You’ve seen vitamin E supplements stacked in the skin aisle, but did you know that it works wonders for your hair as well? The fat-soluble nutrient, which is the miracle of the skin industry, has properties that can change your unmanageable hair into picture-perfect locks.
Vitamin E is known for its antioxidant properties, which boost hair repair and growth and provide a myriad of benefits. It is also available in many forms, which you can know more about as you read. But before you know its sources and uses, it is essential to familiarise yourself with the benefits of vitamin E for hair.
Vitamin E Benefits for Hair
1. Promotes a Healthy Scalp
Since vitamin E has antioxidant properties, using it in your hair care routine can keep your scalp healthy and clean. Antioxidants help balance the movement of free radicals in your scalp, because of which there is less inflammation or damage to your hair follicles. There is less possibility of build-up or infection on your scalp as well. In this way, the vitamin E benefits for hair growth helps make hair healthy and your scalp clean. Using vitamin E for hair increases blood flow, and promotes circulation, which improves hair growth and reduces inflammation in the scalp.
2. Helps Prevent Hair Loss
Did you know that stress is one of the reasons for hair loss and grey hair? Using vitamin E for hair can counteract the loss due to oxidative stress and can keep your hair healthy and strong.
When imbibed by the scalp, the antioxidant properties also work on the cells in the hair follicles. One of the cells that benefit from this property contains the pigment melanin. Vitamin E for hair protects these cells from being destroyed by the free radicals, hence keeping your hair from turning grey and falling.
3. Increases shine
If your hair is dull and frizzy, the chances are that the outer layer of your cuticle is damaged. This leaves your hair unprotected from external elements such as dust or UV rays, which damage your hair. It also reduces the original shine of your hair and makes it difficult to style. One of the ways vitamin E benefits your hair is by forming the protective layer and replenishing your hair so that they are back to their silky, shiny self. The protective layer also locks in moisture, reduces damage and promotes hair growth in a healthy manner.
Sources of Vitamin E for Hair
1. Shampoo and Other Hair Care Products
One of the primary sources of vitamin E for hair is shampoos and conditioners. You will find plenty of these products on the aisles. However, what you need to look for are those products that put vitamin E on the forefront, retaining all the beneficial properties, while also having low chemical quantities.
Vitamin E uses for hair are best shown through hair mask. This is because hair masks give your hair more time to squeeze out all the goodness of vitamin E and thoroughly moisturise your strands. You can find ready-made hair masks at your local store or try making a DIY mask with vitamin E rich products.
2. Diet
Increasing the intake of foods rich in vitamin E is the best way to assure that your body is getting enough of it to boost hair health. The vitamin is naturally found in several foods such as leafy green vegetables, fortified cereals, sunflower seeds and peanut butter or even vegetable oil. It is also the most natural way, so it doesn’t have any side effects that can hinder your journey to healthy hair.
3. Supplements
There are plenty of vitamin E supplements available in the market today. You can find them in the aisles of grocery stores and pharmacies as well. Vitamin E supplements are synthetically produced, and therefore if you use these, you need to consume about 50% more than the recommended amount for natural vitamin E. However, an excess of the vitamin can do more harm than good, so it is always advisable to get a prescription from your doctor. Lastly, you can consume the supplements with your food as they are fat-soluble nutrients.
4. Vitamin E Oils
The vitamin E oil benefits for hair are endless, and it’s one of the most effective as the oil directly seeps into your roots. Oils rich in vitamin E retain all the antioxidant properties of the ingredient. They also contain hair repair solutions that vitamin E oil for hair brings forth. Ensure that the ingredient takes the forefront in the oil that you use so that you get the most out of the nutrient. If you want to use the undiluted version of vitamin E oil for hair, then you must remember to use a carrier oil for infusion. This prevents any scalp irritation that can occur with the undiluted form.
What are the Side Effects of Using Vitamin E for Hair?
If vitamin E is not taken with the correct dosage in mind, it can pose possible risks. This is especially true if you are consuming vitamin E as a supplement or using vitamin E oil for hair. The supplement can interfere with other medications, including chemotherapy. A high dose of the supplement can also increase the risk of prostate cancer, disrupt the hormone produced by the thyroid gland and weaken your bones. Therefore, it is always advisable to follow the prescribed amount written on the bottle or to get a prescription from your doctor.
If you are using vitamin E oil for hair, then ensure that you get diluted versions in which the nutrient is a core ingredient. If you intend to use the undiluted form of vitamin E hair oil, it is important that you use it with a carrier oil such as coconut oil or argan oil. If the oil is not infused, it can cause scalp irritation and can even lead to rashes or infection.
Why Should You Use Parachute Advansed Vitamin E & Coconut Hair Oil?
The Parachute Advansed Vitamin E & Coconut Hair Oil combines the goodness of coconut oil and the benefits of vitamin E oil for hair. This product is 100% organic and does not have any side effects that chemical or synthetic products may have. The coconut oil seeps into your strands and thoroughly moisturises your hair, whereas the vitamin E oil for hair balances the free radicals and improves hair growth. Both these ingredients take the forefront and retain all their natural benefits while combining forces to repair, grow hair and prevent any further damage.
Frequently Added Questions
Can Vitamin E be Applied Directly to Your Hair?
While you do get undiluted solutions of vitamin E oil for your hair, it is not advisable to apply them directly. The concentrated solution can be an irritant to your scalp and cause rashes or infections if left on for too long. This does more harm than good. Using products with vitamin E as their core ingredient or using the undiluted form with a carrier oil is your best bet.
Can I Leave Vitamin E on my Hair Overnight?
If you have diluted vitamin E oil with a carrier oil, there is no harm in keeping it on overnight. However, prolonged use of vitamin E oil can cause further damage to your body and should be avoided. Vitamin E as oil doesn’t take more than half an hour to work its magic so, using it right before hair wash should give you the best results.
Conclusion
Vitamin E is a great source of nutrients and contains a wealth of benefits that no other ingredient can produce in such excess. It is definitely an essential ingredient for hair care products and boosts their strength to a large extent. If you want to use vitamin E, you must familiarise yourself with its benefits and source ingredients to maximise its efficacy. Furthermore, make sure that you have consulted with your doctor to ensure that it does not affect any other medication or conditions that you may have. If you follow these steps to the T and keep yourself informed, your dull, damaged hair will return to its former glory in no time.