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Hello!

In general, if you have poor hair, skin or nails, a multivitamin alone won’t be sufficient. A multivitamin & mineral supplement is there to add on to a healthy diet – to cover the bases. However, if you are dealing with a specific problem, you need to take more of those things that will boost those specific areas (in this case, the hair, skin and nails). It’s worth trying just the Hair, Skin & Nails first, though.

Life events, like stress, operations, eating disorders, hormonal imbalance (for example thyroid problems, polycystic ovary syndrome) or changes or ill health will all impact on your appearance, as will eating a poor diet, smoking and drinking excess alcohol, taking certain medications (check package inserts) and nutritional deficiencies like anaemia.

Hair can also fall out from too many chemical treatments (perming, straightening, dyeing) and from being tied up or braided too tightly too often.

It’s always best to consult your doctor first to check that there are no underlying health issues that could be causing poor hair.

It is possible for one’s hair to fall out if you’re iron deficient. If you also feel very tired, weak, fatigued, and sometimes dizzy, maybe have a weak immune system, are female and menstruating, give blood often or are vegetarian, you should ask your doctor for a blood test to check for iron deficiency anaemia.

• Omega 3 & 6 fatty acids (e.g. Vital Omega 3 & 6 concentrate or a combination of Vital Salmon oil and Evening Primrose oil), as these are very important for hair, skin and nails. They help with the moisture balance in the skin. Deficiency is often implicated when there are very brittle nails or acne. Not only that, they are also for brain and nervous system function, immune support, and good health in general

• If you are very stressed and busy, and/or are vegetarian, you will benefit from an additional Vitamin B complex such as Vital Maxi B or Vital Brewer’s Yeast. Not only are these important for healthy hair, skin and nails, they are also needed to help you cope with stress, and for memory, concentration and energy levels.

Bear in mind that hair has growth cycle of around 3 months. In other words, supplements for hair, skin and nails do not work overnight – you need to keep taking them for at least 3 – 6 months before you see an appreciable change.

Aim for at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables– a serving is around the size of a clenched fist. The more natural your diet the better, as processed foods (ready meals, take-aways, sweets, pastries, white bread, etc) are generally very low in nutrients. Smoking and alcohol are definite no-nos for skin and hair – they rob you of nutrients, increase free radicals and speed up the ageing process.

As far as products (e.g. hair oils) and trims are concerned, these won’t affect how well your hair grows – hair growth is affected by the body. Trims & treatments, products, etc only make it look better on the outside. Contrary to popular belief, trimming your hair does nothing to the actual growth. However, keep doing these things – it will keep your hair looking as good as possible.

Hope this helps!

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