Here’s something that drives me a little crazy: clients spend $300 on a color appointment and then eat like a college student. Your hair doesn’t care how much you spent at the salon if your body doesn’t have the building blocks to grow healthy hair.
Your hair is made of protein. Are you eating enough?
Hair is keratin. Keratin is protein. If your protein intake is low, your body redirects what it has to more vital functions — muscles, organs, immune system. Hair gets whatever’s left over, which might not be much.
Crash diets are the worst offenders. Any diet under 1,200 calories is almost certainly protein-deficient, and the hair loss shows up about 3 months later. I can’t tell you how many clients have come in with sudden shedding that traced back to an aggressive diet.
Aim for at least 0.8g of protein per kilogram of body weight daily. If you exercise regularly, more. Good sources: chicken, fish, eggs, Greek yogurt, legumes, tofu.
The nutrients that actually matter
Iron. Essential for hemoglobin, which delivers oxygen to hair follicles. Low iron = oxygen-starved follicles = thin, slow-growing hair. Red meat, shellfish, spinach, lentils. Women with heavy periods need to pay extra attention.
Vitamin D. Supports the hair growth cycle. Deficiency is linked to alopecia. Fatty fish, egg yolks, fortified dairy. Supplementation is usually necessary in Chicago winters.
Omega-3 fatty acids. Anti-inflammatory, supports scalp health and sebum production. Salmon, sardines, walnuts, flaxseed.
Zinc. Critical for cell division in the follicle. Oysters, red meat, pumpkin seeds, chickpeas. Vegetarians are at higher risk for deficiency.
Vitamin C. Required for iron absorption and collagen synthesis. Citrus, bell peppers, strawberries. Most people get enough from a normal diet.
Foods that work against your hair
Excess sugar. Spikes insulin, which can increase androgens. Higher androgens can contribute to hair thinning in women, especially those predisposed to hormonal hair loss.
Alcohol. Interferes with zinc absorption, dehydrates the body, disrupts sleep quality. None of those are good for hair.
Highly processed food. Typically low in the nutrients hair needs and high in the inflammatory compounds it doesn’t.
Too much vitamin A. This one surprises people. Excess vitamin A (usually from supplements, not food) can actually cause hair loss. Don’t megadose.
The diets I see cause the most hair damage
Crash diets and very low-calorie diets. Any rapid weight loss over about 2 pounds per week can trigger telogen effluvium 2–3 months later.
Strict vegan without proper supplementation. It’s absolutely possible to eat vegan and have great hair — but it requires intentional supplementation of iron, zinc, B12, and omega-3s. Most vegans I see aren’t doing this.
Keto or very low-carb without adequate protein. Some people focus so much on fat intake they under-eat protein. And carbohydrate restriction can affect thyroid function, which affects hair.
I’m not a nutritionist
I want to be clear about that. I don’t prescribe diets. But I can see when someone’s hair is telling me their nutrition is off, and I’ll say so. A good stylist pays attention to these things.
Feed your hair from the inside and we’ll take care of the outside. Book at Reverie and let’s get your hair where you want it — starting with an honest conversation about what it needs.
