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It’s normal to lose around 50 to 100 hairs each day, but when hair falls out and less hair grows back, it can lead to hair loss, known medically as alopecia.
If your ponytail feels smaller than usual and you’re wondering if vitamins will help, you’re not alone. Studies show that over 50% of women experience noticeable hair loss. The most common cause is female pattern hair loss (FPHL), which affects approximately 30 million people in the United States.
Many of these women are interested in hair growth vitamins and supplements, which typically contain vitamins, minerals, and botanicals such as palmetto and ashwagandha, says New York City dermatologist Jennifer Kwalek, M.D.
So we asked dermatologists to answer all your questions about using vitamins for hair growth, including do they actually work? We also share suggestions for the best vitamins and hair growth supplements you should consider adding to your cart.
Featured Experts
- Jennifer Kwarek, MD, is a board-certified dermatologist based in New York City.
- Daniel Walker, MD, is a board-certified dermatologist based in Grapevine, Texas.
- Mona Gohara, MD, is a board-certified dermatologist based in Hamden, Connecticut.
- Joshua Zeichner, MD, is a board-certified dermatologist based in New York City.
Do hair growth vitamins really work?
“The real answer is maybe or sometimes,” says Daniel Walker, MD, a dermatologist in Grapevine, Texas.
Hair loss is a complex medical condition with many potential underlying causes: “Environmental and lifestyle factors such as nutritional deficiencies and stress can affect gene expression, particularly hormone production, which plays a key role in the hair growth cycle,” says Dr. Chwalek.
More research is needed to understand whether incorporating vitamins and supplements into your routine is more effective than getting them from your diet, and whether taking supplements can improve hair loss caused by something other than nutritional deficiencies, such as genetic factors, Dr. Kwarek explains. The research we do have is a bit murky, as it’s often funded by the brands themselves.
In other words, vitamins alone likely won’t be enough to tackle hair loss, so it’s best to see a board-certified dermatologist for an accurate diagnosis and treatment plan, says Dr. Walker.
But that doesn’t mean hair growth vitamins aren’t beneficial or part of a healthy hair regimen. Certain nutrients, vitamins, or supplements “can strengthen existing hair or be used in conjunction with medications or treatments to help hair grow,” says Mona Gohara, MD, a dermatologist in Hamden, Connecticut.
Dr Walker adds that hair vitamins are beneficial supplements that can help improve the health and integrity of your hair, helping to make it stronger, thicker and fuller, and overall “worth incorporating into your daily routine.”
Which vitamin deficiencies can cause hair loss?
If you’re suffering from hair loss, a dermatologist will usually start by testing for underlying deficiencies that could be affecting your hair, says Dr. Walker. “Deficiencies I look for include vitamins A, C, E, folate, and zinc.”
The most common nutrient deficiency is iron, especially in women, which is associated with telogen effluvium (a type of alopecia involving increased hair loss), says Kwarek. Some research also shows that people with alopecia (particularly alopecia areata, a type of alopecia caused by the immune system attacking hair follicles) have lower vitamin D levels, she says.
Along with vitamin D, B complex vitamins are one of the most common deficiencies, says New York City dermatologist Joshua Zeichner, M.D. People who are deficient in biotin (part of the B complex vitamin group) commonly suffer from thinning hair, Zeichner adds.
The bottom line: “Understanding the cause of your hair loss is really important; that’s the first step,” says Dr. Gohara. If your hair loss is due to an underlying vitamin deficiency, a dermatologist can help you pinpoint the cause.
What nutrients can help speed up hair growth?
Again, unless you’re deficient in a specific nutrient, it’s not clear that it can speed up hair growth, says Dr. Chwalek.
For example, while biotin-containing supplements have become a hot topic in recent years, the dermatologists we spoke to emphasized that recent studies suggest that unless you have a clear deficiency, biotin is unlikely to be effective, and that there are plenty of foods rich in biotin, so most people can meet their needs through their diet (though it can help with brittle nails, Dr. Chwalek adds).
As Dr. Zeichner explains, taking certain vitamins can provide hair follicles with the building blocks they need for optimal growth, but they don’t change the density or activity of the follicles themselves. In other words, “You can fertilize your backyard all you want, but if you don’t have grass seed, you won’t have a lawn.”
What are the side effects of using vitamins for hair growth?
The jury’s still out on how effective vitamins are for hair growth, but the good news is that, generally speaking, they rarely cause major side effects, says Dr. Kwalek. “If you’re healthy and have normal liver and kidney function, most over-the-counter vitamin supplements for hair loss are safe and well-tolerated,” says Dr. Zuiker.
But it’s always a good idea to check with your doctor before starting any new supplement, especially if you’re already taking prescription medications that may interact with the supplement, says Dr. Chwalek.
Another important reason to consult with your doctor before self-administering a vitamin regimen is that taking too many supplements of certain nutrients, such as selenium, vitamin A, and vitamin E, can actually be counterproductive and cause hair loss if taken in excess, says Dr. Chwalek.
How long does it take for hair growth vitamins to start working?
Unfortunately, hair growth is a slow process: “Hair grows about 1.5cm per month,” says Dr. Chwalek, which means it may take three to six months before you start to see improvement, and it could take up to a year to see the full benefits of hair loss treatment, says Dr. Walker.
Many of the products below require you to take multiple capsules per day, so you’ll need to be serious about this goal, but like incorporating a new skin-care ingredient into your routine (like retinol), it takes time and consistency to see noticeable results from vitamin supplements, adds Dr. Zeichner.
Best Vitamins and Hair Growth Supplements
Dermatologists we spoke to warned that choosing quality vitamins and supplements can be difficult because the FDA doesn’t require manufacturers to prove safety or effectiveness.
A few shopping tips: “Ideally, you want to look for products that have been third-party tested for quality assurance,” says Dr. Chwalek. “Rather than choosing a product based on individual ingredients, I recommend looking for clinical studies that have used that particular product,” adds Dr. Zeichner.
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