Hair, Skin and Nails

Narrow your search by one of these categories:

• Nutritionist's Recommendations

For good growth and general health of hair, skin and nails, one of the most important nutrients is protein.  Hair, nails and the outer layer of skin are formed principally from a protein called keratin, which the body produces from the proteins in our diet.  Make sure you are having good sources of protein every day, preferably with every meal – these include fish, eggs, ...Read more lean meats, beans and lentils, and raw unsalted nuts and seeds.  The recommended amount of protein for most people is around 0.8g per kg body weight – so for a 50kg person, this would be 40g a day, or for a 75kg person, 60g a day.  If you feel that you don’t get enough protein in your diet, protein supplements are available.  

Drinking enough water is also vital, to get nutrients where they are needed in the body and to flush away toxins.  This is true for healthy skin in particular.  Aim for 1.5 to 2 litres a day, which can also take the form of herbal teas, soups or vegetable juices (not caffeine-containing drinks or fruit juices).

Other nutrients that can help with growth and condition of the hair, skin and nails include:

•    Essential fatty acids.  Deficiencies in these ‘good’ fats may cause splitting or brittle nails, poor hair condition and dry skin.  Eat more oily fish, raw seeds especially ground flaxseeds or hemp seeds, and used cold pressed flaxseed oil, hemp seed oil or mixed omega 3-6-9 oil on foods (do not heat these oils however).  A good supplement that combines an omega 3 fish oil with the omega 6 GLA (gamma linolenic acid) from evening primrose or starflower oil may also be advisable.
•    Iron.  Iron deficiency can be a cause of diffuse hair loss that is general across the head (rather than in specific areas or ‘male pattern’ hair loss).  Specifically, the storage form of iron called ‘serum ferritin’ is often found to be low.  If you think this could be a problem for you, ask your doctor to test your serum ferritin rather than haemoglobin (as in a standard iron test).  Good food sources of iron are green leafy vegetables, beans, dried figs and apricots, seeds (such as sunflower and pumpkin seeds) and molasses.  Nettles (or nettle tea) can also be a good source.  Red meats and organ meats are one of the best sources but are best consumed in moderation for most people.  It can also be helpful take in supplement form a combination of iron and the amino acid lysine, which is thought to help the iron to be stored in the body as ferritin.  For further information on hair loss, see below.
•    Zinc.  Deficiencies in zinc may be linked to several kinds of skin condition, including dry skin, acne, psoriasis, dermatitis and poor wound healing.  Zinc deficiency may also be a cause of white specks on the nails, or nails that split easily, as well as hair loss (like iron deficiency).  
•    Silica.  This mineral may help hair growth and hair condition (it concentrates in the hair).  It is also thought to be helpful for growth and strength of the nails and preventing brittle nails.  In supplements, it may be found in the form of horsetail.
•    Sulphur.  Sulphur-rich foods include eggs, onions and garlic.  In supplement form, sulphur is mainly found in the form of MSM (methylsulphonylmethane).  MSM may be used to improve skin condition and hair condition and growth.
•    Vitamin C.  Vitamin C is vital for collagen production so is thought to be particularly necessary for skin health.  Increasing vitamin C-rich foods or using supplements may be helpful for any kind of skin condition, or just for helping to maintain young-looking skin.
•    Biotin.  Biotin deficiency may be a cause of hair loss, greying hair, and dry or flaky skin.
•    Vitamin E.  Vitamin E is thought to help maintain healthy skin in particular.  Vitamin E supplements may be helpful for acne and various other skin conditions.  
•    Vitamin A.  Thought to be essential for strength, elasticity and repair of the skin.  Like zinc, deficiencies in vitamin A may be linked to skin conditions such as acne, dermatitis and eczema.
•    Chlorella.  Rich in the green pigment chlorophyll, which is thought to benefit kidney function, help the liver to process toxins, and benefit the health of the digestive tract, all of which can help to flush out toxins, helping to maintain clear skin.  Chlorella also contains a substance named ‘chlorella growth factor’ which may help with growth and repair.

These nutrients can be found individually in supplement form; some can also be found in specific combination supplements formulated for hair, skin and nails.

For more specific skin problems, see the separate Skin Problems category and sub-categories.

Please note that problems with hair loss may be due to several factors.  These can include:

•    Iron deficiency, as mentioned above.  This in itself can have several causes, including lack of iron in the diet (especially a problem for vegans and some vegetarians), heavy menstrual periods, loss of blood for another reason, or poor absorption of iron.
•    General nutrient deficiencies. This can be caused by poor diet, poor digestion or absorption, or stress (which can often be the cause of poor digestion).  Protein, as well as zinc, biotin and silica are some of the nutrients that may affect hair growth and can become deficient.  Try to address stress levels, consume more whole foods, protein-rich foods and try a well-absorbed multi vitamin and mineral supplement that contains good levels of zinc, iron and B vitamins in particular.
•    Thyroid problems.  Hair loss at the front of the head, often combined with thinning eyebrows, can be due to hypothyroidism (low thyroid function).  Other common symptoms can be excessive tiredness, easy weight gain, feeling the cold and constipation. If you think this could be an issue for you, see your doctor and/or see a nutritional therapist for a private consultation.
•    Hormonal changes.  This type of hair loss often occurs as ‘male pattern’ hair loss.  In both men and women, this may be helped by strategies to lower a form of testosterone called DHT (di-hydro testosterone), and for women, strategies to help balance hormones after menopause.  Call the Nutri Centre nutritionists for more advice.