Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsVitamin E Oil for HairHow to ApplyOther Ways to Get Vitamin EWho Should Not Use Vitamin E Oil?
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Vitamin E Oil for Hair
How to Apply
Other Ways to Get Vitamin E
Who Should Not Use Vitamin E Oil?
Vitamin E skin benefitsare well-known. However, some people use vitamin E in their hair. The possible health benefits ofvitamin E oilfor hair include preventing hair loss, improving overall scalp health, increasing shine, and reducing breakage.
This article explains why people use vitamin E for hair, how to apply it, other ways to get the benefits, and who should avoid it for hair.
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Why Do People Use Vitamin E Oil for Their Hair?
There is limited research supportingvitamin Ehair benefits. Even so, people use it for several reasons.
Prevent Hair Loss
Research on vitamin E forhair lossis conflicting. One study found that vitamin E supplementation increased the number of hair strands in participants withalopecia areata(an autoimmune disorder that causes hair loss) compared to placebo (an inactive substance given to people in a control group in studies).Researchers believe the antioxidant nature of vitamin E helps reduce oxidative stress in the scalp.
However, another review evaluating the role of vitamins, including vitamin E, in hair loss found no evidence to support treating hair loss with vitamin E.While some studies in the review found lower vitamin E levels in those with alopecia than in healthy controls, others found no statistical difference in vitamin E levels between the two.
Promote Scalp Health
According to research, topical application of vitamin E oil has been found to have the following benefits on the scalp:
Evidence is limited when it comes to oral supplementation. Studies have found a link between lower vitamin E levels and certain skin conditions that can also affect the scalp.
Lower vitamin E levels were found in people withvitiligo(skin pigmentation loss),psoriasis(autoimmune skin disease),atopic dermatitis(eczema), and acne when compared to the controls.
Increase Shine and Reduce Breakage
While not exclusive to vitamin E oil, oils, in general, are important in protecting hair from damage. Research has found that applying oil to your hair enhances lubrication of the hair shaft and prevents breakage.
The Biology, Structure, and Function of Hair
How to Apply Vitamin E Oil to Your Hair
Your hair should be naturally dry before applying oil directly to your hair and scalp. Adding oil can enhance the shine and provide moisture.To apply vitamin E oil to your hair, follow these steps:
If your hair and scalp are oily, you may want to avoid oiling near the scalp. Instead, start around mid-strand and work down to the tips.
Finding Reputable Vitamin E Oil
Some people may have a reaction from vitamin E oil, including itching and rash.While predicting whether you could react to the oil is hard, it’s good to take precautions, such as:
Other Ways to Get Vitamin E for Hair Benefits
Oil isn’t the only way to reap the benefits of vitamin E for your hair. Vitamin E can also be found in foods and supplements. Excellent food sources of vitamin E include:
Vitamin E also comes in supplement form. Most provide more than 67 milligrams (mg) of vitamin E, significantly more than adults' recommended daily allowance of 15 mg.
Should Anyone Not Use Vitamin E Oil on Their Hair?
If your hair looks greasy after applying vitamin E oil, you’ve likely used too much of it. Since everyone’s hair differs, you may have to experiment with how much and how often you use vitamin E oil.
Most of the trouble with vitamin E comes from taking it internally. Too much vitamin E, like too much of almost anything, is not good for you. Fortunately, quantities found in food sources are generally safe, so most people don’t need to worry about getting too much vitamin E from food sources.
However, if you take vitamin E supplements, it’s possible to get too much. Excess vitamin E has been associated with an increased risk of stroke, bleeding, andprostate cancer. In addition, vitamin E can interact with some medications, including:
If you take any medications, talk to a healthcare provider before taking vitamin E supplements to be sure it’s safe for you.
Summary
While research is limited, many people use vitamin E oil for their hair to prevent hair loss and improve overall hair and scalp health. Instead of applying oil directly to your hair, you can also find vitamin E in plenty of food sources and supplements.
Avoid taking too much vitamin E, which can be toxic in large doses. It can also interfere with how some medications work, especially blood thinners, other antioxidants, and cancer treatments. For these reasons, it’s best to discuss using vitamin E with a healthcare professional.
8 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Beoy LA, Woei WJ, Hay YK.Effects of tocotrienol supplementation on hair growth in human volunteers.Trop Life Sci Res. 2010;21(2):91-99.
Almohanna HM, Ahmed AA, Tsatalis JP, Tosti A.The role of vitamins and minerals in hair loss: A review.Dermatol Ther (Heidelb). 2019;9(1):51-70. doi:10.1007/s13555-018-0278-6
Liu X, Yang G, Luo M, et al.Serum vitamin E levels and chronic inflammatory skin diseases: A systematic review and meta-analysis.PLoS One. 2021;16(12):e0261259. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0261259
Gavazzoni Dias MF.Hair cosmetics: An overview.Int J Trichology. 2015;7(1):2-15. doi:10.4103/0974-7753.153450
Keen MA, Hassan I.Vitamin e in dermatology.Indian Dermatol Online J. 2016;7(4):311-315. doi:10.4103/2229-5178.185494
Tanaydin V, Conings J, Malyar M, van der Hulst R, van der Lei B.The role of topical vitamin E in scar management: A systematic review.Aesthet Surg J. 2016;36(8):959-965. doi:10.1093/asj/sjw046
National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements.Vitamin E: Fact sheet for health professionals.
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