· By Dr. Kaushal M. Kulkarni, M.D.
4 Unique Sea Buckthorn Benefits for Hair
Packed with vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and fatty acids, sea buckthorn is a treasure trove of nutrients.
The explosion of healing power in sea buckthorn supplements can positively affect your heart, liver, skin, and more! As we learn more and more about its effects on these conditions, it is evident that there are also numerous sea buckthorn benefits for hair.
Sea Buckthorn Oil for Hair
Currently, there is a lack of research on sea buckthorn benefits for hair. However, the wealth of nutrients within sea buckthorn have been studied individually. Here we will highlight these sea buckthorn ingredients’ benefits for healthy hair.
Sea Buckthorn Oil Benefits for Hair
Through the combined power of important nutrients, sea buckthorn may have the following benefits on your hair:
Benefit #1: Sea buckthorn oil for hair growth and strength
Do you have an alarming amount of hair loss, especially noticeable when you’re cleaning the shower drain? There are many reasons for this phenomena, including things like stress, psoriasis, hormone imbalance, among other things.
However, oftentimes you may just not be getting enough nutrients. The essential nutrients for hair structure are biotin, iron, protein, and zinc. If you aren’t getting enough of these in your diet, you may have noticeable hair loss. Fortunately, sea buckthorn contains the following nutrients, which are correlated with stronger, healthier hair.
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Protein: Sea buckthorn contains a whopping 18 amino acids. Amino acids are the compounds that combine to make proteins like keratin, the main protein that makes up hair, skin, and nails. Having enough amino acids can help strengthen not just your hair, but can contribute to healthier skin and resilient nails.
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Minerals: Iron and zinc are also included in sea buckthorn’s long list of active ingredients. Being deficient in either of these have been shown to cause hair loss. Supplementing iron can help boost your circulation and carry oxygen to the roots of your hair, which will allow it to grow faster and longer. Zinc also plays a role in hair tissue growth as well as repair.
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Fatty acids: The cell-quenching omega 3 and 6 fatty acids have been shown to help with excessive hair loss and shedding by increasing the density and diameter of your hair.
Supplementing with both sea buckthorn and biotin (vitamin B7) could be the way to go if you are missing a lot of the essential ingredients for strong hair. And having stronger hair not only means you may have less hair fall, but your hair may also be more elastic and less prone to breakage. Increased elasticity means better bounce, body, and curl retention.
Benefit #2: Sea buckthorn oil for hair growth and improvement of thinning and graying hair
Let’s face it. One of the inevitable facts of life is that our hair thins and grays as we age. Thinning of hair and hair loss may be due to the loss of collagen as we age. The follicles shrink and cause the regular strands to be replaced by thin wisps.
Collagen is present in 70% of the middle layer of your skin, called the dermis. This layer contains the root of each hair. And since collagen decreases over time, fewer cells are replenished in the dermis which can cause hair to thin. Additionally, pigment cells in our hair follicles start to die and no longer contain melanin to give our hair its color. Instead, the strands of hair become a more transparent color, either gray, silver, or white.
Improving collagen content may reduce hair fall and reduce the appearance of gray hair. This is thought to be done by its ability to support the structure of the follicle, which allows the hair-building proteins to produce longer, thicker hair. And when the follicle is supported in this healthy way, its pigment cells may improve the appearance of gray hair.
Vitamin C plays a vital role in the synthesis of collagen. It has been shown to stimulate collagen production through the triggering of our DNA. Not only can vitamin C help give your skin a more bright, youthful appearance through this critical role, but it also helps contribute to one of the building blocks of hair follicles. Vitamin C is found in sea buckthorn in high amounts; 12x the amount that is in oranges.
The potential for vitamin C and collagen to counteract the aging of our skin could lead to decreased thinning. However, more research is needed on how collagen can impact age-related hair loss and graying.
Benefit #3: Sea buckthorn hair products regenerate damaged hair
Split ends and breakage are common signs of oxidative stress. Though they can be caused by internal stressors like emotional stress and diet, they may also be caused by harmful free radicals from external stressors. Some examples that can cause this damage:
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Heat or UV damage: Hairdryers, flat irons, and curling irons can damage the cuticle when used at high heat settings. Also, if you spend a lot of time in the sun, UVA and UVB rays can damage the cuticle and lead to discoloration, split ends, thinning, and frizziness.
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Overprocessing your hair: Perms, relaxers, coloring, and professional straightening can cause the cuticle to break down if used too often.
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Overwashing your hair: If you overuse shampoo, it can strip your hair’s natural oils, causing it to become dry and brittle.
When exposed to large amounts of free radicals for long periods, this can cause your hair to become damaged, as well as age faster. Luckily, sea buckthorn is full of free-radical fighting antioxidants, regenerating fatty acids, and rejuvenating vitamins.
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Antioxidants: Sea buckthorn contains 60 antioxidants, earning it the name superfood. Antioxidant vitamins A, C, and E can support smoother, healthier hair through the neutralizing of free radicals that cause damage.
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Omega fatty acids: Unsaturated fatty acids like omegas 6 and 7 can regenerate and repair your hair follicles.
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Vitamins: The B-complex vitamins (B1, B2, and B6), though they are not antioxidants, are important in the creation of our skin, hair, and blood. This is because they help convert food to energy. B6, or pyridoxine, is especially important due to its task of transporting oxygen and nutrients to the hair.
Benefit #4: Sea buckthorn hair products hydrate and moisturize
Dry, brittle hair sometimes stems from a dry, flaky, itchy scalp. So it stands to reason that when you deeply hydrate the skin of your scalp and lock in that moisture, it will produce more hydrated hair follicles.
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Hydrating: The high amounts of vitamin C within sea buckthorn oil may have the ability to keep your hair hydrated. This is due to its prevention of water loss through its influence on the formation of a stronger, thicker skin barrier. And since vitamin C may help fight bacteria on the scalp due to its antimicrobial properties, you may notice less itching and flaking from dandruff. It may also help clean up debris from follicles that leave hair looking dull and lifeless; thus leaving you with a shinier, more attractive mane. Sea buckthorn benefits for hair extend to those with oily hair. Vitamin C can control excessive sebum and maintain an optimum level of oil production.
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Moisturizing: The fatty acids and amino acids within sea buckthorn can form a protective layer over your skin, which allows it to retain moisture. When your skin is more moisturized, your hair will follow. Omega 7 fatty acid is said to restore moisture down to the very cells within our bodies, building moisture from the inside out.
People Also Ask:
Is sea buckthorn good for hair growth?
Yes, the nutrients in sea buckthorn supply proteins may help your hair grow back stronger and denser. They can also protect from damaging free radicals and lock in moisture.
Is sea buckthorn good for hair loss?
Yes, sea buckthorn can provide amino acids and minerals that your hair needs to create stronger hair follicles. As a result, this can help the rate of hair loss.
What does sea buckthorn do for hair?
Sea buckthorn benefits for hair include moisturizing your hair, reducing itchiness and dandruff, as well as repairing split ends. Additionally, it can decrease breakage that was caused by oxidative damage.
Can I use sea buckthorn oil on my hair?
You can use sea buckthorn oil on your hair. There are many products out there that feature sea buckthorn as an ingredient. But if you’d like to utilize other benefits that can come from sea buckthorn, we highly recommend taking sea buckthorn in supplement form.
Can you take sea buckthorn oil orally?
Yes, you can take sea buckthorn oil orally. This is the simplest way! Simply ingest 2 soft gels daily for eye, hair, and skin benefits in the long term.
Sea Buckthorn Supplements: Choose a Hair Superfood
Sea buckthorn benefits for hair may include strengthening your hair fiber, improving thinning, repairing damaged hair, and moisturizing your gorgeous locks.
Sea buckthorn, or sea berry, is an incredibly nutritious superfood. When we choose to create a diet or supplement regimen rich in antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, fatty acids, and amino acids, it benefits us from the inside out. Not only do we feel good, but we also look good, extending to our hair, skin, and nails.
Shop our sea berry supplement!