What should you know about good diet for hair?

Hair is made from protein, so inadequate intake can affect growth and make shedding more noticeable. Low iron stores, poor overall intake, or rapid weight loss may also contribute. Nutrition is only one piece of the picture: hereditary pattern loss, alopecia areata, scalp ringworm, traction alopecia, and telogen effluvium have different mechanisms. A balanced diet supports the follicles but cannot reverse every type of hair loss.

Include a protein source at meals, such as eggs, fish, dairy, beans, lentils, or poultry, alongside iron-containing foods and vitamin-rich produce. Pair plant sources of iron with foods containing vitamin C. Avoid starting high-dose supplements without checking whether a deficiency exists; excess of some nutrients can also cause harm. Tell your clinician about vegetarian or vegan eating, digestive symptoms, appetite changes, and recent weight loss.

Arrange assessment for sudden shedding, smooth bald patches, scalp scale or tenderness, broken hairs, or loss involving eyebrows or eyelashes. A clinician can examine the scalp and decide whether blood tests or treatment for a condition such as telogen effluvium, pattern hair loss, or infection is appropriate.

Ask whether your pattern suggests a nutritional gap or another cause, which tests are relevant, and whether a supplement is appropriate for you. Discuss medicines, hormonal changes, illness, stress, and styling practices that began before the shedding.