Hair, skin and nail supplements that actually work

Truth be told, there’s no shortage of supplements on the market that promise thick lustrous hair, unbreakable nails or an eternally youthful skin. Some of these ‘quick fixes’ and condiments even go for as much as $100, and the prohibitive price tag is not keeping them from flying off the shelves at a record pace. If anything, they are all the rage nowadays. But can a pill, condiment, vitamin powder or capsule restore the state of your skin, nails or hair?

Let’s see what science has to say about this.

Antioxidants form the foundation of supplements that actually work

Legitimate skin, hair and nail supplements from  reputable nutritional companies such as shop wellabs are ordinarily built around antioxidants such as vitamins C, A, E or biotin ( a B-complex nutrient ) or even Co-enzyme Q10. In  addition to this, the presence of selenium and manganese is the common denominator that represent the minerals found in working supplements that are marketed for luscious hair, wrinkle-free skin and clear nails. Fatty acids such as flaxseed oil and fish oil also feature in the mix. The ingredient list should read something like this if there is even a slightest chance that the supposed supplement that you are about to spend your hard-earned money on will transform your life.

Here’s the thing; a deficiency in any of the above nutrients is the main cause of a myriad of the hair, skin and sometimes even skin changes that the supplements aim to correct. You see, a deficiency in vitamin E and A – for example – can cause scaly and rough-looking skin patches. Insufficient biotin levels, on the other hand, causes hair loss and eczema. In other words, a supplement that claims to work ought to be aiming at solving a supposed deficiency in a given micro-nutrient that could be keeping you from sporting brilliant skin or attractive-looking hair.

The supplement won’t work if you are not deficient in the nutrients it is trying to correct

Let’s say, hypothetically, that condiment X from Wellabs Supplements is designed to help you get healthier skin and strong nails by boosting your blood zinc levels. But, on the other hand, you don’t have a proven zinc deficiency and neither do you have a problem assimilating the mineral in your physiological ecosystem.

In this case, there’s a good chance that condiment X will not have a notable impact in restoring the state of your hair or nails no matter how long you take it. From a nutritional point of view, you are actually wasting just wasting your time and money. Supplements, just as the name suggests, are tailored to help you reach a certain nutritional target that could be key in unlocking your natural attractiveness. They are not designed to correct or reverse normal aging-related nail, skin or hair damage that is expected the longer we stay alive. In other words, before spending your money on any hair or nail supplement, first use a bit of it running a series of comprehensive blood tests to narrow down the exact micronutrients that you need to boost.

Chronic nail, skin and hair problems require more than self-diagnosis using OTC supplements

It is advisable to consult with your physician if you start experiencing chronic nail or hair problems for no clear or defined reason that won’t go away. In most cases, the root cause for this could be more serious and graver than a simple deficiency that the supplement is trying to correct. Ordinarily, most people often extract sufficient micro-nutrients responsible for excellent hair, skin or nails from their dietary sources without any problems whatsoever. It takes a medical problem, such as anemia or a misfiring thyroid, to cause a deficiency significant enough to impact the state of your skin or nails. And this is not something that would wish to overlook or attempt to treat conventionally.

The bottom line? Supplements do indeed work, but you have to be more discriminate and very specific when it comes to choosing the exact micronutrient to boost. Remember that unlike traditional drugs, dietary supplements are not as tightly regulated by the FDA and neither are they legally obligated to contain all substances/ingredients listed on the product label. Do your homework.

Story by David Sharpe