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Curly Haircare: Vitamin E for Hair Growth – 6 Wonderful Benefits

By Jacqueline Samaroo

Want to grow hair that’s thick and healthy? It doesn’t take a miracle cure! Read on to find out about the amazing benefits of vitamin E for hair growth!

Growing hair that’s thick, healthy, and strong with lots of attention-grabbing shine is totally possible. All you have to do is give your body the building blocks or nutrients it needs to do it! One of them is vitamin E and it’s super easy to take advantage of the benefits of vitamin E for hair AND skin health.

Plus, the goodness of vitamin E for hair and skin contributes to healthy nails, too!

Here’s a quick look at the benefits of vitamin E for hair growth. We’ll take a closer look at each one in this article.

1. Vitamin E increases circulation in your scalp.
2. Vitamin E moisturizes your scalp and hair.
3. Vitamin E strengthens your hair.
4. Vitamin E promotes hair growth.
5. Vitamin E helps to prevent hair loss.
6. Vitamin E adds shine to your strands.

Find out more about vitamins and hair health. Check out our recent articles: Vitamin D for Hair Growth – 3 Incredible Benefits and Vitamin A for Hair Growth: 5 Intriguing Facts.

What is Vitamin E?

Vitamin E is an essential micronutrient. It is a fat-soluble vitamin with antioxidant properties. In fact, it is one of three dietary antioxidants, the other two being vitamin C and vitamin A.

Vitamin E is actually a group of 8 similar compounds with similar functions in the body. We refer to each one or the group as vitamin E.

6 Benefits of Vitamin E for Hair

Vitamin E was first identified and named by scientists back in the 1920s. However, people have long known about the many benefits of vitamin E for general health even if they did not have a name for it or think of it as a component of some foods. Take sunflower oil and olive oil, for example. These are two of the most vitamin E-rich oils.

• Native Americans are thought to have been the first to extract and use sunflower oil centuries ago.
• Olive oil was being used as far back as 3000 B.C.E. by people in the Mediterranean region.

Here’s what these civilizations probably realized way back then and what scientists are still researching to find out more about.

1.      Vitamin E increases circulation in your scalp.

Vitamin E has been shown to improve circulation in the skin, including the scalp. Increased blood flow means more nutrients are being brought to the scalp and the hair follicles it contains.

2.      Vitamin E moisturizes your scalp and hair.

Vitamin E works as a moisturizer by forming a protective barrier that stops moisture loss. What’s more, as oils with vitamin E moisturize the scalp, they help to balance scalp oil production and prevent the production of excess oil. Vitamin E’s action on the scalp also includes fighting skin aging, reducing, inflammation, and preventing sun damage.

3.      Vitamin E strengthens your hair.

Vitamin E forms a protective barrier on the scalp and hair. This, along with the elasticity it provides, helps to keep your strands strong. They are less likely to become brittle and you are less likely to suffer from breakage.

4.      Vitamin E promotes hair growth.

Vitamin E helps to stop the breakdown of hair follicles and keeps them healthy. This is another way in which vitamin E boosts hair growth

5.      Vitamin E helps to prevent hair loss.

Vitamin E is an antioxidant; it is also incorporated into the membranes of cells. These facts account for vitamin E’s ability to prevent and repair cell damage from oxidative stress caused by free radicals. Oxidative stress can lead to hair loss. Taking vitamin E for hair loss may help to slow the process and encourage regrowth.

6.      Vitamin E adds shine to your strands.

Hair that is dull and frizzy has lost its protective layer and its shine in the process of becoming damaged. Vitamin E-infused oils can, over time, replace the protective layer and bring back the luster to your strands. If you heat style your hair often, use vitamin E regularly to restore elasticity and shine lost to heat-styling tools.

Sources of Vitamin E

Plenty of shampoos, conditioners, masks, and hair oils contain vitamin E as a key ingredient. These can help to nourish your hair and scalp with vitamin E on the outside. You can get vitamin E through the foods you eat to nourish your hair and scalp from the inside.

Natural plant sources of vitamin E

                                                                       

Several plant oils are actually rich vitamin E oils and are the best natural sources of vitamin E. These include:

• Wheat germ oil
• Sunflower oil
• Almond oil
• Grapeseed oil

Other good plant sources of vitamin E include various nuts and seeds, avocados, broccoli, spinach, and asparagus.

Natural animal sources of vitamin E

Animal sources have much lower vitamin E content than the best vitamin E oils. However, you can get some vitamin E from oysters, butter, and eggs. Some types of fish also provide reasonable amounts of vitamin E for your diet.                

 

 

Vitamin E supplements

Dry, irritated skin is one sign of a vitamin E deficiency. However, if you have dry skin, it’s most likely caused by something other than vitamin E deficiency as this is quite rare in humans. We tend to get sufficient vitamin E from the foods we eat. Plus, the liver stores excess vitamin E for use later.

That said, there are supplements aplenty for those who wish to get their vitamin E from supplements. If you choose to use supplements, do so with caution. Getting too much vitamin E can be dangerous for your health. Consult with your doctor first to get the green light on any supplement use.

Other Ways to Get Your Vitamin E for Hair Growth

You can get many of the benefits of vitamin E by directly applying it to your hair and scalp. This is why so many shampoos and conditioners use vitamin E in their formulas. It is also why finding a hair mask with vitamin E isn’t very difficult to do.

How to Use Vitamin E Oils

Of course, one of the most popular ways to apply vitamin E to hair is through the use of vitamin E oils. You can buy pure vitamin E oils but these may irritate the skin and cause a rash if used directly. This is why using a carrier oil, such as coconut oil or olive oil, is recommended.

Gently massage your scalp with vitamin E in coconut oil two to three times a week. Comb it through and leave it in for at least 15 minutes. Shampoo your hair and use conditioner if needed. The vitamin E may have moisturized your hair enough already to eliminate the need for a conditioner – especially if you have fine hair.

All types of hair, including natural, processed, and color-treated hair can benefit from vitamin E oil. If you have fine hair, you most likely don’t want to weigh it down with heavy hair oils. Use a lighter carrier oil instead or use other vitamin E hair products such as shampoo, conditioner, or a vitamin E hair mask.

What’s your favorite vitamin E for hair product? Tell us!

* This article was originally published here