Flaxseed Oil

[Annibelle]

Hello, all! I'm new here but I've been lurking for about a month.

I had a question for you all about flaxseed oil. Following a suggestion by my allergist, I began taking flaxseed oil tablets yesterday. I looked online to see if they might also benefit the hair (since it's an oil), and from what I've read, it might, but I wondered if any of you have any experience with flaxseed oil yourselves! Have you used it topically? Or taken the oil or tablets?

Thanks!

[Firefox7275]

Flaxseed oil contains short chain omega-3 essential fatty acids, of which only around 10% of these are converted to the long chain form that the body can use. Has your allergist explained the amount of raw plant oils you need to hit your daily target of EFAs? The best sources of long chain O-3 are fish oil or an algae-based supplement but there are also usable amounts in omega-enriched eggs. Is an allergist a medical professional or alternative therapist?

I have taken ground flaxseeds internally in the past, but TBH this was a small part of an optimum nutrition regime that included oily fish, fish oil supplements, omega eggs, omega cheddar, pumpkin seeds AND walnuts, phew! My atopic eczema and keratosis pilaris ('chicken skin') cleared up completely during this phase of my life, and my contact dermatitis (skin allergies) improved.

Flaxseed oil is fairly pricey but if your budget stretches to it you might try it externally. Not sure you would get results over and above that of any other oil, since hair is dead. I believe coconut oil is the one research suggests is absorbed best into hair.

[jojo]

I have taken them in the past but saw no improvement but I sometimes add a capsual and add it in my conditioner and it does moisturize my hair lovely.

[knoxkatie]

I have taken them in the past but saw no improvement but I sometimes add a capsual and add it in my conditioner and it does moisturize my hair lovely.

Thanks for that, Jojo I have a bottle of them lying around somewhere and I may try this since I'm not taking them anymore.

[Annibelle]

My allergist (who is actually an atlas orthogonist who uses cold laser treatments to help desensitize me to allergens) didn't really tell me much about how many oils I need-- he just said that the flaxseed oil would help me remain desensitized longer. This is the first supplement of any kind I've ever taken, so I really don't know a lot about it! Should I start taking a daily vitamin, too, or would that be a bad idea with the flaxseed?

My doctor DID suggest taking some sort of fish oil rather than flaxseed, but I'm a vegetarian and my body rejects fish, so he said that flaxseed oil might be better.

I eat Smart Balance margarine, which advertises its omega-3s... should I be worried that I might be getting too much? I use the margarine everyday...

And the only oil I've tried in my hair so far (I just started last week!) is coconut. It doesn't seem to be reacting badly, but I think it's too early to tell if it's helping me...

Thanks so much for your response! And sorry for the long reply-- I'm hoping that any answers you give might help others with my questions.

[christine1989]

I used to take a liquid flax+borage oil suppliment and I thought it helped improve the thickness of my hair (although I was using castor oil at the time as well). I quit using it when my bottle was out simply because I'm lazy and it costs $30 per bottle.

[motormuffin]

I take a lot of flax each day and I love it. I can tell when I don't take it. I wouldn't say I saw much difference in my hair but I did with my skin. It really takes down inflammation for me. I did try fish oils but didn't get the same reaction. I take other things with it and you can surely take a multivit.