One of the important nutrients that helps with hair growth is Vitamin D. It’s important because it activates hair follicles and promotes the growth of the hair cycle. A deficiency in vitamin D can lead to a hair condition called Alopicea. This condition is the excessive loss of hair that can lead to stunted growth or bald patches. As such, adding vitamin D to your diet from foods such as fatty fish like salmon and tuna, egg yolk, beef liver, mushrooms, milk and orange juice and vitamin D supplements. As you read on this blog, you will know how vitamin D helps with hair growth and the effects of vitamin D deficiency.
The hair cycle and how vitamin D affects it
In order to understand how Vitamin D plays a crucial role in hair growth, you first need to understand the hair cycle and the role of vitamin D in the cycle. Hair cycle is an ever continuous cycle where hair grows, rests and sheds, and it all happens in three main stages called Anagen phase, Catagen phase and Telogen phase. The cycle repeats itself for the rest of an individual’s life, with factors like genetics, age and stress affecting the duration of the cycle. The crucial role of vitamin D comes in at the anagen phase (growth phase), where it activates hair follicles for hair growth. These are the stages of the hair cycle:-
Anagen phase: It is the foundation of hair growth, and this is the longest phase of hair growth, where the hair follicles produce new hair and also help to determine hair length.
Catagen phase: This is a short transitional phase in the hair cycle where active growth stops and hair follicles shrink, hair growth stops, and hair begins to detach from the blood supply before going into the next phase.
Telogen phase: Vitamin D deficiency shortens the anagen (Growth phase), which pushes hair into the shedding phase too fast, resulting in prolonged hair shedding and reduced hair density.
What are the types of hair conditions caused by vitamin D deficiency?
Alopecia areata: It occurs due to the immune system attacking the hair follicles which eventually leads to excessive hair loss. This condition can also affect the eyeglasses and eyebrows.
Telogen affluvium: It’s a condition where the hair follicles get into a resting phase before full growth, resulting in excessive hair loss.
Conclusion
It’s important to maintain a proper diet that includes vitamin D to sustain healthy hair. If you are experiencing chronic permanent hair loss, seek consultation from ASG Hair Transplant, where Dr. Sachin Goel and his team will be in the best position to help you deal with this condition. Our clinic focuses on helping people restore their hair through hair transplantation, and we have helped numerous people who are satisfied with the results. Book an appointment with us, and we will help you restore your hair.
FAQ’s
- What are the sources of vitamin D?
You can get vitamin D from foods like fatty fish, cod liver oil, beef liver, egg yolk, and you can also get vitamin D from sunlight.
- What kind of treatment can I get after hair loss?
If you are experiencing hair loss, it’s important to first know the root cause of it so that you can address it effectively; as such, you can first consult a doctor. Then, according to the root cause, which could be genetics, stress, nutrient deficiency or age, the health provider will help you with an effective treatment, or if it is chronic and permanent, it may result in a hair transplant.