Can You Give Me Tips for Keeping My Hair When I Go Vegetarian?'

Benji

Question: My girlfriend and I are both going vegetarian in the new year for reasons of social responsibility but I am concerned this change in diet may have an effect on my hair. I have no problems with thinning at the moment and want to keep it that way! Can you give me any tips for maintaining my hair whilst following a vegetarian diet? Many thanks.

Answer: Hi, Benji. Of course.

Vegetarians may be more at risk of certain hair loss conditions, such as those which are caused as a result of dietary deficiencies. Not eating meat, however, is unlikely to influence your chances of being affected by Male Pattern Baldness as that is a genetic condition.

You can find helpful information about the nutritional needs you'll need to ensure are covered in your new vegetarian diet in the following stories:

Vegetarian Foods That Help with Hair Loss

Vegetarian Diet Tips for Healthy Hair Growth

Five Foods for Healthy Hair 

Iron-deficiencies and a lack of protein in the diet are two of the major concerns associated with being vegetarian, however there are ways to include this into your diet from non-animal sources. The South American grain quinoa, for example, is high in protein and popular among both vegetarians and vegans, and was recently hailed as a new 'superfood' for its many benefits - including being good for your hair. You may want to go easy on the kale though...

Just try to eat a healthy and balanced diet which, if you feel you may not have all the necessary bases covered, you can top up with a specially-targetted hair health supplement such as Hair Vitalics.

If after around three months of starting your new regime you feel like you are seeing signs of thinning then do come in and see one of our specialists, or complete our online consultation. That way they can assess any hair loss condition early on and recommend the appropriate, personalised regrowth plan for you straight away. The earlier you take action and start following a comprehensive hair loss treatment course, the more likely you are to see results so keeping an eye on your hair is no bad thing if it is something that concerns you.