So-called hair vitamins are often promoted as a means for black women to achieve significant hair growth. However, good nutrition along with proper grooming and styling techniques are more important to promoting and maintaining healthy hair than taking a special combination of vitamins. Consult with your physician before taking so-called hair vitamins or any nutritional supplement.
Hair Structure and Growth Patterns
All scalp hair grows at the rate of approximately one-half inch per month. The basic structure of hair is the same for all races, with three layers: the outer layer, called the cuticle; the layer that carries the hair color, called the cortex; and the innermost layer, known as the medulla. However, African American hair is often tightly curled and tends to be drier than hair of other races. A cross-section of African American hair reveals an elliptical shape that differs from the round shape of Caucasian or Asian hair. African American hair also contains numerous microscopic knots that make it fragile and prone to breakage, according to Susan Taylor, a dermatologist writing for the Society Hill website.
Health Issues and Black Hair Growth
Many black women face health challenges that interfere with growing long hair, including lupus, fibromyalgia and thyroid conditions, according to Andrea Hayden, a trichologist in San Antonio, Texas, quoted in an Essence.com report republished by MSN Lifestyle. General poor nutrition can also prevent you from growing healthy hair or even cause hair loss, according to the Mayo Clinic. Iron-deficiency anemia, scalp infections, an outbreak of ringworm and even the flu can result in hair loss, according to the American Academy of Dermatology.
Hair Styling and Damage
What many black women claim to be the failure of their hair to grow is actually breakage resulting from improper styling methods that cause trauma to the hair shaft, such as using rubber bands for ponytails, according to Zoe D. Draelos, a dermatologist quoted in a report published on the Medical News Today website. Other improper hair care techniques include infrequent shampoos and too-tight cornrows that contribute to traction alopecia, resulting in thinning along the hairline. Approximately 80 percent of all black women use chemical relaxers to straighten their hair, according to Taylor. Relaxers can cause significant breakage, especially when combined with hair dye, according to the Food and Drug Administration.
Vitamins and Hair Growth
Taking so-called hair vitamins will not enhance hair growth unless you have a specific nutritional deficiency, according to Dr. Draelos, quoted in an article in The New York Times in 2010. Claims for so-called hair vitamins applied externally are also misleading or blatantly false, according to the FDA. In addition, despite the fact that prenatal vitamins often contain high concentrations of iron and folic acid, they are not suitable for growing longer or thicker hair, according to Katherine Zeratsky, a registered dietitian writing for the Mayo Clinic website. However, taking 2,500 mg daily of biotin can enhance hair growth, according to dermatologist Elena Jones, quoted in an Essence.com report published on MSN Lifestyle. Taking a supplement containing folic acid, a B-complex vitamin, may also be beneficial for hair growth. A daily dose of a multivitamin that contains iron may also aid in hair growth for black women in their 40s, who often suffer from iron deficiency, Hayden states.
References
- MSN Lifestyle; Great Lengths; Melissa Ewey Johnson; 2011
- MayoClinic.com; Prenatal Vitamins: OK for Women Who Aren't Pregnant?; Katherine Zeratsky; August 2009
- American Academy of Dermatology: Hair Loss -- Who Gets It and Causes; 2011
- United States Food and Drug Administration: Hair Dye and Hair Relaxers; October 2009
- "The New York Times"; When Hair Loss Strikes, a Doctor Is a Girl’s Best Friend; Tara Parker-Pope; January 2010
- Society Hill; The Uniqueness of Black Hair;Susan Taylor; 2010
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