Tips // Omega-3s for Healthy Hair
Published 11/3/19, 3:36 PM by Fleur Scalp Care
Omega-3s for Healthy Hair
You probably have heard of omega-3 fatty acids and its benefits in cardiovascular health and brain functions. But did you know that omega-3s also plays a vital role in healthy hair?
Omega-3s fatty acids are unsaturated fatty acids that are necessary for the body to function. It cannot be produced naturally in our bodies but can only be obtained through our diet. There are 11 different types of omega-3s and the most important ones are ALA, EPA and DHA.
ALA or alpha-linolenic acid is the most common one in our diet, mostly present in plant foods such as spinach, kale and chia seeds. EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) are mostly present in seafood and fatty fish. These help to reduce inflammation and improve brain functions respectively.
Benefits of Omega-3s
Although there's currently not a lot of clinical research, there has been positive studies linking omega-3s to hair loss reduction and improvement in hair regrowth.
May reduce UV damages
Some studies have shown that the long chain omega-3s (EPA and DHA) can reduce the skin's sensitivity to UV rays, thus giving more protection for our scalp and hair against UV damages.
May prevent dry sensitive skin
Dry sensitive scalp is a common factor for many conditions like dermatitis and psoriasis. Some studies have shown that omega-3s can nourish our skin and seal in the moisture, resulting in protected and less sensitive skin.
May reduce inflammation
Scalp inflammation is another factor arising to hair loss. Some studies have also shown that omega-3s can help inhibit inflammatory components in our bodies.
May improve hair regrowth
Recent studies in 2015 have shown that participants taking omega-3s supplements to experience significantly increased hair growth and reduced hair loss.
Sources of Omega-3s
All in all, these healthy fatty acids are beneficial to our overall health, not just our hair and scalp. But before you rush for the supplements, tweaking our diet to include sources of omega-3s is easy.
Omega-3 fatty acids are most commonly found in fatty fish such as salmons and sardines and also in plant foods such as flaxseeds, pumpkin seeds, walnuts, walnut oil, canola oil, and soybean oil.
Our diet plays a vital role in our hair & scalp health, so is early detection and correct identification of any hair conditions. Have you taken a scalp analysis before? So get started with a free scalp analysis and consultation with us today. Book your appointment here.
