The integumentary system is your body’s outer layer, and is made up of your skin (including the glands and nerves within your skin), nails, and hair. It acts as a physical barrier (protecting you from infection, injury and sunlight), helps regulate body temperature, and allows you to feel sensations like touch and temperature.
This article explains the links between conditions affecting our skin, nails or hair, and 13 different nutrients —including specific vitamins, minerals, fatty acids, and amino acids. It’s important to clarify that the primary focus of this article is on nutrients associated with reducing the risk of developing skin, nail or hair conditions in the first place to emphasize the benefits of adopting nutrient-dense eating patterns as lifelong healthy habits (and not to create a list of supplements to buy).
Diet quality is a major contributor to the condition of your hair, skin, and nails. In fact, many different nutrient deficiencies and insufficiencies are linked with hair loss, brittle hair and nails, and skin conditions like dermatitis and rashes. In addition to specific nutrients, many lifestyle-related habits also improve the health of our hair, skin, and nails, such as getting enough restorative sleep, managing stress, staying hydrated, and minimizing exposure to harmful substances, like tobacco smoke, pollution, and excessive alcohol. It’s worth noting that some hormone imbalances (like hypothyroid and hyperthyroid) can also negatively affect the health and appearance of hair, skin, and nails, so if hair loss, brittle nails, and/or dry skin are persistent issues, it’s worth talking to your healthcare provider.
Conditions that involve hair, skin, and nail health include (but are not limited to):
Eczema (Atopic Dermatitis): a common skin condition that causes dry and itchy patches of skin
Rosacea: a skin condition typified by facial redness, and may also have visible blood vessels and pus-filled spots on the cheeks, chin, forehead and nose
Acne: occurs when hair follicles/sebaceous become plugged with oil and dead skin cells, increasing growth of the bacteria normally in the hair follicle and leading to inflammation, redness and pimples
Psoriasis: autoimmune‑mediated accelerated skin cell growth causing thick, scaly, and itchy patches
Lichen planus: autoimmune-mediated inflammatory skin condition causing purple-red papules that are slightly raised, shiny and have a flat top, most commonly on wrists, ankles, and lower back
Alopecia areata: hair loss typically in small round patches caused by autoimmune-mediated attack on hair follicles
Androgenetic alopecia: diffuse and progressive hair loss, also called pattern hair loss
Vitiligo: loss of pigment in patches of skin caused by autoimmune‑mediated attack on melanocytes
Visible signs of aging: wrinkles and fine lines, hyperpigmentation spots, thinning skin and hair
Melasma: hyperpigmented freckle-like patches on the face, more common during pregnancy and as a result of sun exposure
Skin cancer: including basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma
The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) estimates that 84.5 million Americans, or approximately one in every four people, are affected by skin disease each year. For example, rosacea is estimated to affect more than 16 million Americans, melasma affects over 5 million Americans, and psoriasis affects approximately 7.5 million Americans.
Hair loss conditions are a bit trickier to study, as often people lose hair with age and genetic predisposition, however for androgenetic alopecia (more commonly known as pattern baldness), it can affect up to 85% of men, and around 33% of women. For alopecia areata (the autoimmune condition of losing hair), U.S. prevalence among adults is less than 1% at an estimated 0.18%. Finally, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 6.1 million adults are treated for basal and squamous cell carcinomas (or skin cancers) in the U.S each year.
Disease Causes and Risk Factors
Conditions affecting skin, nails and hair can arise from many factors, some are predisposed based on age, gender, and genetic makeup while others have to do with diet and lifestyle and can be improve with habit change.
Some of the risk factors include:
