Vitamin C for scalp & hair: the key to healthier locks?
Hundreds of years ago, before vitamin C was known to science, sailors would fall ill with the dreaded “scurvy.” Without fresh citrus fruits and vegetables to provide this vital nutrient, they suffered from weakness, exhaustion, gum disease, skin ulcers, and even death.
Did they also suffer from dandruff? Possibly!
Vitamin C is an essential nutrient for human beings. If you’re not getting enough in your diet (through fresh fruits and vegetables or through vitamin supplementation), you can run into a range of health complications. Let’s explore how your body uses vitamin C, and why it’s so important for your scalp and hair health.
An essential nutrient for skin & body
Vitamin C is crucial to the body’s ability to repair damage, including through the production of collagen - a protein that makes up much of our connective tissue and provides our skin with its elasticity and structure.
Today, most Americans are getting their daily recommended dietary allowance of vitamin C. Maybe you take an extra dose as part of a supplement or multivitamin during cold season to stave off the sniffles and boost your general health and wellness.
Or you might have come across specialized, vitamin C-loaded skin care products, especially face serums. Applied directly to the skin, vitamin C is famous for its ability to brighten rough, dull, or discolored areas, and for its anti-aging effects. It helps to plump up the skin and reduce fine lines (again, thanks to its promotion of collagen production).
You’ve probably also heard about vitamin C’s powers as an antioxidant, which can help stave off cellular damage in the skin and throughout the body. Vitamin C’s potency as an antioxidant is also responsible for its immune-boosting powers and some of its anti-aging effects in skin care.
Given all these powerful benefits of vitamin C for general wellness and skin health, it shouldn’t be too surprising that it can help with dandruff, too. But how exactly does it work? And what’s the best way to get the benefits of this vitamin to relieve your itchy, flaky scalp?
More on that in a moment - but first, let’s get clear on what dandruff is and what causes it.
Scalp health 101
Little white flakes. If you’re dealing with dandruff, you know and probably dislike them. Those flakes, and the itchiness that comes with them, are due to the irritation and inflammation of your scalp. It’s not a serious health threat, but it can cause a lot of discomfort.
But few people are familiar with dandruff’s root causes. That may be because dandruff is a bit taboo as a conversation topic, even though over half the population is believed to suffer from it. It turns out that there are many reasons your scalp might get inflamed and irritated, and they all lead to the same outcome: itchy, flaking skin. Here are some of those risk factors:
Diet
Researchers think diets lacking certain nutrients could make dandruff more likely. These may include vitamin C, as well as zinc, omega 3 fatty acids, B vitamins, and others. Some scientists believe diets that are known to cause inflammation - like those high in sugar, unhealthy fats, processed foods, and allergens - are likely to exacerbate dandruff symptoms, too.
Climate & air quality
Humidity levels, air pollution, and sun exposure can play a role in skin health, causing a kind of damage at the cellular level called oxidative stress as well as visible signs of aging. Dandruff tends to get worse for many people in cold weather, dry climates, and in polluted areas.
Genetics
Your genes can play a role in how prone to dandruff symptoms you are. Skin conditions, allergies, or general skin sensitivities can all be genetic.
Stress level
Stress is increasingly recognized for the toll it can take on our physical health. For some, stress can cause stomach aches and digestive problems. Others grind their teeth at night or have acne breakouts. And some see dandruff symptoms worsen.
There are many reasons to invest in regular self-care to manage stress - whether that’s time in nature, mindfulness meditation, or exercise - the benefits of which can improve your overall physical health including your ability to fight dandruff.
Microbes
The “microbiome” of the gut has become a trending topic in health and wellness. You might have heard discussions about how the natural flora in your intestinal tract can impact everything from your immune system to your mood.
The truth is that billions of tiny microorganisms play crucial roles in every part of our body - including our skin. Malassezia is a genus of fungus that naturally occurs on human skin. An overgrowth of Malassezia is thought to play a role in dandruff.
Age
Hormone levels are another likely factor in dandruff, which could help explain why the risk for dandruff varies according to age. For some, symptoms often start during puberty and get less severe over time.
Underlying skin conditions
Psoriasis, eczema, and dermatitis can all cause or contribute to dandruff. If you have symptoms beyond an itchy, flaky scalp, it’s smart to see your doctor or dermatologist to address your health concerns. But also be aware that it’s definitely possible to have dandruff without having any of these skin conditions.
Every dandruff case is unique - but the treatment is the same
Dandruff isn’t curable. And with so many potential risk factors, it can be hard to pinpoint precisely what’s behind any one case. Fortunately, dandruff can be easily managed. It’s entirely possible to keep flakes and irritation in check using a proven scalp treatment in combination with small lifestyle changes.
The process leading to scalp itchiness and flaking generally includes a buildup of excess sebum on your scalp and too much of a fungus that feeds on it (Malassezia). This fungus then produces waste that the scalp can find especially irritating, leading to itching and flaking.
Treating the symptoms associated with dandruff effectively means interrupting this process. The key is regular use of a scientifically formulated product including the active ingredient, Zinc Pyrithione, that helps remove excess sebum and dead skin while taming Malassezia overgrowth.
How vitamin C can help
Vitamin C can be a powerful aid in breaking the unhealthy skin cycles that create dandruff symptoms. Common forms of vitamin C include ascorbic acid and ascorbate. These compounds are crucial to the body’s ability to repair damaged tissues.
Here’s how the special properties of vitamin C help alleviate dandruff:
A potent antioxidant
Oxidative stress - a type of damage occurring within the cells of our body - is thought to play a central role in aging, including many age-related diseases like Alzheimer’s disease, macular degeneration, cataracts, cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus, and more. Oxidative stress from sun exposure, smoking, and pollution is also behind many of the visible signs of aging in the skin, including dark spots, loss of elasticity, and wrinkles.
Vitamin C is thought to combat this type of damage. As one of the most potent antioxidants in the skin, it helps neutralize molecules called free radicals that cause oxidative stress. This can help promote regeneration and healing, strengthening the scalp and hair through increased collagen production.
Collagen booster
Collagen provides essential structure in the body. It is also a major element in skin and helps keep it strong, elastic, and moisturized - elements we associate with a youthful and healthy appearance.
Vitamin C seems to boost collagen production, which can help fight the dryness and damaged skin structure associated with dandruff.
Immune system regulator
The immune system is thought to play a role in dandruff, in part because people with seriously compromised immune systems are more likely to suffer from the condition. Some researchers think the immune system in dandruff sufferers may actually be overreacting to an overgrowth of the Malassezia fungus on the scalp. This would explain the resulting inflammation and irritation.
While it’s still not clear exactly how the immune system works in causing or contributing to dandruff, strengthening your body’s ability to fight infection is never a bad idea. Vitamin C’s role in boosting immunity may have some benefit in fighting dandruff.
Vitamin C is known to be “immunomodulatory” - in other words, it doesn’t just boost your immune function, it helps to better regulate it. So whatever the immune system’s role in dandruff, it’s likely vitamin C can help.
Antimicrobial properties
Since fungal overgrowth is linked to dandruff, it’s wise to look to antimicrobial ingredients to help control the condition. Vitamin C is known to fight infections, including those from bacteria, viruses, and fungi.
Should I try vitamin C skin serum in my flaky scalp?
Although vitamin C can be a useful part of your dandruff-fighting skin care routine, it’s not a good idea to simply pour it on your scalp. Instead, look for this ingredient as part of a balanced chemical formulation built to treat your dandruff effectively. Check out Jupiter’s Soothing Elixir and Purifying Mask, both are scientifically formulated with Vitamin C and other natural ingredients to restore your scalp health.
The pitfalls of going DIY with scalp care are significant, especially for people who already have sensitive or irritated skin. Using vitamin C in high concentrations directly on the scalp can lead to increased inflammation.
Vitamin C on its own is not very shelf stable and will break down quickly if not combined with other ingredients to help stabilize it. This is another reason to look to professional anti-dandruff formulas; they’re designed to stay fresh and keep the vitamin C they contain active.
But the most important risk of going DIY with your dandruff remedy is that it just won’t work. A good anti-dandruff product is the key, and you need a formula created by professional chemists and tested in the lab to ensure it’ll really kick your flakes to the curb.
Vitamin C is just one helpful part of the formula. You also need other essential ingredients - most importantly Zinc Pyrithione - to ensure success.
Don’t be flaky
Do you want your anti-dandruff product to do more than just treat your flakes and itching? Do you want it to nourish and indulge your hair and your senses at the same time?
Jupiter is the first scalp care brand to elevate your dandruff care experience with ingredients that work to banish flakes for good and make you feel great in the shower and beyond. Learn more about Jupiter scalp care.