The health of our hair can be affected by various factors such as age, stress and hormonal changes. Nowadays, in the fall, many people worry about their hair loss. However, if there are no other associated problems, this is normal. But more than loss, we should talk about renewal. According to data from the Spanish Academy of Dermatology and Venereology (AEDV), out of 100 hairs that we have, 12 to 15% are in the replacement phase, which means that it takes us approximately four years to completely renew our hair .
As dermatologist Jesús Hernández-Gil explains to elDiario.es, “there are generally two periods of the year when a phase of hair renewal occurs – the effluvia, it is usually said –, and one of the The most important is that which occurs between the months of August, September and October.
We are talking, as the expert recognizes, of a “reversible process because the follicle is not lost, although the hair is more replaced”. Under normal conditions, this process usually lasts a few months or three. But if it persists over time, “we will need to investigate whether there is an associated problem that prevents this replacement from self-regulating,” says Hernández-Gil.
There are usually two periods of the year when a hair replacement phase occurs, and one of the most important is the one that occurs between the months of August, September and October.
Jesus Hernandez-Gil
— dermatologist
And while diet isn’t usually the first thing that comes to mind when we notice changes in the health of our hair, skin, and nails, it’s actually important.
How to Help Maintain Healthy, Strong Hair
One option is to adopt healthy lifestyle habits, such as choosing foods that promote hair growth. What nutrients promote hair health?
Nutrients for hair care
Before listing the foods that can help us, it is important to emphasize, as nutritionist Fernando Carrasco points out in a conversation with this media, that diet is not the only factor that determines the degree of hair health : “Yes, we can say that diet There is a direct correlation: a person who covers their nutritional needs will be more likely to have strong and healthy hair compared to someone who does not cover them”, explains the expert, who specifies that there is other external factors in this equation, such as genetics, stress or hormonal changes.
As with everything, there is no food that works miracles, but “some studies indicate that certain nutrients such as iron, protein, biotin, selenium, zinc or vitamins A, B12, C, D and E are essential for good hair. health,” says Carrasco.
This is corroborated by Hernández-Gil, according to whom the interesting elements that allow us to have healthy hair are recommended “foods rich in biotin, cysteine and iron, essential for hair growth.” Nutrients that are found in most foods and, therefore, “if there is no very restrictive diet or specific complication, we should not have a problem with iron or biotin deficiency” , specifies the dermatologist.
Biotin, found in foods like eggs, meat, fish or nuts, stimulates the production of keratin – responsible for the strength and durability of hair – to increase follicle growth. Vitamin A, on the other hand, acts as the perfect fuel for growth since, when absorbed, the body produces sebum, a substance that hydrates the scalp and keeps it and hair follicles healthy. . It is therefore important to include foods rich in beta-carotene, such as pumpkin, carrots, spinach and kale.
Iron also plays an important role in our hair because it stimulates the production of hemoglobin, a protein found in red blood cells that distributes oxygen to cells throughout the body, helping them repair and grow. Iron is found in lean meats, spinach, lentils and fortified cereals.
A person who meets their nutritional needs will be more likely to have strong, healthy hair than someone who does not.
Fernando Carrasco
— nutritionist
If we cover the needs of these nutrients well, we will have more help to “avoid hair loss as well as to avoid very aggressive caloric deficits or very low weight; A BMI below 16 is associated with greater hair loss,” warns Carrasco.
Although it is important to keep in mind that “there are more than 100 different alopecias and some can be linked to external processes such as certain more restrictive diets or intestinal absorption problems”, explains the dermatologist, which warns of the importance of “being aware of the episodes in which the fall does not resolve over time, if in certain areas it begins to fall more or if these seasonal effluvia do not recover, we will always have to consult in case of problem partner or if there is something that we are not doing well.” , warns Hernández-Gil.
Are there any foods harmful to hair health?
On the contrary, are there foods that harm the health of our hair? “There is no food that is harmful to hair as such,” admits Hernández-Gil, although “it is true that there can be a problem with a deficiency of certain nutrients like those we have mentioned “.
In this sense, Carrasco warns that “recurrent consumption of processed foods, alcohol, hydrogenated fats or oils of low nutritional quality could have an impact.” It should be borne in mind that these are foods with low nutritional density that can displace the consumption of other foods “rich in the beneficial components that we mentioned previously”, explains the nutritionist.
Although, with a balanced and healthy diet, and if we cover all nutritional needs, “it is not necessary to supplement with food supplements, it would be advisable to evaluate each case in a personalized way”, explains Carrasco , always taking into account that there is no associated problem.
