair loss treatment in different forms. A person could increase their vitamin D level for hair care through topical products, oral supplements, and incorporating vitamin-rich food in their diet.
- Vitamin D topical creams – Using hair care creams and serums with vitamin D as their active ingredient can help patients with symptoms of alopecia areata. The most common vitamin D hair growth product is Calcipotriol, which is a prescription topical medication that can help improve scalp condition and alopecia disorders.
- Oral supplements – Patients could also take vitamin D in capsules or tablets form. Taking the vitamin orally can help improve vitamin D levels to restore good health to body, skin, and hair.
- Diet changes – Doctors also recommend that following a healthy diet is the best way to correct vitamin D deficiencies and maintain healthy hair. There are plenty of food sources rich in vitamin D like fatty fish, leafy vegetables, orange juice, soy milk, cereal, meat, and liver.
Alternative Treatments for Addressing Hair Loss
Vitamin D supplementation is a good solution for restoring ideal hair health but it may not be enough for symptoms of serious hair loss problems. In these cases, doctors may suggest specialized hair loss treatments depending on the condition and severity of an individual’s hair loss concern. Here are some alternative treatments that can promote hair growth:
- Hair growth medications – Minoxidil and Finasteride are some of the popular hair loss medications that can be bought over-the-counter and by prescription. These two medications work by slowing down hair loss and improving scalp and follicle health to encourage hair regrowth.
- Scalp massage – A scalp massage helps blood flow to the follicles by widening the blood vessels. This treatment is thought to stimulate the growth of thicker hair as the follicles become more healthy and active. Some providers may use essential oils during the massage to provide more scalp-enhancing benefits.
- Microneedling – This treatment for hair loss is done by a cosmetician with the use of a device that creates micro-injuries to the scalp skin. A microneedling procedure works for hair restoration by stimulating collagen production to repair the hair follicles so they can grow new healthier hair.
- Topical hair growth serums – Topical serums like PEP Factor products have a specialized formula that can help alopecia patients to rejuvenate their hair health. As a hair care product, PEP Factor contains a mix of peptides, nutrients, and growth factors that can stimulate fibroblasts to produce more collagen to improve hair condition. PEP Factor serum can also be used for skin rejuvenation to solve aging issues and acne problems.
High-Quality PEP Factor and Other Hair Rejuvenation Products at FACE Med Store
Vitamin D supplements can work better for hair restoration when taken along with appropriate hair loss treatments. Hair loss isn’t always caused by vitamin deficiencies and it requires proper diagnosis to determine the best course of treatment to promote hair regrowth.
FACE Med Store specializes in offering high-quality and affordable medical supplies and tools for aesthetic and wellness practices. With excellent customer service and a wide range of products, you can take your skin treatments and hair rejuvenation services to the next level. Call us today to know more about PEP Factor and talk to one of our specialists to know how we can help your practice.
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