*Does your diet affect your hair growth?

[Sweet_Ambrosia]

For me it doesnt.
My diet isnt perfect, but it's not critical either.

Some say a healthy diet is an important key for obtaining long healthy hair.
I agree with that to a certain extent.
If your body is lacking certain nutrients, it can affect your hair as well as your overall health.
But, I dont believe that a healthy diet is absolutely necessary to grow long healthy hair.

What my diet may lack in nutrients, I make up for it with vitamins/supplements most of the time.
What has worked for me thus far, is simplicity and consistency.

So, what's your take on this?

 

[poetist]

I think a helathy diet is essential for overall good health. It's also important for hair growth, especially for those who in the past haven't been able to grow their hair to really long lengths. However, you are right, it isn't essential for everyone because I have friends who seem to live on fast food and have really long hair. I, on the other hand, have to work really hard (diet, exercise, vitamins, babying my hair, etc) to achieve longer hair.

It's just like weight. Some people can eat anything and stay slim while others have to watch their diet and work out in order to maintain a healthy weight.

I take a million vitamins, but think that nutrients from whole foods are much better than nutrients in vitamins.

 

[Isis]

I too know of women who live on junk food only with very long hair. It doesn't mean their hair is healthy though but it is long.

Just like the example Poetist gave of people who are thin but eat anything. It doesn't mean they are healthy.

I feel a healthy diet affects the body's health and the nutrients are passed directly to one's hair follicles for the hair's health. Many of us have experienced on this board the difference of drinking lots of water, taking flaxseed oil and other EFAs, taking certain vitamin supplements and minerals and eating more protein, etc.

 

[ThinNnappy]

I think that it all just gets better and better with every step you take, i think theirs no limit to how healthy you or your hair can get-Its just where your happy at
Like i know when i ate bad and took no vitamins-but took care of my hair, My hair still grew, but slower and my hair and nails stayed dry and breaking-and i had to put alot of work in ( or my mom)
I took it up a notch, and added vitamins and water--things got better my nails and hair grew quicker and were moisturized better
Then when i just started trying to eat all natural and excercise and take more vitamins and water-my hair's been the most thick and black and more shiny , with me doing the same hair routine then i ever remember.

 

[Candy_C]

i'm a junk food addict, but my vitamins really help. i'm gonna start eating healthily now as my skin was gettin so bad last week. i'm off the chocolate thats the main thing. they say it doesn't cause pimples but it does!

as for hair, diet definately will affect the hair aswell as the whole body. i know when i change my diet my hair will grow at optimum speed and be at its healthiest too!

 

[Blaque*Angel]

great thread

my answer is YES!

When i eat proteins, vegs, fruit and drink water only...

my hair grows extremely fast.

 

[MzPrince]

I think definitely yes and also a good diet affects the condition of your skin. I know for me if I'm eating right my skin and hair really glows.

 

[BrownSkin2]

I think yes it does. When I eat a balanced diet and drink lots of juices and water, my hair gets thicker.

 

[tuffCOOKiE]

Not me. But I think its because I need to detox. Ive been meaning to look into that.

 

[Sistaslick]

I know my diet is not hardly what one would call healthy. Vitamins, what? Water, who? My diet is all wrong on so many levels. If hair growth depended heavily on diet, I would be bald. I just can't do the pill thing. I don't exercise, I eat random stuff during the day-- maybe a bowl of cereal, 2 cups of coffee, and then some rice and curries for dinner. I think the curries are what is keeping me alive. My hair grows at an acceptable rate, but maybe if I ate better I might be to see my full potential. Hmmmm. . .

 

[JazzyDez]

I think so. I could see very noticeable improvements in my skin (no bumps, even complexion, glow) when I went on a low carb/high protien diet. I'm sure it was due to the lack of sugar and carbs. When I went off the diet, I started noticing a pimple here and there....so I know that what you put in your body has an effect on your skin, hair and nails. I noticed improvement in my hair during this time also. But the skin part was the most noticable to me (I guess because I look in the mirror everyday ). But I also agree to those who said that it is more related to hair health then length.

Cause if you think about it, when your hair is healthier, it is stronger, and more elastic. Therefore it is less prone to breakage and you retain more of what you grow. So I say yes, your diet can help you grow longer hair.

 

[Sweet_Ambrosia]

 

[Deniece]

Diet definitely affects hair growth, I was just talking to my doctor about hair growth and she said just to make sure you eat something green every night as your last food...the calcium etc...stimulates hair growth

 

[Cinnabuns]

I too believe that diet is beneficial to healthy hair. I've read where a member here, Leejure ate mainly rice, beans, chicken, fish and veggies and she said that it grew her hair like crazy. Hmmm...thinking of this I might even try it.

 

[Healthb4Length]

I'm beginning to think that diet plays a major role in hair growth. I usually get about 1/2 inch of growth per month, but this year my diet has been horrendous, I take vitamins to help balance it out. I just can't afford to eat as healthy as I'd like to, now I'm noticing only a 1/4 inch per month. I know that my diet has something to do wtih that.

 

[LABETT]

I know my diet affects my hair when I eat junk my hair looks like junk.
If I am eating healthy,drinking water,exercising,protein shakes my hair goes on a growth spurt.

 

[locabouthair]

i've been thinking about this for a long time. I am glad you made this thread. I have the worst diet. I can go weeks without eating fruits or veggies. I eat a lot of junk food and my hair had been the same length for 4 years. I know for a fact my skin suffers when i eat badly also.

 

[KiniKakes]

Im not sure, actually........ last year i had great growth, and was eating a lot of meats and protein and vegetables. This year my diet hasnt been as good. Its still growing, but i'll have to figure out if the rate is the same. Hard to tell at this point.

 

[Nanyanika]

yes yes yes, my diet is poor plus i keepn falling of track with supplements and my hair grows snails pace. my hair grew its longest when on a good diet and supplementation.

 

[shunta]

i've been thinking about this for a long time. I am glad you made this thread. I have the worst diet. I can go weeks without eating fruits or veggies. I eat a lot of junk food and my hair had been the same length for 4 years. I know for a fact my skin suffers when i eat badly also.

Mine ,too. I would say that your diet does affect hair growth.

 

[MamaBraidedIt]

Never really paid attention.

However I don't think diet strongly affects hair growth.

 

[amwcah]

I voted no. I personally have always eaten healthy. I eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, and no fried foods. On the other hand, my sister doesn't eat vegetables and barely any fruit and her hair is midback length now. With the help of the net and hair books, she has grown her hair from neck length to midback length in about 3 years. She contributes her growth to a major cut and the use of ORS Carrot Oil.

 

[Divine Inspiration]

YES!!! We are what we eat, and that includes our hair. I agree w/ Isis that while some can grown long hair with junk, they can't achieve optimal health with junk. Our skin, hair, and nails are a reflection of what we eat and our internal health.

 

[mkstar826]

for ME, what I eat affects hair health, not hair growth.

My hair grows the same no matter what I do I've noticed...but how healthy it is definitely affected by my diet. I noticed it doesn't grow in as thick when I eat junk.

 

[Hidden_Angel]

When I'm on my crack pot of vitmans along with a good deit my hair looks WONDERFUL, shiney and grows quickly

 

[VeryBecoming]

I don't think so.

I drink like 100+ ounces of water a day and my diet is high in protein and my hair hasn't really reaped any of the benefits. My body is changing but my hair is just the same. Limp, thin, doesn't seem like the protein is doing much.

 

[seraphim712]

I know for certain that me drinking too much caffeine is preventing much hair growth, but I can't seem to stop. I'm trying my hardest to drink water everyday, is there a possible way to add sugar and lemon to water(not alot where it starts tasting like lemonade) for taste but not to alter the properties of the water. If there is, please let me know and I'll be on water like white on rice.

 

[tricie]

I voted yes. I think what you put in your body absolutely has an effect on your hair, skin and nail health; not to mention, and this is just me, when I eat right and take my vits, I just feel better, and have lost quite a bit of weight and have hair that looks and feels better since making that a priority. HTH!

 

[thiccknlong]

Yes and no.

No, b/c I think it's mostly genetic. Some have to baggy, moisterize, baby , etc their hair and only then will they get growth. Some dont do any of that and have just as much or MORE growth than the former.
I've never been a healthy eater and have always had long hair. It's genetic b/c of fam from both sides.

Yes, b/c if your body can get what it needs from the food you eat, it will show up. Maybe at 18 we could get away w/ it. But, when ppl start to get older, they seem to have much less hair.

 

[Hidden_Angel]

Yes and no.

No, b/c I think it's mostly genetic. Some have to baggy, moisterize, baby , etc their hair and only then will they get growth. Some dont do any of that and have just as more or MORE growth than the former.
I've never been a healthy eater and have always had long hair. It's genetic b/c of fam from both sides.

Yes, b/c if your body can get what it needs from the food you eat, it will show up. Maybe at 18 we could get away w/ it. But, when ppl start to get older, they seem to have much less hair.

i agree with this