Vitamin C, or ascorbic acid, is a water-soluble vitamin, which dissolves in water. Vitamin C supports energy production while also minimizing free radical damage, which makes this important vitamin essential to your overall health. The primary role of Vitamin C in supporting a holistic beauty regime is the ways in which it supports collagen production. This is why some beauty experts call it the ‘skin vitamin’. It also acts as a reducing mediator necessary for collagen fiber synthesis through hydroxylation of lysine and proline, meaning that vitamin C works within your body to create the collagen production necessary to support the growth of healthier hair and skin by breaking down essential amino acids into a usable form. The vitamin C in food is critical in supporting your body's growth processes for new strands while keeping existing hair growth healthy.
Vitamin C helps support the healthy functions of the body, which might include promoting hair growth by helping the body absorb key nutrients. Vitamin C plays an essential role in the intestinal absorption of iron due to its chelating and reducing effect, assisting iron mobilization and intestinal absorption. Therefore, vitamin C intake is important in patients with hair loss associated with iron deficiency.
However, this link doesn't mean that having low levels of vitamin C on its own can explain hair shedding. Although vitamin C deficiency is typically associated with body hair abnormalities, there is no data correlating vitamin C levels and hair loss.
Vitamin C plays a role in controlling infections and healing wounds and is a powerful antioxidant that can neutralize harmful free radicals. It is needed to make collagen, a fibrous protein in connective tissue that is weaved throughout various systems in the body: nervous, immune, bone, cartilage, blood, and others. The vitamin helps make several hormones and chemical messengers used in the brain and nerves.
Benefits Of Vitamin C For Hair
Acts As A Mild Cleanser
Vitamin C has specific properties that make it an excellent clarifying agent. For this reason, vitamin C is also a significant part of shampoos. Vitamin C helps remove the mineral build-up on the scalp, cleanses the hair, and makes it free from a dry, itchy scalp. It also makes your hair soft and supple, allowing it to absorb more moisture.
Adds Shine To Hair
Try using vitamin C for glamorous shine for hair as it's also known for adding shine to the hair. This vitamin keeps the cuticle of the hair tightened and firm, providing a smoother and more reflective hair surface.
Prevents Hair Breakage
The free radicals in the hair destroy the essential proteins in the hair, making them more prone to breakage and split ends. In such a case, vitamin C acts as an antioxidant and controls free radicals. This enables vitamin C to prevent hair breakage.
Acts As A Moisturizer For Hair
Vitamin C has the presence of multiple hydroxyl groups. This means it has the presence of hydrogen and oxygen needed to add moisture to the hair. It helps your hair lock in moisture and bind to it when used on hair. For this reason, vitamin C acts as a moisturizer and conditioner for hair and keeps your hair moisturized naturally.
Removes Hair Dye
Vitamin C is also used as a secret ingredient to remove hair dye. People can use lemon or vitamin C tablets and mix them with their clarifying shampoo to remove hair dye from their hair.
Fights Dandruff
The acidic nature of vitamin C helps fight the bacteria present on the scalp and gets rid of dandruff and follicle debris, and promotes new hair growth. Apart from getting rid of dandruff, the antiviral properties in vitamin C provide relief from dry and itchy scalps. Vitamin C aids hair growth by acting as a mild cleanser and moisturizer for hair, preventing breakage, removing hair dye, fighting dandruff, and adding sheen.
Vitamin C In Hair & Skin Products
Vitamin C is an essential supplement for the normal functioning of the human body. In skincare, vitamin C is popular for its ability to brighten skin and promote collagen production. As one of the most powerful antioxidants in the skin, vitamin C has been shown to protect against photoaging and to have an anti-aging effect by increasing collagen synthesis. Typically, vitamin C is applied topically to the skin in the form of serums or moisturizers.
When applied to the scalp, it can have similar benefits. Vitamin C works as an antioxidant to help neutralize free radical damage which can help to maintain scalp health. Vitamin C also neutralizes free oxygen radicals that develop during the day as a result of normal metabolism and UV exposure. Free oxygen radicals are damaging to cellular structures like DNA, lipids, and proteins. Vitamin C can also help boost collagen production in the scalp and hair, which can help to strengthen and promote hair health.
Ways Of Using Vitamin C For Hair
- The most obvious way is to include it in the diet. Vitamin C is found in a wide variety of fruit and vegetables. Good sources include oranges, lemons, blackberries, mango, kiwis, cherries, strawberries, avocado, peppers, broccoli, brussels sprouts, spinach, kale, and potatoes.
- Be aware that Vitamin C can be irritating if used in high concentrations. Many products contain L-ascorbic acid which is the purest form of Vitamin C. This can be too harsh for sensitive skin. We prefer the natural Vitamin C found in plant oils – marula seed, rosehip oil, and pomegranate seed oil – all are rich in Vitamin C naturally, and suitable for sensitive skin. We have used these oils in our face oil, eye oil, and body oil.
FAQs
Q1 - How Much Vitamin C Do You Need For Hair Growth?
Ans - Apart from using hair care products and consuming a diet rich in vitamin C, another way to consume this vitamin is through supplements.
Q2 - Can Vitamin C Directly Be Applied To The Hair? Is Vitamin C Good For Hair?
Ans - It definitely is, and hence you’ll find it as an important constituent in a lot of hair products and DIY hair masks as well. You can’t directly apply it to your hair, as it might not be good for your hair’s overall health. However, you can look for some natural ingredients like hair masks made of citrus fruits like lemons, strawberries, oranges, and the like.
Q3 - What Happens If You Apply Vitamin C To Your Hair?
Ans - There is sufficient evidence that suggests vitamin C hair growth results are positive. This is because vitamin C balances out the oxidative stress in your hair, helps you curb the signs of ageing, and helps in the formation of collagen, a protein that boosts your hair’s overall quality. Hence, it has good results in your hair, and can also contribute to hair growth.
Reference
https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/vitamin-c/
https://puresense.co.in/blogs/super-ingredients/vitamin-c-benefits-uses-for-hair
https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/health-disease/skin-health/vitamin-C
