antioxidants for healthy hair

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You want: A thicker head of hair

Try eating more: Healthy fats and antioxidants

A recent study in the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology suggests that the combination of essential fatty acids and free-radical-fighting antioxidants may have more benefits than either on their own. Of the 80 women who took a nutritional supplement containing a mix of omega 3 and 6 fatty acids and antioxidants including vitamins E, C and lycopene, more than 87 percent reported having more hair on their heads and more than 86 percent said their individual strands became thicker at the sixth-month mark. (The researchers excluded women with nutritional deficiencies or health disorders that may have been a factor in subpar hair growth or might have interfered with the study's results.) Several researchers on the study came from a company co-created by L'OrĂ©al that manufactured and marketed beauty supplements, but their findings bolster Bowe's advice: A diet that includes healthy fats and antioxidants can only mean good things for your health—and your hair.