Vitamin E is an essential vitamin to help keep you healthy. It is contained in many foods, and most people find that they are able to easily get the daily recommended amount to stay healthy.
Since Vitamin E oil is a rich and nourishing oil, as well as having great antioxidant properties, it is commonly found in personal care products like skincare and hair care products. For the consumer, the Vitamin E tends to lend a nice shiny, nourished, and moisturized feel to the skin and hair, and the antioxidant properties may help the product last longer.
Aside from its well-established uses for helping hair look shiny and healthy, some people claim that Vitamin E may even be able to help with hair growth. But, does this claim hold any weight?
Below, we will cover Vitamin E oil for hair, including the potential benefits you might expect from using it, if there are any studies to back up its use for hair growth, how you may want to use it as a hair care product, how you can get more Vitamin E in your diet, and any potential downsides to incorporating Vitamin E into your routine.
There have not been enough large-scale high-quality studies to prove that Vitamin E oil can help increase your hair growth rate or slow down hair loss. But, a few small studies suggest a benefit may be possible.
One small study in just 37 volunteers had 20 people take a Vitamin E oil supplement daily, while 17 took a placebo supplement. The number of hairs in a predetermined scalp area, as well as the weight of 20 strands were measured before and after the experiment to note any changes. At the end of 8 months, the Vitamin E group had a 34.5% increase in the number of hairs in a predetermined scalp area, while the placebo group had a 0.1% decrease. The weight of the 20 individual hairs did not change significantly in either group. The researchers conclude that the Vitamin E supplement may help increase hair number, and suggest that this effect is likely from the antioxidant activity of the vitamin.
If you want to use Vitamin E topically on your scalp and hair, you may be able to just go ahead and use products that are already including Vitamin E as a component.
Alternatively, you may be able to find Vitamin E oil that you can massage into your scalp and hair for added moisturization and shine. This may be used very sparingly in order to avoid a greasy look, or applied more generously as a hair and scalp mask that you leave on for 30 mins to 1 hour before washing off.
Although Vitamin E is natural, and you shouldn’t have issues with using it topically, it is possible to experience irritation or an allergic reaction from 100% pure Vitamin E oil. Always try out a test patch of any new product on your inner wrist to check for a reaction before applying. You may also want to mix the oil with a carrier oil like coconut or olive oil to dilute it before using.
If you are just looking to incorporate more Vitamin E into your diet, there are a few great sources.
Foods high in Vitamin E include:
Most people have no problem getting enough Vitamin E through their diet.
Some people may want to try to up their Vitamin E intake through the use of a supplement. And, while this may be fine for some people, it may be unnecessary if you are eating a well-balanced diet. Additionally, Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin, so you can consume too much by using supplements which could be dangerous.
Talk to your doctor before choosing to start on a Vitamin E supplement to see if it is necessary and what dosage you should use.
While this is a natural vitamin that you need to eat every day to stay healthy, there can still be downsides to using or consuming it in excess.
Topical Vitamin E may cause a skin reaction in some users, so a patch test should be used and the oil should be diluted if possible. If you do have a reaction to the oil, do not use it.
It is unlikely that just increasing your intake of Vitamin E-containing foods would be dangerous, but taking too much of a Vitamin E supplement could be dangerous. Always talk with your doctor before starting on a new supplement to see if it is a good fit for you.
Vitamin E may be a good addition to a well-rounded hair care routine. But, there are not currently adequate studies to show that this vitamin alone can suffice for a hair loss or hair maintenance treatment plan.
Here at Strut, we offer prescription hair loss medications that utilize ingredients like Minoxidil (the active ingredient in Rogaine), as well as DHT reducing medications like Finasteride, Dutasteride, and Spironolactone. Our topical formulations are customizable to include multiple active ingredients in one easy application. If you prefer an oral hair loss medication, we also carry oral Finasteride and Dutasteride.
If you are interested in seeing if a hair loss medication can fit into your hair loss routine (with or without the addition of some Vitamin E), you can have a free online questionnaire and image-based telemedicine consultation with our U.S. licensed doctors today.
If you are a good candidate for using a medication, it will be shipped to your front door with our free shipping.
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