If you’ve been debating about whether or not to finally bite the bullet and buy that pricey (and somewhat promising) hair vitamin pack, reading this will answer that question.
We’ve all seen the influencers and celebrities that endorse the colorful and insta-worthy hair vitamins. Ya know, the ones that guarantee magical and healthy hair growth? Sure. They’re everywhere- from Kylie Jenner to Zendaya, to that one weird girl from high school who you’re sure has a sugar daddy. They all endorse and promote products like SugarBearHair and Hum Nutrition… but other do they actually work?
One thing to keep in mind is that the cosmetics industry is very loosely regulated by the FDA. And what we mean by “loosely regulated” is that it’s practically not, and cosmetics companies can virtually say whatever they want to make you buy their products (terrible, we know). That’s why it’s so important to do your research. And no one wants to do research outside of school, we just wanna shop, click, and buy. And hopefully, the impulse purchase actually does what it says it will.
Faster Hair Growth?
For those seeking an expedited growth spurt for their hair, you’re probably wondering which vitamins will do the trick, exactly. As we know, hair gummies and pills offer the promise of revamping your hair rom the inside out; all thanks to “hair friendly” mixes of ingredients like biotin, folic acids, Vitamins A-D (minus B), and any other mumbo jumbo onto the mix.
It’s said that after a few months (not days, not weeks- months), your hair will start to look healthier, stronger, and much much silkier. The dream, right?
And though all these vitamins sound like a GOOD thing, what many don’t know is that if your body is already stocked and loaded with these vitamins naturally, it dumps any excess that we don’t need. So if you already get your supplements from dieting (and sometimes good genes) alone, ingesting pricey hair vitamins will only be like throwing money away. Since most people get all the vitamins they need to manage their hair growth from their diet alone, there’s no point in taking EXTRA vitamins.
And no, this doesn’t mean you should take triple the amount in order to speed up the process. That’s not good for you health, and like we mentioned before, your body will just get rid of it, whether you like it or not.
What About Stress-related Hair Loss?
Sadly, stress can cause hair loss. But the crazy part? The effects of high stress don’t show up until 3 months later… on our hair, that is. There are so many people running around with deficiencies due to poor dieting, nutrition, and intense bouts of stress. Without realizing, your body begins to shut down, impacting hair growth, first. That way, it redirects the nutrients and energy to the organs that need it the most. Which leaves you vitamin deficient.
With severe stress, some may notice that their hair begins to shed more than normal a few months after. During this time, your hair may feel thinner, duller, and drier.
This sounds terrible, we know. And at this point, you might be thinking, “well if I’m vitamin deficient, then taking hair supplements will help me… right?”
Let’s see.
If you’re deficient:
The only way to know for sure if your body is deficient is to have your levels tested by your doctor, but if you’re, you know, mourning a death in the family while also on a diet, there’s a good chance you’re lacking some nutrients.
If you are, in fact, deficient, you’ll likely see some benefits from taking vitamins. In fact, supplements can also prevent the shedding stage that comes after a period of stress and dieting. So not only will they replenish the low vitamin levels that you have now, they’ll also help prevent them from getting low in the future, along with mitigating any crappy side effects.
If you’re perfectly healthy:
Okay, but what if you’re not vitamin deficient and you just want some longer, brighter, thicker, bombshell-level hair, like everyone on Insta? In this case, supplements will do vert little for you (we know, we know. SugarBearHair tastes GREAT… but so do fruits). That’s not to say they won’t work at all, and maybe you’ll be the lucky wild card, but, if we’re talkin’ from a point of science here, your odds aren’t great.
The takeaway
Whether you’re deficient or not, you will not see the results overnight. Sometimes? You won’t even see them for a whole a$$ year. So if patience isn’t one of your virtues, you’re gonna have to try other avenues of success.
But why is that? Well, your hair is already dead (RIP), and nothing you do internally will affect the density of it once it’s already out of your scalp. What the vitamins will do is help the new hair that’s growing, and because our hair grows painstakingly slow – a whopping half inch every month – it will realistically take 6 to 7 years (while taking supplements) for your new and healthier hair to reach your shoulders. Really puts it into perspective.
So, in all. If you’re considering supplements, go to a doctor before you buy anything online- no matter how bouncy and healthy those instagram pictures make it seem (remember, photo editing is BIG in the influencer world). And really, it’s all about a lifestyle change; nothing good happens overnight, unless you perform some black magic (but we don’t recommend doing that).
XOXO,
PIAM.