Supplements 101: For Skincare & Hair

Do you have specific areas of your skin or hair that you want to address? You may have tried different supplements and had varying results, or you may be in the research phase looking for something that really works. Whether you seek supplements for pigmentation or hair growth, you want to make sure you get the right nutrients for your intended purpose. This is what you should look for.

Supplements for Pigmentation

Although you may have tried topical solutions for your skin pigmentation challenges, you can also choose options that you ingest. These vitamins and nutrients work with your body to address this challenge at the cellular level. Therefore, search for supplements with vitamin A, which supports immunity and reproductive health in addition to cellular health and turnover. This vitamin can protect your skin, preventing dark spots caused by environmental factors.

Vitamin C boosts your immunity, but it also serves as an antioxidant that protects your cells and skin against UV rays and free radical damage. Vitamin B3 also helps prevent and fade hyperpigmentation. To prevent environmental damage that causes pigmentation, choose a multivitamin with vitamin D and milk thistle. You may even find options with polypodium leucotomos leaf, alpha lipoic acid, ginkgo biloba, ascorbic acid and vitamin E, which all restore your pigment and prevent free radical damage.

Supplements for Acne

Whether you have young skin that is prone to acne or you experience adult acne, this skin condition is uncomfortable and can make you feel self-conscious. You can find creams with effective ingredients, such as azelaic acid 14%, but you can also use them to treat the problem from the inside out. Search for supplements that have zinc, Omega 3, probiotics, biotin, niacin, selenium, barberry, DIM, green tea, inositol, magnesium and pantothenic acid as well as vitamins A, D, C and B6.

These vitamins and minerals do everything from reducing oil production to preventing free radical damage. In addition, some of these ingredients, such as vitamin A, are in prescription drugs that treat acne.

Best Supplements for Hair Growth

You may have noticed that your hair has thinned or fallen out more frequently as you age or during stressful times in your life. Although you can employ natural strategies, such as improving your diet and water consumption, changing your styling and hair treatment routine and giving yourself scalp massages with beneficial oils, you can also find supplements that improve your hair growth and thickness.

As you review the available hair growth supplements, search for options that offer iron, biotin, Omega 3 fatty acids, selenium, saw palmetto, proteins, marine collagen and folic acid as well as vitamins A, C, B12, D and E. These vitamins and minerals improve cellular reproduction, blood circulation, scalp and follicle health, and hair strength. They also prevent and reverse free radical damage, strengthen your follicles so they hold your hair better and extend the hair-growth stage.

As you search for the best hair supplements and vitamins for skin health, pay close attention to the ingredients on the bottle. However, before you start adding them to your diet, consult with a physician because some can build up in your body and become toxic if you take too much.