

Do Hair Growth Vitamins Actually Work?
We are not our hair, but we still want it to be healthy. U-parts and goddess braids are protective styles that give our natural hair a chance to grow and thrive (because sometimes we just need to leave it alone), but there's another step that could help your tresses live their best life, shining from beneath your wig cap and beyond.
I remember swearing by Biotin vitamins a few years ago. I took them faithfully and even started using shampoo and conditioner that was infused with it. I must say, I was a fan of the fullness and volume my natural hair had in the rare moments it was bouncing and behaving. But I can't honestly say it was because of Biotin. I haven't taken them in quite a while, and haven't seen any regression since.
What I can say is I was loyal to prenatal vitamins when I was pregnant, and my hair has never been so healthy. I literally kept taking them after my little one arrived just to maintain the growth. For me, that was the way to go and I refuse to look back. But that's just my testimony. If you've ever wondered if hair vitamins actually work, keep reading.The Truth About Hair Growth Vitamins
Plenty of women are swearing by their favorite hair vitamins, and for some, they work absolute wonders on their strands and edges. So what does science say? I don't want to burst your bubble, but according to a few experts, even though hair supplement vitamins have ingredients that promote hair growth (like biotin, and vitamins A, C, D, and E), the impact isn't always inevitable. Many also haven't been proven to be effective via the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Dermatologist Dhaval G. Bhanusali of Hudson Dermatology and Laser Surgery told Cosmopolitan:
"A lot of the studies you find in support of hair supplements are actually funded by the brands themselves. The literature is sketchy at best, and most derms agree that supplements are not very impressive."
But are we falling for the okie doke? Maybe not.
A second dermatologist, Michelle Henry, a clinical instructor at Weill Cornell Medical College, also gave the lowdown to Yahoo! Lifestyle.She noted that Vitamin D deficiencies and a lack of iron are typically reasons people experience hair loss, so many successfully take a vitamin to supplement and promote hair growth. And it works for them.
Dendy Engelman, M.D., and board-certified dermatologic surgeon echoed similar sentiments and told Prevention:
"Hair growth supplements are helpful for anyone who is experiencing hair loss, hair thinning, or for those who just want thicker or longer hair."
So, What's Really Legit? Here Are The Best Vitamins For Hair Growth
Most dermatologists seem to agree that it's best to find hair growth vitamins that include biotin, iron, zinc, and/or Vitamin B12, especially if you aren't getting enough in your daily diet. Vitamin A, magnesium, and vitamin D are also ingredients that promote healthy hair. Here are a few hair growth vitamins that are said to be the best in the game.
1. Nature's Bounty Biotin
Amazon
While I can't say that biotin was a key reason I experienced healthy hair, it's boasted as one of the best vitamin supplements out there for a reason, and many nutrition companies sell it. It's a water-soluble vitamin, and we all know water is the not-so-secret ingredient that leads to healthy hair, skin, and nails. So you might flourish in more ways than one with this vitamin.
2. VitaFusion PreNatal Multivitamin Gummy
Walmart
I can go on and on about this prenatal multivitamin and what it can do for hair growth. But I think it's all about what works best for your hair. FYI: You can still take it even if you're not pregnant. It has plenty of vitamins A, C, D, E, B6, B12, and zinc -- pretty much all of the supplements you need that promote healthy hair. I must say they don't taste too bad either.
3. Hairfinity Healthy Hair Vitamins
Hairfinity
Hairfinity Healthy Hair Vitamins has only grown in popularity since it launched a few years ago. And if you're looking to support a black female business owner on your hair journey, look no further. Tai Lawrence Brock launched Brock Beauty after having her own struggles with her hair from overusing products and heat damage. I think we can relate to that. As for what's in it, Hairfinity Vitamins include vitamins A, C, D, B6, B12, and biotin.
4. Love, Beauty and Planet Berry Extraordinary Vegan Hair & Nails Supplement
Target
Not only do these vitamins have lots of vitamin D, B12, iodine, and folic acid, they're vegan! Each bottle is made from recycled plastic, so they're also eco-friendly. They're also not too expensive either.
5. Movita Women's Multivitamin
Movita
This vitamin is full of fermented superfoods, so your empty stomach won't have too hard of a time digesting it. It has plenty of antioxidants and other products like biotin and turmeric that encourage hair growth. This is also black-owned!
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Featured image by Shutterstock
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Charmaine Patterson is a journalist, lifestyle blogger, and a lover of all things pop culture. While she has much experience in covering top entertainment news stories, she aims to share her everyday life experiences, old and new, with other women who can relate, laugh, and love along with her. Follow Char on Twitter @charjpatterson, Instagram @charpatterson, and keep up with her journey at CharJPatterson.com .
How Content Creators Hey Fran Hey And Shameless Maya Embraced The Pivot
This article is in partnership with Meta Elevate.
If you’ve been on the internet at all within the past decade, chances are the names Hey Fran Hey and Shameless Maya (aka Maya Washington) have come across your screen. These content creators have touched every platform on the web, spreading joy to help women everywhere live their best lives. From Fran’s healing natural remedies to Maya’s words of wisdom, both of these content creators have built a loyal following by sharing honest, useful, and vulnerable content. But in search of a life that lends to more creativity, freedom, and space, these digital mavens have moved from their bustling big cities (New York City and Los Angeles respectively) to more remote locations, taking their popular digital brands with them.
Content Creators Hey Fran Hey and Maya Washington Talk "Embracing The Pivot"www.youtube.com
In partnership with Meta Elevate — an online learning platform that provides Black, Hispanic, and Latinx-owned businesses access to 1:1 mentoring, digital skills training, and community — xoNecole teamed up with Franscheska Medina and Maya Washington on IG live recently for a candid conversation about how they’ve embraced the pivot by changing their surroundings to ultimately bring out the best in themselves and their work. Fran, a New York City native, moved from the Big Apple to Portland, Oregon a year ago. Feeling overstimulated by the hustle and bustle of city life, Fran headed to the Pacific Northwest in search of a more easeful life.
Her cross-country move is the backdrop for her new campaign with Meta Elevate— a perfectly-timed commercial that shows how you can level up from wherever you land with the support of free resources like Meta Elevate. Similarly, Maya packed up her life in Los Angeles and moved to Sweden, where she now resides with her husband and adorable daughter. Maya’s life is much more rural and farm-like than it had been in California, but she is thriving in this peaceful new setting while finding her groove as a new mom.
While Maya is steadily building and growing her digital brand as a self-proclaimed “mom coming out of early retirement,” Fran is redefining her own professional grind. “It’s been a year since I moved from New York City to Portland, Oregon,” says Fran. “I think the season I’m in is figuring out how to stay successful while also slowing down.” A slower-paced life has unlocked so many creative possibilities and opportunities for these ladies, and our conversation with them is a well-needed reminder that your success is not tied to your location…especially with the internet at your fingertips. Tapping into a community like Meta Elevate can help Black, Hispanic, and Latinx entrepreneurs and content creators stay connected to like minds and educated on new digital skills and tools that can help scale their businesses.
During a beautiful moment in the conversation, Fran gives Maya her flowers for being an innovator in the digital space. Back when “influencing” was in its infancy and creators were just trying to find their way, Fran says Maya was way ahead of her time. “I give Maya credit for being one of the pioneers in the digital space,” Fran said. “Maya is a one-person machine, and I always tell her she really changed the game on what ads, campaigns, and videos, in general, should look like.”
When asked what advice she’d give content creators, Maya says the key is having faith even when you don’t see the results just yet. “It’s so easy to look at what is, despite you pouring your heart into this thing that may not be giving you the returns that you thought,” she says. “Still operate from a place of love and authenticity. Have faith and do the work. A lot of people are positive thinkers, but that’s the thinking part. You also have to put your faith into work and do the work.”
Fran ultimately encourages content creators and budding entrepreneurs to take full advantage of Meta Elevate’s vast offerings to educate themselves on how to build and grow their businesses online. “It took me ten years to get to the point where I’m making ads at this level,” she says. “I didn’t have those resources in 2010. I love the partnership with Meta Elevate because they’re providing these resources for free. I just think of the people that wouldn’t be able to afford that education and information otherwise. So to amplify a company like this just feels right.”
Watch the full conversation with the link above, and join the Meta Elevate community to connect with fellow businesses and creatives that are #OnTheRiseTogether.
Featured image courtesy of Shameless Maya and Hey Fran Hey
This Content Creator Gets Candid About Touch Starvation In Emotional Video
Recently, a young content creator named Mayte Lisbeth posted an emotional video about experiencing touch starvation. She expressed that she feels she is dying from touch starvation and does not receive hugs. Additionally, if she were to receive a hug, she would crumble. The nearly three-minute video continued as Lisbeth breaks down her need for touch. Healthline says touch starvation or deprivation “occurs when a person experiences little to no touch from other living things.”
According to research posted in the National Library of Medicine, “touch is a powerful tool for communicating positive emotions.” Furthermore, other studies emphasize the importance of social touch. When an individual lacks touch, they can experience the following: depression, anxiety, stress, relationship dissatisfaction, difficulty sleeping, and detachment. Moreover, people who do not enjoy being touched can also experience deprivation due to occasionally longing for a hug or handshake.
Lisbeth’s video was triggering because touch starvation is something I experienced in the past. The first time I experienced this was when I was 17 years old after moving across the country to a state where I had no family. It happened again during the pandemic. I remember going into the pandemic optimistic as I really could be.
It worked for the first several months but quickly spiraled into some of my most challenging times, emotionally and mentally. That feeling was amplified when there was no one I truly loved to hug me. Something about a long embrace from a loved one assured me that no matter how dark my world was at the time, there was a light at the end of my darkness. Being away from my support system was rough during that time of uncertainty.
I was not fully aware of what touch starvation was at the time, but I knew I longed for touch. It was not until I was visiting my best friend and randomly asking for a hug that I remember having an immense sense of anxiety and sadness.
The content creator stated in her video that the solution is more complex than scheduling a hair appointment and receiving services. The form of touch was not suitable because she had no ties to these people. It is more about receiving affection, which can come in touch from someone who cares about her, not specifically a romantic touch.
@mayte.lisbeth Its been five years of touch starvation. I’ll probably have some more years of it. I’m not handling this well.
First, I commend Lisbeth for her vulnerability and courage to speak on a subject many sometimes do not know about or even acknowledge. She even commented that her family was not big huggers, which did not help her touch starvation. She could count how many times she hugged her parents when she saw them last. Unfortunately, a lot of the time, this is the norm for many families. “I do not know how to heal in a community; I only heal alone,” Lisbeth tearfully explained in a follow-up video. People instantly flooded her social media pages with support and suggested solutions, including breathwork, touch work, and even hiring a professional cuddler.
Sadly, many suffer from touch starvation and do not have family or a tribe to contact. If that is your current situation, here are some exercises that copy touch sensation when experiencing touch starvation.
- Blankets – Wrapping yourself up in a blanket can provide comfort. Another option is a weighted blanket. A weighted blanket mimics receiving a hug, which can provide a sense of calm for an individual.
- Self-Touch Breathwork – The counselors at Twinpowerment, LLC taught us a five-step self-holding technique that could help remedy touch starvation.
- Body Pillows (or pillows) – Cuddling up to a body pillow can mimic cuddling and allow comfort during sleep.
- Cuddle Therapy – Like the name states, you can pay a professional to cuddle with. The Institute of Counseling in Nigeria explains that “Cuddle therapy fills a niche that is complementary to traditional talk therapy.” With traditional therapy, a mental health professional cannot touch their clients.
- Companion Animal – Dogs and cats make excellent companion animals. The endless number of cuddles and “kisses” they provide can offer comfort during hard times.
Even though traditional therapists cannot provide touch to their clients, they are a great option if your symptoms from touch starvation increase.
Since then, Lisbeth has posted videos explaining remedies she has tried or is willing to try. Some days are better than others, but she keeps moving forward. I pray she finds peace during these times.
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Feature image by People Images/ Getty Images