Healthy hair is a boon that few people get by birth and even fewer get to enjoy all their life. Hair is not a very vital organ in the body but receives a lot of importance because of the beauty it adds to the face of a person. Hair is generally considered to be dead but its health is determined by the skin on the scalp as well as the body's internal functioning. Health of the hair sometimes indicates the internal body functioning also. For example, brittle hair is an indication of iron deficiency while prolonged and severe hair loss can mean inefficient functioning of the liver or the thyroid.

There are several indications of unhealthy hair: brittleness, shedding, splitting, dryness or excessive oiliness, premature graying, dandruff etc. There can be several reasons for any of these problems, ranging from lack of proper nutrition in the diet to stress to vitamin deficiency to menstrual problems to external weather conditions to emotional disturbances to prolonged or severe illness. Most of these conditions are caused by improper nutrition that is available to the body. The body takes essential nutrients from the food we take and distributes these nutrients throughout the body. If the food does not contain the necessary vitamins, proteins and minerals, or if the body loses the ability to absorb these nutrients from the food, it leads to diseases, which are reflected on the skin, hair and fingernails. Hence it is very necessary to take a well balanced diet that contains all vitamins and minerals that are required by the body.

The necessary vitamins that aid in promoting healthy hair are: vitamin A (produces healthy sebum in the scalp), vitamin C (antioxidant), vitamin E (improves scalp circulation), Biotin (produces Keratin), Inositol (keeps hair follicles healthy), Niacin (promotes scalp circulation) and pantothenic acid, Para-Aminobenzoic Acid, vitamin B6 and vitamin B12 that prevent graying and hair loss. The most common food-based sources of these vitamins are: citrus fruits, green vegetables, fruits like pineapple, strawberries, kiwi, potatoes, green peppers, vegetable oils, soybean, raw seeds, dried beans, wheat germ oil, brewer's yeast, whole grains, eggs, liver, rice, milk, fish, turkey, chicken and red meat.

There are several products in the market today in the form of shampoos, oils, conditioners, sprays and other applicants that can be put on externally for improving the health of the hair. These products contain necessary vitamins, protein and mineral supplements that are believed to enter the skin on the scalp and provide proper nourishment to the hair. Apart from these, hair vitamin supplements are also available in tablet/capsule form for internal ingestion. There are numerous companies that are developing hair vitamin products from herbal and traditional ingredients like ginseng, jojoba, green tea, He Shou Wu etc, which are believed to contain the essential vitamins for promoting healthy hair. Today, almost all hair care products advertise the presence of a necessary vitamin in their products that would make the hair thicker, stronger, longer, lustrous, and on the whole, healthier. Viviscal, Shen Min, Nu Hair, Hair Genesis, Fast Grow, Hair Formula 37, Follicare, Melancor and Advesia are some of the popular hair vitamin products available in the market today. There are several websites that provide information about hair vitamin products. There are also exclusive stores that specialize in hair vitamin products. However, it is better to consult a physician before using these products to understand the exact condition of the hair so that the right products can be used.