In this section, we will eventually give the details of the vitamins, minerals and natural nutrients for better growth, structure, quality and condition of our hair, skin and nails. They play an important and individual role for better results.
Comprehending Skin
Our skin has three main layers named as the epidermis, the dermis, and the subcutaneous layers.

The epidermis is the uppermost layer of our skin which works as a barrier of defence and has a different thickness in different areas of our body from the skin on our palms to the skin on the soles of our feet. The epidermis is organized with various layers of cells termed ‘stratified keratinized squamous epithelium’.

In the surface layer of the epidermis with and flat, thin dead cells the cytoplasm is replaced by the fibrous protein keratin. These cells are changed continually to replace the cells completely approximately for forty days.

The second layer of our skin is called the dermis between the epidermis and the subcutaneous tissue. It is formed by connective tissues with the matrix containing collagen fibers interlaced with elastic fibers. These fibers are bound with water and give the skin tensile strength. Sweat glands, sebaceous glands, hair follicles, blood vessels and part of nails are within these layers.

The dermis is also referred to as ‘the true skin’ since the crucial functions of the skin are worked here like providing energy and nutrition. It is a sensitive layer and also contains nerve endings. The subcutaneous is known as the third layer of all the three layers of the skin and contains fat and connective tissue.
Comprehending Hair
The formation, growth and shedding of our hair take place in three phases and can take many years. First, all the hair follicles are formed during fetal development and in the follicle, the new hair is generated, it continually goes through different phases of recession, rest and growth throughout our lives. There are different phases of hair growth namely: anagen, catagen and telogen.

Hair growth begins with the ‘anagen’ phase. In this period the cells at the root of the hair multiply quickly and push upward. This phase may take two to six years or more.

The second phase is the ‘catagen’ phase, in this phase the end of the active growth of a hair is prepared to shed as the hair follicle is moving upwards by coming out of the skin. This phase is around two to four weeks.

The third and final phase is the ‘telogen’ phase, where the old hair shed and re-growth of a new follicle is prepared. It is finally a dead and fully keratinized hair.
Comprehending Nails
Nails are commonly associated with the ‘nail plate’ consisting of a hard, horny keratin plate. It has the same cells as the epidermis and hair. The surrounding tissue is supported for the growth of the nail plate. The nail growth is due to a matrix which supplies good blood to the nail situated below the nail with fibrous tissue called the mantle. Toenails grow slower than fingernails.

Our health conditions can affect the nails and we can see the changes in the quality of our nails depending on our health. This is due to the change in the blood supply.
Damage to Hair, Nails and Skin

Hair Damage – Signs and Symptoms
Due to overexposure to sunlight, pollution, chemicals applied, over brushing, drying, curling, or straightening we damage our hair. This leads to splitting and breakage of hair with dry and dull hair.

Excessive hair loss can be due to poor diet, emotional or mental trauma, thyroid problems, surgery, or post-childbirth. Hair can quickly grow in most cases.
Baldness can be due to genes.
With the weak immune system, the hair follicle is affected and this leads to a loss of small patches of hair. This is known as alopecia. In some cases, the total hair including the entire body hair is called alopecia Universalis.
Hair loss can also be due to some prescribed medications.
Grey hair in early ages can be seen due to some health issues like anaemia, thyroid, vitamin B12 deficiency and vitiligo.

Nail Damage – Signs and Symptoms

Fungal nail infections are the most commonly seen problem affecting the nails, mostly occurring in the toenails.
When the base of the nail is injured we can see white spots on the nails known as leukonychia, due to deficiency of zinc or calcium.
Pale and white nails are due to the deficiency of iron and anaemia, in extreme, this may lead to concave-shaped nails.
Horizontal marks on the nails are associated with precious illness or infection.
Vertical marks are a normal effect on the nail as the age grows or due to the overgrowth of keratin or damage.

Skin Damage – Signs and Symptoms
Damage of our skin mainly occurs due to physical trauma like wounds, rashes and fungal infections.

While some skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis can lead to long term symptoms.
Acne can also lead to serious conditions.
Skin aging makes the dermis layer of the skin thin and skin becomes more endangered to injuries and also slow to heal.
The UV rays from the sun make the collagen breakdown and can form wrinkles.
Due to improper diet, the mechanism fails which can damage cells.

Protection for Skin, Hair, and Nails
Topical Protection

To maintain healthy skin cleansing and moisturizing with topical applications is a necessary part of our daily life for health and beauty. Skincare products are made with ingredients (natural ingredients like antioxidants and vitamins) to moisture and improve our skin conditions, having the ability to protect from free radicals and production of collagen.

Nails and hair can also be benefited from the topical applications from the sunlight and exposure to some household or other chemicals. There are many herbal products to prevent damage and to repair. Aloe Vera gel topical applications have good benefits for skin in both soothing and healing.

We can also use some supplements like hair and nail supplements for healthy hair and nails, hair and nail growth supplements for better growth of hair and nails, hair skin and nails supplements for healthy hair, skin, and nails. All these supplements have the ingredients which protect our body from damage and repairs to have healthy growth in hair nails and skin.
Protection From Within
Protecting your skin, nails and hair within is mostly dependent on your diet and mental condition. A balanced nutritious intake will give you healthy skin, hair and nails. For a good and healthy outcome we can have:

A healthy, unprocessed diet
Adequate and quality sleepDrinking plenty of water
Regular exercise
Stop smoking and alcohol consumption or bring it to a minimum level
Protect your skin by avoiding excessive exposure to sunlight.

For a long time, the Mediterranean diet has been considered an example of a healthy diet, with research supporting this for a wide number of health conditions. The Mediterranean diet is associated with an increased intake of fresh fruit and vegetables and a diet rich in olive oil, nuts, seeds, pulses and beans with white meat, whole grains, fish as well as seafood adding to the nutritional balance. Refined and processed foods such as refined white four, saturated fats and high intakes of red meat are not traditional elements of this diet.

Detailed research for the Mediterranean diet has showcased a reduced incidence of some types of cancers. In particular, the reported decreased risk for most epithelial cancers – which decreased with increasing vegetable consumption.

The Mediterranean diet provides healthy monounsaturated fats from olive oil and omega essential fats from fish, nuts and seeds. These foods, when combined with the unrefined and unprocessed foods in the diet, provide a wide range of vitamins and minerals.

A rich source of vitamins and minerals, fruits and vegetables also provide flavonoids and carotenoids, the natural plant protectors which we now understand can pass on some of this valuable protection when we include these in our diet.