Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Best Vitamin For Healthy Hair and Skin

Ever wondered what is the best vitamin for healthy hair and skin? There are actually a number of vitamins and other nutrients that are important to the skin's health and the appearance of the hair. Here's a quick look at the subject.
Generally speaking, all of the nutrients necessary to support that health of the rest of the body are needed to support the skin's health. Referring to the hair's health is somewhat misleading, as the hair is not living tissue. A hair follicle, on the other hand, is a highly active part of the skin.
Follicles are located in the dermis, which is located below the epidermis and above the fatty subcutaneous tissue. The follicles perform several functions, including the following:
1. contain the sebaceous glands, which secrete sebum for lubricating and moisturizing the skin and hair
2. form hairs by packing old protein rich cells together
3. provide an outlet for both sebum and perspiration
4. assists in controlling body temperature

In some types of baldness, the follicles become blocked with plugs of dead skin-cells. Cosmetic surgeons have had some success in treating baldness by removing these plugs.
Most people would say that the best vitamin for healthy hair and skin is vitamin E. While it is important, protein is probably the most important dietary element, because both the hair and the skin are composed of protein. Hairs are actually protein filaments. The skin's outermost layer is composed of tightly packed dead protein-rich cells laid in a fashion similar to that of brickwork.
A specific kind of protein composes 95% of the epidermis and is the primary component of the hairs in humans. The protein is called keratin. The cells of the body create keratin by packing together chains of amino acids.
So, if you are taking the best vitamin for healthy hair and skin, you would want it to contain amino acids. If you were applying something directly, you would want it to contain keratin.
You would also practice good hygiene habits, to help prevent the pores from becoming blocked. Use a mild shampoo that includes natural, non-toxic ingredients. Toxic material passes through the skin's many layers. These toxins can damage the cells, as well as the follicles.
In addition to taking the best vitamin for healthy hair and skin, you should also consider at nutritive face cream to delay and counter the signs of age. In clinical studies, a cream containing a bio-active form of keratin was shown to stimulate the production of new cells by over 160%, increase firmness by over 40%, reduce inflammation and accompanying redness by 70% and improve the skin's ability to retain moisture.
Whether you have dryness, oiliness or some combination of the two, using a moisturizer is still important, as cleansers remove oils and moisture. To avoid greasiness or blemishes, you want a lotion that contains natural vegetable oils like grape seed and if it also contains keratin, you'll be looking younger in no time.
So there you have it. The best vitamin for healthy hair and skin is actually a multi-nutritional supplement that supports the body's overall health, by including vitamins, minerals and amino acids. That's what to look for.

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