Does the Sun Really Make Your Hair Grow?

Image Source: Shutterstock.com

Friends and family who want to help may advise you to seek more sunlight when they hear you talking about how stressed you are about the lack of growth in your hair. However, for some people, the lack of hair growth might be caused by a vitamin D deficiency so does this mean you should increase your time outdoors? 

Scroll down and keep reading to find out whether the sun makes your hair grow actually.

The Sun and Hair Health

It's true that exposure to the sun during summer months can help stimulate hair growth. When your skin is exposed to sunlight, UVB rays of the sun convert inactive 7-dehydrocholesterol to cholecalciferol, which then is converted within the liver and kidneys into dihydroxycholecalciferol (Vitamin D3). This Vitamin D3 helps facilitate calcium absorption from food in our bodies that helps build strong bones and teeth and also helps us stay healthy. In this way, sunlight can benefit our bodies when it comes down to natural vitamin D3 production — even calling it "the sunshine vitamin" — and promote hair growth!

Here are some facts about vitamin D: 

• Your body produces its own vitamin D after sufficient sun exposure. 
• Vitamin D helps your body to absorb the calcium it needs for strong bones. 
• Vitamin D helps regulate the immune system. 
• Vitamin D deficiency can cause disruptions in mood, increase the likelihood of certain diseases and also contribute to hair loss or thinning. 
• Vitamin D3, particularly, plays a role in the healthy growth of hair follicles.

If you happen to have too much vitamin D in your body, then there is a risk that too much calcium absorption might happen causing negative calcium deposits to form which can lead to hard-to-heal fractures or other harmful conditions such as avascular necrosis.

Image Source: iStock/LORENZOANTONUCCI

The Role of Vitamin D In Hair Growth

Although there isn't enough data to prove that vitamin D has an effect on hair growth, the studies show that those who suffer from certain types of stress are more likely to lose their hair. Stress-induced hair loss, trichotillomania, androgenetic alopecia and alopecia areata have all been shown by studies to have lower levels of vitamin D. This indicates that vitamin D may have a role in managing these forms of hair loss.

The Risk from Sun Exposure

While chilling out at the beach working on your tan may sound like a good idea, think twice about it! It is important to remember that spending a day in the sun can cause some serious harm not only to your hair but also your skin. Ironically, you might actually end up damaging the health of one without even realizing it by exposing yourself too much to the sun's harmful UV rays from above, which could also be potentially harmful to other parts of you as well:

• Hair shafts can lighten in color and become brittle. 
• Excessive sun exposure can burn the skin of the scalp. 
• UV exposure is linked to skin cancer and other skin disorders. 
• UV rays have mutating effects on cell DNA, which can cause oxidating sun damage, altering the amino acids on hair shaft proteins such as cysteine, tyrosine, histidine and tryptophan. 
• UV rays can degrade moisture lipids in the hair shaft. 
• UV rays can also break down the melanin pigments in hair, which help to protect the skin of the scalp from excessive sunlight exposure. 
• Sunlight can exacerbate some skin conditions such as acne and fungal infections of the scalp.

Healthier Ways to Promote Fuller, Thicker Hair

Like your doctor, the trichologists recommend that you consider how much exposure to sunlight you're getting. They can also recommend other forms of treatment including vitamin D supplements or non-ionizing light therapy, but there is something easier you can do right now: try using products specially made for thinning hair - those which work to target more than one cause of thinning hair and scalp conditions such as hair loss. 

Replace Your Shampoo and Conditioner

Many shampoos and conditioners that claim to promote hair growth contain harmful chemicals and toxins. As an ingredient, the harshness is what actually encourages hair growth. If you want thicker, fuller, longer-looking hair that's silky soft and luxurious to the touch then you should avoid these types of products. 

Provide Nutrients at the Scalp and from within

Apply a non-greasy serum directly to your scalp daily to increase hair density and decrease shedding.

Also, eating a healthy diet is beneficial to your scalp and hair health, but there's also a place for supplementation. For example, the convenient stick packs, which you can add to water or your favorite smoothie, come in delicious flavors like Peach Mango, Cacao and Mixed Berry.

Take a Holistic Approach to Hair Wellness

When you do go out in the sun, remember to protect your scalp from burning. Sunscreen shouldn't be applied only to the skin; a better option is to first use sunscreen on your entire body to prevent sun damage, and then reapply it when necessary in order to avoid getting burned or becoming ill from overexposure.

Eat a nutritious diet, get plenty of sleep, stay hydrated, exercise, reduce stress and switch out your hair care products for healthier, natural alternatives that are designed to promote and stabilize a healthy scalp ecosystem.