One of the most common questions we’re asked about hair loss is its relationship to “retinol”, or vitamin A! In rare cases, hair loss can be caused by ingesting too much vitamin A. In this article, you’ll find everything you need to know about Vitamin A hair loss and what you can do to maintain healthy hair growth, to eat a balanced diet, and prevent the onset of brittle hair!
Contents
Overview
- Studies have shown that consuming too much vitamin A can cause hair loss. This condition is called “hypervitaminosis a”.
- Symptoms of hair loss from vitamin A include patchy hair loss, thinning hair, and brittle hair. Sufferers may also experience other side effects, like dry skin, headaches, and weakened bones.
- All types of hair loss related to vitamin deficiencies and overconsumption are reversible. To regain healthy hair, the sufferer must eat a balanced diet.
Vitamin A and hair loss: what is the link?
The relationship between vitamin A and hair loss is a topic of medical science that is growing rapidly in popularity. Scientific research has shown that hair loss can be caused by BOTH vitamin A deficiency and toxicity. That’s why it is important to have a balanced diet.
In some cases, vitamin deficiencies can cause hair loss. This is where a person will not be ingesting enough minerals or vitamins to support hair growth. As a result, this can cause hair loss. The most common vitamin deficiencies causing hair loss are vitamin d, iron deficiency, and vitamin e.
Where vitamin A differs from other vitamins is that hair loss is caused through over-consumption. This is where a patient will eat excess vitamin A, disrupting many of the body’s biological processes. Eating too much vitamin A disrupts the hair growth cycle, causing hair thinning.
What is vitamin A?
Vitamin A (or “retinol”) is a fat-soluble vitamin essential for several bodily functions. It is responsible for helping with vision, keeping our immune system strong, embryonic and foetal development, and making sure our skin, teeth, hair, and bones are healthy.
If you eat a balanced diet, then you’ll more than likely be getting enough vitamin A! You can find vitamin A in the following foods:
- eggs
- cheese
- oily fish (salmon, sardines, mackerel)
- fortified low-fat spreads
- milk/yoghurt
Several vitamins and minerals play an important role in our hair health. These include, but are not limited to vitamin b12, vitamin C, vitamin E, and biotin.
What role does vitamin A play in hair growth?
Vitamins and minerals are essential for the maintenance of everyday bodily functions. They help support muscular, bone, and hair growth. They also enable our brains to function normally and keep our immune systems working to prevent infections.
We can get all of the vitamins and minerals we need through the food we eat, or by taking dietary supplements like multivitamin tablets. Vitamin A is present in several food groups, from fish and dairy to vegetables and leafy greens.
However, when a person does not have the correct levels of minerals and vitamins, they can suffer from nutritional deficiencies. Correspondingly, when a person ingests too much of a mineral vitamin, this is called nutritional over-exposure. Both instances can have negative side effects on the body.
Like many essential vitamins and minerals, vitamin A plays an important role in maintaining healthy hair. This is because vitamin A keeps our skin healthy and moisturised. If our scalp skin is healthy, then it’s likely we’ll have healthy hair follicles too! This is because hair follicles are rooted firmly in the dermic layer (the scientific word for our skin) and protected by sebum, an oily substance.
By getting enough vitamin A into your diet, you are ensuring you have healthy skin and a firm base for hair follicles to grow. Thus, your hair follicles will maintain their natural hair growth cycle and perform the natural routine of growth, shedding, dormancy, and regrowth!
What is vitamin A toxicity?
Vitamin A toxicity refers to the prolonged over-exposure of vitamin A to the body. This is sometimes referred to as “hypervitaminosis A”. For a person to suffer from vitamin A toxicity, they would need to ingest several thousand international units (UI) in a short period.
Vitamin A toxicity can have several negative effects on the body, including hair loss. The World Health Organisation states “alopecia” (the technical term for hair loss) as a symptom of hypervitaminosis A. Other side effects include:
- organ damage
- nausea/vomiting
- headaches
- dizziness
- blurred vision and muscular incoordination.
How much vitamin A does it take to cause toxicity
Although vitamin A can help increase hair growth when taken as part of a balanced diet, too much vitamin A can lead to toxicity. The amount of vitamin A a person needs is dependent upon several factors, such as height, sex, and body weight. However, the average amount of vitamin A required each day is around 3,000 IU.
People who ingest more than this daily should reduce their intake of vitamin A as this could cause numerous health worries, including hair loss. People who ingest around 25,000 IU of vitamin A in a short space of time will experience chronic vitamin A toxicity.
What hair loss symptoms are caused by vitamin A toxicity?
Although vitamin A toxicity is rare, it is better to know what hair loss signs to look out for! Patients will likely suffer from patchy hair loss on the scalp. The hair is likely to shed quickly and in clumps. It will not occur in a patterned fashion.
If you’re suffering from a chronic vitamin A overdose, you will likely experience hair loss very quickly in conjunction with some of the other side effects listed above. If you think you may be suffering from vitamin A toxicity, it is important to consult with a doctor immediately. It is always better to be safe than sorry.
Will my hair grow back if I suffer from vitamin A hair loss?
Your hair is likely to grow back if you have experienced hair loss as a symptom of vitamin A toxicity. This form of hair loss is only temporary and most sufferers tend to make a full recovery!
Your hair will start to grow back slowly once your body begins to recover from the toxicity. Sufferers will usually make a full recovery within 3-6 months. If your hair is longer, this can take up to 9 months.
In rare cases, vitamin A toxicity can worsen hair loss symptoms for people with pre-existing conditions, like androgenic alopecia. Sometimes called “male pattern baldness” or “female pattern baldness”, this is where a person experiences hair loss in a patterned fashion, usually affecting the temple and crown area. This form of hair loss is permanent.
If a person suffers from vitamin A toxicity, this can worsen pre-existing pattern hair loss, leading to permanent hair loss. If you are worried about this, book a free consultation.
numerous hair loss treatments are available to patients who suffer from hair loss related to vitamin A. As this is only a temporary hair loss condition, you will not require surgical intervention (FUE hair transplant) or DHT-blocking medication (finasteride or dutasteride).
We recommend a topical hair growth treatment such as minoxidil. Minoxidil is a hair loss treatment that stimulates hair growth by increasing blood flow to the scalp and hair follicles. By increasing blood flow to the scalp, you ensure each hair follicle receives plenty of oxygen to support the hair growth cycle.
As vitamin A toxicity can affect the scalp, skin, and hair health, a treatment like minoxidil is a fantastic option that can promote a quick recovery. It is suitable for men and women and easily available from most supermarkets and pharmacies.
Conclusion
Usually, the conversation around vitamins and hair loss fixates around what vitamin deficiency causes hair loss. What separates vitamin A hair loss from other conditions, is that hair loss usually occurs from over-exposure.
Vitamin A toxicity affects hair follicle production. It harms the hair growth cycle, causing hair loss. Vitamin A hair loss is usually temporary and many patients recover fully, providing they do not already suffer from pattern hair loss conditions. To aid a full recovery, patients can take minoxidil.
