How Does Silica Help Promote Hair Growth?

Get a deeper understanding of the workings of this chemical compound on your hair.

Medically reviewed by Dr. Shruti Chavan, MBBS

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• Feb 8, 2024

How Does Silica Help Promote Hair Growth?

Image: ShutterStock

Silica is the newest member from a long list of hair care ingredients to enter the spotlight. Much has been said about the benefits of using silica for hair growth treatment. But is there any truth to them? Or are they mere claims? We are here to get to the bottom of these questions. Silica is said to strengthen and fortify hair, increase its shine, and decrease hair loss. Keep reading to know if there is any weight to these claims.

Know Your Ingredient: Silica

What Is It?
A colorless, naturally occurring trace mineral found in plants and whole grains, formed from the combination of silica and oxygen.

What Are Its Benefits?
It prevents hair breakage, improves hair tensile strength, and stimulates hair growth.

Who Can Use It?
Anyone can take it except people who have respiratory issues.

How Often?
As prescribed by your physician.

Caution
Consult your doctor before adding silica supplements to your diet.

In This Article

What Is Silica?

Image: Shutterstock

Silicon dioxide, also known as silica, is an oxide of silicon, a non-metallic chemical element. Silica combines silicon and oxygen and is primarily found in green leafy plants and available in hair growth oil, gel, and supplement forms.

Our body needs silicon in trace amounts for collagen synthesis and improving skin strength and elasticity. Silicon helps prevent hair fall and maintains hair shine (1). No scientific evidence supports the claim that silica can promote hair growth. However, silica supplements may help improve your hair health. In the next section, lets take a look at the benefits of silica.

Benefits Of Using Silica For Hair

1. May Prevent Hair Loss

Image: Shutterstock

Silica may not directly influence your hair health. However, studies suggest that silicon content in the hair is crucial for maintaining its strength and may prevent hair loss (1). You may take silica hair growth supplements to improve the silicon content in your hair and prevent hair thinning.

2. Improves Tensile Strength

Silica improves hair structure and tensile strength.

Image: Shutterstock

A study demonstrated that choline-stabilized orthosilicic acid (ch-OSA) supplements improved hair structure and tensile strength in women with fine hair. Orthosilicic acid is an amorphous form of silica and improves hair elasticity and break load, resulting in thicker hair (2).

Quick Tip

Apart from dull and brittle hair, the appearance of wrinkles and sagging skin due to loss of firmness and elasticity are some symptoms of silica deficiency.

Now that you know the benefits of silica supplements for hair, let’s discuss the right way to use silica supplements.

How To Use Silica Supplements

Woman taking prescribed oral silica supplement for hair

Image: Shutterstock

The best way to use silica for maintaining hair health is by taking oral supplements. Silicon or silicon dioxide supplements are available in pill, powder, and gel forms. You may consume any of them. However, before taking supplements, consult a doctor to determine if your body has silicon deficiency. Do not self-medicate.

You will also find hair growth shampoos, conditioners, and other hair products containing silicon. However, the efficacy of topical silicon is not studied. You may or may not get any results after using silicon-rich hair products.

The supplements will work only in the right dosage. In the next section, find out how much silica supplement you may consume.

Dosage Recommendation For Silica Supplements

Silica supplements are used with other hair vitamins for managing issues related to the skin, joints, bones, and hair (1). The recommended dosage may differ, depending on the issues.

Quick Tip

As most silica supplements are not approved by the FDA, it is recommended to consult a doctor before consuming them.

Therefore, consult a doctor for the right dosage.

If you are wondering if silica supplements have any health hazards, scroll down and read the next section.

Is Silicon Dioxide Safe To Consume?

Woman consulting doctor's to know if silica consumption is safe.

Image: Shutterstock

There is no evidence that oral silica can cause any health hazard or side effects. The FDA considers silicon dioxide or silica as a safe hair growth food additive (3). However, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) raised concern over the use of nano silicon dioxide smaller than the nano threshold of 100 nm (4). EFSA further urged the European Union to regulate the use of nano silicon dioxide until further research is conducted to evaluate its health implications.

To avoid any side effects, consult a doctor before using silica supplements.

Infographic: The Ultimate Guide To Using Silica For Hair Growth

Silica is a non-metallic ingredient popularly used in hair care products. Research suggests that it may reduce hair loss and improve your hair health. Check out thE infographic below to learn about its benefits and how to incorporate it into your hair care routine.

the ultimate guide to silica for hair growth (infographic)

Get the high-quality PDF version of this infographic.

Silica cannot promote hair growth. However, silica supplements may improve your hair quality, strengthen the strands, and reduce breakage and hair fall. Therefore, if you have fragile and brittle hair, you may try consuming silica for hair health. You may also find silicon dioxide (silica) in shampoos, conditioners, serums, and other hair care products, but topical silica does not produce effective results. Consult your doctor to determine the right dosage and supplement frequency, and follow the hair growth tips or instructions to get the desired results. Remember that silica supplements work when taken in the right dosage.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is silica or biotin better for hair growth?

In hair growth products, biotin is better than silica. However, you can take both after consulting your doctor to get the best results.

Is silica safe in hair products?

Yes, silica is safe in hair products.

Is silica the same as silicone?

No, silica is a combination of silicon and oxygen while silicone is a synthetic polymer of silicon with carbon and oxygen.

Which is better: silica or collagen?

While collagen provides the framework of bones, silica helps produce collagen. Both are equally important and have their own benefits.

Can you take silica everyday?

Yes, you can take silica everyday. However, consult a doctor to determine the dosage.

Is silica toxic?

Silica is usually non-toxic. However, breathing in small crystalline silica particles may cause a lung disease called silicosis. Speak to your doctor for more information.

How can I get silica naturally?

Consuming bananas, leafy greens, green beans, cereal, brown rice, lentils, and beer may help you get silica naturally.

Key Takeaways

Silica is aids collagen synthesis and improves skin elasticity and strength.
It may prevent hair loss and thinning and strengthen the hair structure.
You can maintain your hair health by using silicon or silicon dioxide oral supplements, which are found in oil, gel, and pill forms.
You should consult a doctor to know the appropriate amount of silica you should consume.

Image: Stable Diffusion/StyleCraze Design Team

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Discover the amazing benefits of silica for hair loss, dry skin, brittle nails, and bone health. Learn how to take it and see the results for yourself! Check it out!

References

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