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Vitamins and hair: Sham or science?
Advaitaa Ravipati1, Antonella Tosti1
1Dr Phillip Frost Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Surgery, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA.
None:
There has been growing interest in supplements and hair care products beyond standard medical treatments to improve hair health. Vitamins are essential micronutrients required to maintain homeostasis in the body and are essential for hair growth. There is robust literature documenting vitamin deficiencies in patients with hair disorders such as alopecia areata and telogen effluvium; however, there is limited scientific backing to understand whether vitamin supplementation in healthy individuals has a tangible impact on hair health. We have reviewed the evidence given that clinical trials are limited. Vitamins appear to improve hair health in individuals with deficiencies; however, further evidence is needed to establish the benefits for those with healthy hair at baseline.
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