Benefits of Fish for Skin & Hair

Fish oils - beauty benefits:


Omega 3 Fish Oil supplements are widely used for a number of health benefits including disease prevention and cardiovascular health. However the fatty acids contained within these oils can also have a number of beauty benefits, having a particular effect on the appearance of hair skin and nails. In fact, according to the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, dry and damaged hair, dry skin and brittle nails can all be signs of low levels of Omega-3 fatty acids, all the more reason to ensure that fish oils are added to your everyday beauty regime.



Skin health:

Essential fatty acids contained within fish oil are vital to skin health, providing a rich source of moisture and giving it that all important 'glow'. Other helpful mechanisms include protection against the sun and harmful rays.

Fish oil can be also considered as a potential treatment for, and as a preventative measure against, skin aging. This is because ultraviolet light, or UV rays from the sun causes the development of MMP chemicals within the skin, which in turn produce structural damage and wrinkles. Research from the 2005 issue of the Journal of Lipid Research demonstrated that supplementation of fish oil actually reduces the number of MMP's in UV-exposed skin, therefore combating the signs of aging.



Hair Health:

Hair care is an important part of most people's beauty regimes. Many men and women apply a whole host of hair care products on a daily basis, with the average British woman spending around £36,903 on her hair in a lifetime! Furthermore she will spend the equivalent of just under two years of her life washing, styling, cutting, colouring, crimping and straightening her hair either in salons or at home.

Omega-3 has recently gained attention for its ability to combat dry and brittle hair, hair loss, dry, flaky scalp and reduced circulation to the scalp. In addition,the benefits of Omega-3 essential fatty acids include adding luster, sheen and elasticity to your hair as both DHA and EPA (two specific types of fatty acids found within Omega 3) are vital for the nourishment of hair follicles. Omega-3 also can help restart hair growth, help hair grow quicker and stronger and even prevent or reverse hair loss.



Nail Health:

Nails provide an external sign of your health, with weak, brittle nails often signalling nutritional deficiencies within the body. Ensuring that you have enough Omega 3 in your diet can help to lubricate and moisturize your nails and prevent nail disorders. Therefore deficiencies in Omega-3 fatty acids can increase your risk of dry and brittle nails. Omega-3 fatty acids can help reduce inflammation within your nail bed, nourishing and promoting the health of cells that give rise to your nail plate. It will take time to see the progress of this, since nails only grow about one-tenth of an inch per month, but the results should be well worth the wait.



Food Sources of Omega 3:

Cold-water fish such as salmon, tuna, mackerel, herring and sardines are all good sources of Omega-3 fatty acids as are a number of nuts: Brazilnuts, cashews, almonds, pistachios, pecans, peanuts and seeds: Pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, flax seeds and sesame seeds.

If you do not regularly consume any of these food groups then it may be necessary to take an Omega 3 supplement. There are a number of varieties available including: Omega 3, Super Omega 3, Omega 3 Balance and Omega 3,6,9.

 Fish oil capsules:

Fish oil capsules can be a useful addition to a healthy diet. Research has found that taking a single fish oil capsule daily could save the lives of 10,000 heart failure patients a year. That’s the claim from doctors following a review of studies into treatment with omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids. Professor Martin Cowie says "The important point here is that a lot of people will have read about fish oil being good for you and think that they can go to their local shop and buy any old cod liver oil capsules. But the form of the medicine given in these studies is a highly concentrated, highly purified form of fish oil, called Omacor.

"I use it in my practice, lots of doctors do, but not all." You can ask your GP to prescribe it for you if you have heart problems. You can also ask your pharmacist, who will probably need to ask you a few questions about your medical history, to make sure this treatment is appropriate for you. If you do take this route, make sure to tell your doctor that you are taking it, and don’t stop taking existing medicines unless you have first discussed it with your doctor.

"This medication is a reasonable way of spending money in the Health Service," said Professor Cowie. "Not only is it effective clinically, it’s cost effective." Omacor capsules cost the NHS about 50p per patient per day. Bought from your local pharmacy they will probably cost around £15 for a month’s supply.

 Fish Oil Capsules Benefit Hair:

The omega-3 fatty acids in fish oil capsules can also benefit your hair, making it shinier and stronger. Omega-3s are a healthy fat, helping to reduce skin dryness that can lead to dandruff or an itchy scalp. The natural oils that lubricate the scalp, hair and skin tend to lessen as we age. The omega-3s in fish oil capsules will help alleviate this dryness that leads to brittle hair and wrinkles. A study published in "Dermatologic Clinics" in 2013 reported that hair follicles can be impaired by a lack of essential fatty acids.

Fish Oil Capsules Benefit Skin:

In a study published in "The Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology" in 2008, omega-3 fatty acids were found to reduce symptoms of rosacea, those red blotchy patches on your skin and inflamed capillaries on your face. Taking fish oil capsules can benefit the look and health of your skin, especially if you have a skin condition like rosacea or eczema, reports Dr. Perricone.
Fish Oil for Skin & Hair Health