Protein helps you grow healthy hair when you eat it, but some people are touting the use of protein and other food products directly on your hair. When someone says eggs are good to fight hair loss, that can lead to a lot of questions. Here is how we can help you figure out the answers.
Is Eating Eggs Good for Hair Loss?
Yes, absolutely. According to WebMD, the protein in eggs is not the only thing that helps you grow and maintain healthy hair. In addition to protein and iron, eggs are “rich in a B vitamin called biotin that helps hair grow. Not having enough of this vitamin can lead to hair loss. Biotin also helps strengthen brittle fingernails.”
The reason that biotin helps hair grow is that it may be one of the foods that help the body deal with the production of DHT.
Do Eggs Block DHT?
Not exactly, but they can help. DHT (or dihydrotestosterone) is a hormone that the body creates from excess free testosterone. And it can help with the development of secondary sex characteristics like facial hair and prostrate growth in men during puberty. But, in adult men, DHT is one of the leading contributors to androgenic hair loss. In women, especially menopausal and post-menopausal women, it can lead to excessive body and facial hair while contributing to hair loss.
Several foods have been shown to help block DHT – including green tea and coffee – but eggs are not considered a significant blocker. That does not mean they are not useful; other things are just more so. Which leads to the question of whether there is a better way to make eggs useful to your hair.
Should I Put Raw Egg in My Hair?
Egg producers are big proponents of the idea that using eggs in your hair is a good way to make your hair healthier and possibly prevent hair loss. They say:
“Vitamins A and E, biotin, and folate are just some of the nutrients found in eggs that are said to help keep hair thick and healthy. The yolk is loaded with healthy fats, which help replenish moisture and make strands look sleek and shiny. And because hair is 80% protein, applying protein-rich eggs to hair can help replenish the protein lost through styling, making hair stronger and better able to stand up to heat.”
They even promote the idea that pasture-raised eggs are going to be better than the ones at the local supermarket.
Hair products manufacturer St. Botanica agrees, saying, “Using an egg mask once or twice a month will help strengthen and repair your strands.” The company offers do-it-yourself recipes for making an egg hair mask on their website.
The question then becomes whether science backs up the claim. Medical News Today acknowledges that there is not a lot of research available regarding how egg treatments directly on the hair impact hair health. However, they point out that people have been using home remedies involving egg treatment for hair since the 11th century. It could be a farce that we have all been complicit in for 900 years, but the chances are that science has not caught up with what our ancestors knew: Eggs are good for hair.
Are Egg Whites Good for Your Hair?
Healthline emphasizes that the best way for eggs to be good for your hair is to eat them, but they acknowledge that there might be some truth to those old folk remedies.
“Some claim that using an egg white hair mask cleanses the scalp of excess oils, strengthens hair, promotes growth, and fights dandruff. You can use the egg white alone as a mask or combine it with other nutrient-rich ingredients such as coconut oil.”
The upside, they point out, is that there is very little downside to using eggs on your hair if the folk remedies are wrong. Worst case scenario, you have wasted a couple of dollars on eggs and have some goo in your hair to wash out.
RHRLI offers science-approved solutions for hair loss.
Here at Robotic Hair Restoration Long Island, we would never tell grandma that her folk remedies were bad science, but we might offer you some more research-based solutions. A healthy diet and good hair hygiene are great ways to help prevent or slow down hair loss and hair thinning. When you are ready to move to the next step in your hair restoration journey, RHRLI is here for you. Call us today for a free consultation.