This post has been updated since it was originally published on June 7, 2022.
Losing your hair can be a traumatic and devastating experience, but there are lifestyle changes you can make to combat it. Your locks are impacted by how you wear them, how you style them, and often most importantly, what you eat to nourish them. SheFinds spoke to several doctors, including dermatologists and nutritionists, about not only what to eat for your hair’s benefit, but also what foods to avoid if you want a healthier mane.
First off, what causes hair loss?
It’s hard to solve a problem without first pinpointing its cause. Before diving into specific foods that can make hair loss worse, it’s important to consider its major causes.
“Hair thinning can be caused by a variety of reasons including genetics, underlying medical conditions, dietary deficiencies or even external factors like hairstyling practices,” explains New York City-based dermatologist, Dr. Joshua Zeichner. He mentions that before thinking about treatments for hair loss, one should recognize whether or not they have “underlying health issues like anemia or low thyroid function” or a vitamin deficiency, all of which need to be addressed. He also advises against pulling your hair back tight for long periods of time, using harsh chemicals and excessive heat styling.
After determining a cause for hair loss, making dietary goals is key as a well-balanced intake benefits your health overall. Although one specific food might not be causing hair loss necessarily, there are things you can look out for in your own diet, as well as foods to add for healthy hair.
Foods That Can Contribute To Hair Loss
After speaking with doctors about hair health, one message to relay is that when thinking about hair loss, it’s not about *entirely* avoiding any specific foods, but rather eating them in moderation. There are some foods, however, you might do best without if you have your hair’s best interest in mind:
Inflammatory Foods
Dr. Heather Duckett, Health Team Manager with Key Cellular Nutrition and chiropractor says that when trying to regain or maintain healthy hair, the foods to avoid are “much the same as recovering from or regaining overall health.” She tells SheFinds that “staying away from inflammatory foods such as gluten-containing grains, processed seed oils, processed sugars, and dairy would be a great place to start.” Foods like these cause inflammation all throughout the body, including the hair follicles. “Calming inflammation and restoring healthy cell function is imperative in stopping and reversing hair loss,” she says.
Alisa Vitti, founder of FLO Living and Functional Nutrition and Women’s Hormone expert echoes the anti-inflammatory goal for healthy hair. She adds that “the key foods you want to avoid are the ones that increase inflammation and oxidative stress in your body,” which she says disrupts major hormones and “absolutely will negatively impact the health of your hair.” This means those sugary foods, fried foods and alcohol you know aren’t the best for you in general might be good to forgo, since Vitti stresses the importance of protein so that your body can “produce the keratin needed to make and grow hair.”
Excessive Vitamin A or Mercury
New York City-based dermatologist Dr. Paul Jarrod Frank also advises against eating animal-sourced foods in excess, as they contain heavy amounts of vitamin A. “Too much vitamin A and high levels of mercury can contribute to hair loss and thinning,” he says. Common vitamin A-heavy foods include beef or lamb liver, liver sausage, oily fish, goat cheese and butter. Foods with high levels of mercury include fish such as swordfish, king mackerel and bigeye tuna.
If you like any of the foods listed— don’t fret! Doctors don’t advise again avoiding them entirely, just paying attention to the amount of intake. When aiming for the hair of your dreams, it’s crucial to focus on fueling your body. With that, we gathered tips below for the best kinds of food for healthy hair.
What to Eat to Combat Hair Loss
"Healthy lifestyle choices are the best way to have healthier hair," says dermatologist Dr. Paula Morgan, MD, PhD, FRCPC, FAAD and medical consultant for Better Goods. That saying, "you are what you eat" really has truth to it regarding vibrant and full hair. "As a clinician, my best recommendation is to eat a diet full of healthy fats, like avocados, fish oils and olive oil," Morgan says. She also notes that eggs, lentils, spinach, salmon, lean chicken, beef, pork, broccoli, tomatoes and other fruits are great choices to promote healthy, non-brittle hair growth. "Certain fatty acids, amino acids, minerals and vitamins found in foods are essential for hair health," she adds.
If a meatless diet is more of your thing, Dr. Morgan says it's still possible to get the hair you want without animal byproducts. "If you are vegetarian or vegan," she says, "it is still possible to get the necessary amount of essential amino acids through eating plant-based products such as legumes, whole grains and green vegetables."
Ultimately, no matter how you style or wear your hair or what its shape or type is, one thing rings true— your hair looks best when it's nourished. Prioritizing your scalp health with the right foods and products will contribute to how full your hair looks. You just might find that paying attention to your haircare is a great way to practice self care, and nothing is better for your health than a balanced and consistent routine.
