- Vitamin A is a fat-soluble nutrient that helps cell reproduction, prevents anemia, is required for healthy vision, helps the development and growth of a healthy fetus and embryo, and is beneficial in preventing dozens of other disorders ranging from acne to ulcers. Vitamin A is also beneficial to hair follicles when it is both applied directly to hair as well as taken as a dietary supplement. Vitamin A can be taken as a supplement, applied as an oil or ingested by eating foods such as liver, sweet potatoes, carrots, mangoes, spinach, broccoli, cantaloupe, milk, dried apricots, egg yolks and mozzarella cheese.
- Vitamin A promotes healthy hair, skin and nails but is dangerous in very large doses. Beta-carotene, however, synthesizes into vitamin A in the body and is not dangerous in larger doses. It is recommended that you take 25,000 IU of beta-carotene daily to increase the softness, growth and manageability of dry, brittle hair hair, skin and nails. If you would like to use straight vitamin A to help your hair, you may take 5,000 IU of vitamin A for several days to a week before a special event to improve your hair's quality. Do not continue this regimen for longer than a week or your will risk getting liver damage and even losing your hair.
- You can apply vitamin A directly to your hair. Apply a vitamin A hair treatment to improve manageability and appearance of your hair once a week. Before you go to sleep, break open 10 gel caps of vitamin A and rub between your palms. If vitamin A gel caps are not available, crush vitamin A or beta-carotene tablets into a fine powder and add a tablespoon of olive oil or another fatty substance. Apply the vitamin A to damp hair and massage thoroughly. Comb your hair gently with a wide-toothed comb until your hair is completely coated and wrap your head in plastic wrap. Blow dry your hair inside the plastic wrap on low until your entire head feels warm and tingly. Leave the vitamin A and plastic wrap on overnight. The next morning, remove the plastic wrap and wash your hair thoroughly with a pH-balanced conditioner. Repeat once a week as desired for shiny, more manageable hair.
