5 Vitamins: Hair, Skin and Nails

I am always looking for good supplements to help keep my hair, skin and nails as healthy as possible. With a busy lifestyle I appreciate that eating a balanced meal each meal time can be difficult,  so including vitamins to maintain a healthy amount of goodness in my system on a daily basis is essential to me. 

Here are the top 5 to help with your hair, skin and nails.

1. Biotin

Now we have all heard of this one - it's become a very popular ingredient in shampoos. Biotin (also called Vitamin B7) is essential to keep your hair healthy. B vitamins are needed to help produce new red blood cells which are critical for transporting oxygen and nourishment throughout our bodies. Biotin helps ensure your hair receives all nutrients needed for a healthy growth.

It is recommended that you take at least 5,000 micrograms daily. In recent years it has become known as "hair food" because of the increased rate of hair growth when taking it every day.

Biotin is also known for improving the skin's texture and healing ability, along with encouraging nails to grow stronger over time.

2. Vitamin E

Vitamin E is an antioxidant known to help reduce free radicals (these are unstable molecules that can damage the cells in your body). Supplements and hair care products containing Vitamin E as a main ingredient can reduce frizzy, damaged hair issues. It can make hair shinier, and more manageable too.

Vitamin E has hydrating and healing benefits for the skin which is linked to slowing down ageing.

3. Vitamin A

Vitamin A helps maintain strong hair follicles and keeps the scalp's skin cells healthy. It boosts the amount of natural oil the scalp produces, which lubricates hair and prevents bacterial infections from growing on the scalp. In Brazil the woman has a secret of mixing liquid Vitamin A to shampoo to stimulate hair growth, calling the end product 'bomba'.

Vitamin A is also known to fight acne and fine lines due to its anti-ageing properties.

4. Zinc

Zinc is vital in hair tissue growth and repair, it helps keep the oil glands around the follicles properly functioning. Dandruff and hair loss are common symptoms of zinc deficiency. Zinc helps fight seborrheic dermatitis, along with scaly patches, red skin, and stubborn dandruff. While other anti-dandruff agents like salicylic acid and coal tar fight symptoms, Zinc seems to fight the cause itself, which is malassezia. Zinc can also help prevent hair loss, as dandruff is one of its common causes, blocking hair follicles and hindering healthy hair growth.

5. Vitamin C

Vitamin C is an antioxidant, it prevents free radical oxygen molecules from causing damage to surrounding cells, keeping the immune system strong. It can also protect the hair from turning grey prematurely by making sure that new hair cells are produced correctly. Vitamin C aids in the build-up of collagen, which is essential for hair growth. Vitamin C also helps in the absorption of iron, which keeps the hair strong.

Vitamin C moderates higher-than-normal doses of melanin, preventing and lightening dark marks and age spots on your skin.

A few things to take into consideration when you are washing your hair are - always massage your scalp to increase circulation, make sure to wash out all of the product, and never go to bed with wet hair as it is at its most fragile state.

Always use sulphate-free shampoo.

Just like most things, supplements take a few weeks to kick in, so consistency is key.