Does Collagen Help Hair Growth?

We all know what healthy, gorgeous hair should look and feel like: strong yet silky to the touch – complete with lots of shine. Getting there, though? Not so much. Well, OK, so we’re all familiar with the basics. Finish with a leave-in conditioner after shampooing; air-dry your hair whenever possible; and avoid wearing hairstyles that pull on the scalp (e.g., high, tight ponytails, braids, or dreads) for extended periods. But what if you’re doing all those … and your tresses still look, well, far from soft and shiny? One word: collagen.

You can't be blamed if you're currently sporting a sceptical expression. After all, the main component of hair (about 95% of it) is keratin – not collagen. So why do people keep bringing up collagen as a "hack" for thick, luscious locks? Keep reading to find out.  

How does collagen help hair growth? 

Collagen can help improve hair health via 3 primary mechanisms. Let’s explore each in detail.  

#1: Provides the necessary “building blocks” for hair growth

As mentioned earlier, your hair is made up of a protein called keratin. While that may sound entirely unrelated for collagen at first glance, that couldn't be further from the truth. That's because your body needs amino acids (i.e., the "building blocks" of protein) to synthesise keratin. And guess where you can find amino acids? That's right: collagen – which consists of the amino acids glycine, proline, and hydroxyproline.

More specifically, the one amino acid you should be looking out for in collagen that supports hair growth is proline, as it happens to be the main component of keratin. So, in short … supplementing with proline-rich collagen can help your body make the keratin it needs for thicker, healthier hair.  

#2: Fights free radical damage to hair follicles

First things first. What are free radicals? Free radicals are simply atoms or molecules with an unpaired electron. This makes them highly reactive (read: unstable). As a result, they're constantly on the hunt for an extra electron to steal – e.g., from your skin and other cells – to become stable. If it helps, you can think of the process as somewhat similar to the children’s game of musical chairs. Only … it isn’t all fun and games. 

Excessive levels of free radicals in your body (thanks to environmental stressors like UV exposure and air pollution) results in oxidative stress, which can damage DNA and other parts of your cells. That includes your hair follicles, the tunnel-shape structures found in the outer layer of your skin. Here’s some food for thought: since hair follicles are responsible for anchoring hair into your scalp, imagine what happens when they’re damaged? Yep. Thinning hair. Thus, highlighting the need for you to stave off free radical damage to your hair follicles in the first place. And that’s where collagen comes into play. Several studies have found collagen to have powerful antioxidant activity, which means that it can neutralise free radicals. Interestingly, a 2017 study published in Food & Function observed that collagen might be a more effective antioxidant than tea polyphenols!

#3: Supports scalp health

Of course, ensuring optimal hair health goes beyond taking care of your hair follicles. You should also give your scalp some tender loving care. After all, it serves as the foundation for healthy hair and hair growth (your scalp "houses" all your hair follicles!) And while you may think otherwise, your scalp is an extension of your skin. In fact, because of the abundance of hair follicles, your scalp is the thickest skin of your body. Thus … explaining the usefulness of collagen for hair health. Like how collagen can help boost the production of proteins that help provide structure in the face (e.g., elastin and fibrillin), it can also “bulk up” your scalp’s thickness. This, in turn, improves your scalp’s ability to hold the hair follicle bulbs in place.  

Which collagen is best for hair?   

Alright. Now that we’ve got that, um, hairy question (sorry, couldn’t resist!) out of the way, it’s time to discuss which collagen is best for your hair. Well, call us biased, but we’d say that our collagen products are the best when it comes to supporting hair health. Of course, you shouldn’t just take our word for it. Look at what our products offer:

• Hydrolysed collagen: Easier for your body to absorb. 

• 15 grams of collagen per serving: Allows you to see visible results in the shortest time possible (just weeks, according to our customers!) 

• Contains biotin: In addition to collagen peptides, our products are also formulated with biotin – which has been shown to help stimulate hair regrowth even in people with alopecia (i.e., hair loss). Powerful stuff.

Oh, and the cherry on the cake? All our products are highly mixable and delicious. There’s truly nothing better available in the market. Shop now.