Supplements to Help Hair Growth?

[elocin9911]

Does anyone have any suggestions on supplements or oils that might help with hair growth? I already have a good diet and drink lots of water, but if anyone has any ideas on how to get an extra boost, I would greatly appreciate it! Thank you!

[mira-chan]

Biotin, MSM and silica are the most common supplements for hair. Do use caution when taking anything and research it first because what might work amazingly for one person might give side effects to another.

As for oils again your mileage may vary but Indian herbal oils are very popular. Castor oil has been known to improve growth. Keep in mind any improvement will not increase speed of growth past your genetic maximum. If you are healthy, have a good diet and lower stress, you might be growing at your optimal already.

ETA: Article from the archive on Supplements (https://web.archive.org/web/20111221141303/http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/vbjournal.php?do=article&articleid=74)

[Panth]

Supplements aren't going to do anything unless you're deficient and if you are deficient, it's far more effective to have your deficiency properly diagnosed (i.e. by a doctor via a blood panel) and properly corrected (i.e. by supplements and/or diet changes under medical prescription). Vitamins and minerals are absorbed and act in an interrelated way - supplementing with one can help or hinder the absorption and action of others. Non-prescription supplementation can easily make things worse and in any case should not be used as a patch over a poor diet.

You're much better off by simply eating a good diet, drinking sufficient water, exercising moderately and getting any medical complaints you may have promptly diagnosed and treated.

[ZeppHead]

I used to take supplements, hair vitamins and anything that would claim to aid in hair growth. I am better off without. I ended up either breaking out horribly, getting chest pain or cramping and couldn't take it long enough to see if it would help. If it would down the line it wouldn't be worth it to me!! Eat healthy, eat protein, take a multi vitamin and drink water. Nothing really helps your hair grow faster than your genes allow.

[Baby_doll]

I'm taking hair skin and nails gummies, I bought two bottles and I'm finishing off my second, I can't say there has been a huge difference or anything like that, but my hair is slow growing, and it did help speed my hair up a tiny tiny bit, mostly because my family eats nothing but junk, unless you have a definincy it's unlikely you would see big results being that you already have a healthy diet. That's only if your looking for something that "grows hair" I recommend taking a good multivitamin, not just for your health but your whole body, but do research on how the vitamins and minerals react with one another in the quantitys they are in, in some multivitamins too much of one mineral can hinder your ability to absorb enough of another. Diet wise for me I know eating lots and lots of protein really revs up my hair growth, but your hair won't grow past what your genetics allow so remember that, also be careful putting oils directly on your scalp it can mess with its natural ph. Oils on the ends are wonderful, I use a mix of vitamin e oil, coconut, and olive oil.

[FallingDarkness]

I use Hair, Skin, and Nails too. I haven't gotten a single zit since I started (which seems phenomenal but my acne has never been all that bad) and my hair sheds a lot less (whish is saying a LOT because I shed like crazy with all the hair I have on my head). As for hair growth, I'm not all too sure. I've been trying to not measure hair growth recently. It might be growing a little bit faster because I'm now maybe just an inch away from waist, and about a month ago I was around 2 inches away, and in general my hair grows slowly.

[ChloeDharma]

There was a thread recently started by a member who had been taking the H&B Silica supplement. That seemed to be working well. MSM is one to consider as intensive farming and cooking can leave us deficient in sulphur apparently.

As for oils then as Mira Chan suggested castor oil works for a lot of people although it seems more suited to thickening and regrowing hair. Bhringraj in an oil extract is used to increase hair growth and has some studies to back up it's use. If I were to recommend a brand I'd suggest Pune Mahabhringraj oil as it is in a base of coconut and sesame oils with no mineral oil or cones added unlike the Hesh Ancient Formulae brand which is often more available in shops. The Pune brand also gives amounts of herbs added and includes 20g of bhringraj per 100g of oil so you know you are getting a good amount in that one.
Fenugreek seed AKA Methi is also used to promote growth, this is included in some oil blends or you can make it yourself. Also the powdered seed can be used as a hair mask by soaking it overnight then using it as a deep conditioning pack. I find to get the growth benefits you need to use them quite frequently, at least twice per week but using the bhringraj nightly gives excellent results. It also relieves headaches and promotes a good nights sleep which can only help hair growth.
Rosemary essential oil is usually considered the best for stimulating growth but many others are good too.

That is a VERY brief overview of oils and herbs for hair growth, there are many more but if I listed them all this post would become incredibly long!

Oh one more thing, daily/nightly scalp massage and bent over brushing with BBB are said to increase growth.

[calmyogi]

I felt like biotin did speed growth. That includes all body hair though, I was plucking and shaving the rest of me like crazy! Oh, and my eyelashes got thicker, but it have me acne. Big cystic pimples. I read that it can do that too some people, so I stopped taking it.


I also took a bamboo silica supplement for months that made my fingernails hard as rocks. Idk if they made my hair grow faster, but if my fingernails were getting stronger I just kinda assumed that my hair that was growing out of my head from then on out was probably stronger too.

[Hootenanny]

I've been taking a pre-natal (I'm not pregnant, for the record) for the past few months, and although I can't tell if it has done anything for my hair, it certainly has given me more energy, and I feel better in general. I recently started MSM as well, more for joint health than hair, but it's too soon to see if it is making a difference. I'm hoping it will reduce my shedding a bit, as my house looks like hairball city lately. :lol: