Keeping hair healthy and youthful can feel like a full-time job. But these days, our favorite formulas prioritize antioxidants for hair to keep our strands protected from the environment. Stop pollution, UV damage and hair aging in its tracks with antioxidant-powered hair care!
Featured Experts
- Kenneth Beer, MD is a board-certified dermatologist based in West Palm Beach, FL
- Jeanine Downie, MD is a board-certified dermatologist based in Montclair, NJ
- Julie Russak, MD is a board-certified dermatologist based in New York
Why Antioxidants for Hair?
You probably already know that antioxidants are great for your skin. These substances can neutralize free radicals and help protect us from environmental stressors, pollution and even UV. Antioxidants make great additions to sunscreen and even help promote collagen production.
But did you know that your hair also suffers from the same kind of free radical damage? Antioxidants are the perfect addition to a hair care routine to help protect your strands from signs of aging. This is accomplished by putting a stop to runaway oxidative damage.
“Antioxidants have the ability to quench or dampen the deleterious effects of oxidative stress from ultraviolet light, smoke and other insults from the environment,” explains West Palm Beach, FL dermatologist Ken Beer, MD.
This dampening effect directly translates into hair protection.
“Antioxidants are essential for protecting both the hair and scalp from oxidative stress,” adds New York dermatologist Julie Russak, MD. “They work to preserve the hair’s strength and integrity while supporting a healthy scalp environment. By reducing inflammation and slowing the effects of aging, antioxidants play a key role in promoting healthier, stronger and more resilient hair.”
Antioxidants to Use
The easiest place to add antioxidants is through your wash routine.
“Antioxidants can be added to shampoos and conditioners and can reduce damage from oxidative stress and free radicals,” explains Montclair, NJ dermatologist Jeanine Downie, MD. “Antioxidants for the hair include vitamin E, vitamin C, collagen, vitamin A and aloe vera gel. I personally take Nutrafol which has a lot of antioxidants for the hair.”
Additionally, niacinamide is a great multi-tasking antioxidant that also improves moisture retention. That makes it an easy inclusion in a hydrating hair treatment.
Our Favorite Ways to Get Antioxidants for Hair
