The Better Blog

While daily hair loss is totally normal, sometimes hair loss in women is a result of menopause or pregnancy or even other factors like stress. But just like hair loss in women is common (though frustrating), hair growth for women is generally on the other side of that hair loss.

New hair growth is almost always happening on your head, especially if you have healthy hair follicles. Signs of new hair growth are to be celebrated (though there is nothing wrong with or shameful about thinning hair on women!). To understand new hair growth, we have to also discuss hair loss, the hair growth cycle and signs your hair is growing back.

There are lots of factors that contribute to how quickly our hair grows. Sometimes our hair grows slowly because of genetics, but there are also environmental factors that can cause our hair growth to slow down, such as seasonal changes. For example, our hair grows faster in summer and more slowly in the winter. But why? One reason for this is that during warmer weather, our blood circulates more freely, carrying nutrients more easily throughout our bodies, and enabling our bodies to produce more keratin (the protein that our hair is made of). 

A second factor is that we usually get more vitamin D (the “sunshine“ vitamin) in the summertime. The sun makes our hair grow faster because our bodies synthesize UVB rays from the sun into vitamin D, which helps our bodies regulate keratin production. When we are deficient in vitamin D, this regulation misfires, triggering hair loss. 

Our hair also grows faster in summer because we tend to leave our heads uncovered more than in the winter, which creates less friction and breakage. When we bundle up to stay warm in cold weather, we often add hats, scarves and hoods, which makes sense because we lose a lot of heat through our heads! But these coverings create more friction on our hair than we typically have in the summertime leading to increased hair fall due to cold weather.

If you are facing accelerated hair loss, you may be deficient in more than one vitamin, and it is essential to know the culprits. Your cells rely on vitamins to function and grow, and deficiencies may exacerbate hair fall. Your scalp boasts nearly 100,000 hair follicles, and of these, 90% reside in the growing (anagen) stage and require micronutrients like vitamins to sufficiently forge a robust head of hair. So if you are finding more strands in your brush than on your head, read on to find out which vitamins you should take for hair loss.

There’s no denying the pregnancy glow of a mom-to-be—even her tresses tend to look thicker and more luminous. Perhaps you’ve even experienced fuller, longer hair firsthand during pregnancy.

What’s the secret behind this lustrous pregnancy-related hair growth? Some swear by their prenatal vitamins—prompting women everywhere to flock to their nearest supplement aisle. But is it all hype? Could it just be hormones? Keep reading as we take a closer look at hair growth during pregnancy, the role prenatal vitamins play and if the benefits make it worth adding them to your hair-care routine, even if you’re not expecting.

Our bodies use the nutrients we eat to create our cells and generate life-sustaining energy. This means vitamins are crucial for all our bodily functions, including our skin and scalp’s ability to retain their shape, conserve moisture and create hair fibers in the follicles.

Retinol is a form of vitamin A, an essential nutrient for skin and scalp function. Our bodies require retinol in our system to effectively build healthy skin from the inside out.

We receive vitamin A from the foods we eat, however, that isn’t always enough. Retinol supplements are an effective way to buoy our reserves and promote optimal skin and scalp health.

We face new and sometimes unexpected hair-care challenges as we age: graying, dryness, brittleness. Worst of all? Most of us will have some degree of hair loss and thinning to deal with during and after menopause.

But just because age-related hair loss is common doesn't mean we have to accept it. Several potential solutions could help, depending on what's causing our hair to weaken and fall out. If nutrient absorption issues or a vitamin A deficiency are at the root of the problem, supplements containing retinol may be able help.

Seasonal hair loss, more specifically hair loss that begins in the summer months, is a common concern among many women. In fact, even Google Trends supports this phenomenon with a marked increase in searches for “hair fall” beginning toward the end of summer and peaking well into the middle of autumn. So what’s really going on?

By understanding the link between healthy hair and the hair growth cycle, we can better recognize how our hair evolves through the seasons and whether hair loss in summer is real. While it’s unrealistic to think you can completely avoid shedding throughout the year, we’ll also take a look at a few hair loss treatments you can try at home to make sure your shedding doesn’t become extreme.

Folic acid, also known as folate, is a B vitamin responsible for helping your body create healthy new cells. Everyone needs folic acid with no exception. A deficiency in folic acid could not only cause problems for your hair but for your body overall. 

If you notice new issues arising with your hair, there is a chance that, among other things, a folic acid deficiency could be involved. In that case, quality supplements will ensure you’re getting all the vitamins and nutrients you need to support healthy and beautiful hair. 

Your hair growth can be negatively affected by many factors, but the most common reason is aging. With each passing day, changes in your hair can become more evident because your body’s ability to absorb all the vitamins and nutrients needed to maintain hair health and quality decreases.

Vitamins play an important role in your body, and if you’re not getting enough essential vitamins for hair growth through your diet, you can supplement them to ensure you get the daily amount necessary. 

You love and boldly embrace your gray hair as a celebration of a new you. Then one morning, a glance in the mirror lets you know the celebration is over — your silvery strands have become brassy and dull. Lack of shine is one of the most common complaints women make about their gray hair. Shine and texture are both affected by internal and external factors, and your slate locks can quickly lose luster without the proper care.