Herbal Glo Ultimate Control Styling Gel - 250ml

The condition of our hair is often a great sign of the underlying health of our entire body, and you really are what you eat. Often our hair and nails are the first parts of us to show nutrient deficiencies and signs of illness. Although a number of products can be applied to the hair to improve its appearance, true hair health comes from the inside, out. Soft, shiny, and smooth hair is a sign of good health, and a loss of these characteristics can indicate underlying imbalances in the body.

Hair Growth
In the same way that all of the cells in our bodies are replaced over time, our hair goes through similar life cycles. For more information on these cycles, please see our Hair Loss article. Although hair is not alive itself, it is a substance produced by living hair follicle cells in our skin. Hair grows at a rate of about to of an inch each month. In order for our body to produce this growth, it requires the nutritional building blocks to do so. The major building blocks of hair are: protein, fat, water, and trace minerals. The final component of hair is the pigment molecules, which give each person's hair its distinctive colour.

Hair Protein Content
The precise amino acid content of hair and the genetic code used to manufacture it, both affect the shape, thickness, and texture of the completed hair strand. A protein called keratin makes up the vast majority of the structure of hair, between 65-95% by weight. When we don't eat enough protein, it prevents the body from growing new hair as required. Even deficiencies in certain amino acids can cause problems, depending on your body's particular requirements determined by your genes.

Hair Water Content
In addition to protein, hair also contains anywhere from 6-14% water by weight, depending on the humidity in the surrounding air. Hair dried with heat will have lower moisture content than hair dried at room temperature. The moisture content of hair affects its tensile strength and tendency towards friction and static. This is the reason why environmental humidity can so greatly affect the manageability of your hair. After drying with heat, the moisture content of the hair is low, and as moisture from the air transfers back into the hair over time, the style achieved by your hard work in the morning, begins to fall and frizz.

Hair Fat Content
Fat is the next major component of hair by weight, and can be found both inside the shaft of the hair, and deposited on its surface by the glands of the surrounding skin. Internal fat content accounts for 1-9% of the structure of hair, by weight. The most common fats found in hair are palmitoleic, palmitic, and oleic acids. In fact, 40-50% of the lipids found in the hair itself are unsaturated fatty acids (palmitoleic and oleic). In addition to this internal fat, there is also the protective layer of fat on the surface of the hair that affects the way the hair lays on the head. This fat layer is called sebum and is produced by glands in the skin surrounding the hair follicles. Over-washing can remove a large proportion of this protective layer and cause hair that is more prone to flyaways and static frizz. Because oil and water don't mix, the protective layer of sebum on the surface of the hair can protect it against alteration by the humidity in the air. Thus, having some buildup of oil in your hair can help to prevent flyaways on humid days.

Hair Mineral Analysis
It has been found by researchers that concentrations of metals such as cadmium, arsenic, mercury and lead in the hair tend to correlate with their concentrations of the same metals in the internal organs. Because of this fact, healthcare practitioners have become interested in performing hair mineral analysis to assess the body's content of certain heavy metals. Testing for other minerals has proven to be less reliable than heavy metal testing in this manner.

Hair Concerns
There are a number of conditions that can affect hair growth and quality. For more information on these cases, please see our Hair Disorders article. When hair is dry and fragile, it is important to nourish it with oil to promote increased strength. This can be particularly beneficial in those with insufficient sebum production from their skin (those with dry skin). Trimming hair regularly to remove split ends early in their development can help to prevent them from traveling up the hair and further reducing its strength.

Although much of the quality and texture of your hair is determined by genetics, there are a number of things that you can do to get the most out of what you were born with.

Supplements for Hair Growth
There are a number of supplements that can help to support healthy hair growth. A deficiency in any vitamin or mineral in the body can result in hair loss. Checking in with your healthcare provider and doing simple blood work can help to determine if you are deficient in any key nutrients. Iron, Zinc and Selenium deficiencies can all cause hair loss, and supplementation can prevent and remedy these deficiencies. Vitamin C is required for collagen production in the body, and thus supplementation can help to provide the body with building blocks for better hair growth. Having sufficient Vitamin D in the body is also essential to hair growth, which can be produced by getting sufficient sunlight during the summer, while supplementation may be required in the winter months. The B Vitamins work together to help the body to manage stress and prevent stress-related hair loss. For more information, please see our Stress article. One of the B vitamins known as Biotin helps the body to metabolize the protein consumed so that it can be used to make new hair. Vitamin E helps to improve circulation to the scalp, which can help to promote healthy hair growth. Vitamin A is a precursor to retinoids in the body, which are substances that stimulate the hair follicle to produce new hair.