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Vogue

When Your Hair Is Acting Out, Vitamin A Could Be the Answer

There are many reasons your hair might start acting out. Stress, styling, the shampoo that's touted as 'clean.' But sometimes, the issue runs deeper. Vitamin A for hair health is often an overlooked solution, yet this fat-soluble nutrient plays a surprisingly vital role in keeping your scalp balanced and your strands strong. While too little vitamin A in your life can lead to dry and brittle hair and a flaky scalp, too much vitamin A can tip things in the opposite direction, causing shedding and even hair loss. When it comes to vitamin A for hair health, it is all about balance. Below, expert dermatologists help decode the link between vitamin A and hair health, and how to strike that elusive middle ground. What does vitamin A do for hair health? 'Vitamin A is basically the behind-the-scenes stylist for your scalp,' says Dr. Chytra V Anand, dermatologist and founder of Kosmoderma Skin & Hair Clinics. 'It keeps everything smooth, nourished, and in working order.' In the context of vitamin A for hair health, its role is multifaceted. It helps the scalp produce sebum—the body's natural oil—which keeps both skin and strands hydrated. It also supports follicle function and cellular renewal, essential for new hair growth. 'Without sufficient sebum, the scalp becomes dry, irritated and flaky, all symptoms that are no friends of hair growth,' Dr. Meghna Mour, co-founder and chief dermatologist at Skuccii Supercliniq, tells Vogue. Dr. Sonali Kohli, senior consultant dermatologist at Sir HN Reliance Foundation Hospital, explains: 'Retinoic acid, the active form of vitamin A, plays a direct role in regulating the hair growth cycle. It influences follicle stem cells, wound healing, and melanocyte activity.' Can vitamin A actually help with hair growth? Yes, but it is less about triggering new growth and more about laying the groundwork. 'Adequate vitamin A levels help hair follicles transition smoothly through their growth, rest, and renewal phases,' says Dr. Kohli. It is one reason that vitamin A for hair health gets so much attention. It supports the entire hair ecosystem rather than offering a quick-fix result. Dr. Anand puts it simply: 'A healthy scalp equals a happy hair cycle.' Should you eat vitamin A or apply it? When it comes to vitamin A for healthy hair, both routes matter. But, they have different outcomes.