I like Meat…And so Does My Hair

by Lexi Novak

Getty Images
Getty Images

The Allure refrigerator is regularly stuffed to capacity with beet-kale-hemp-you-name-it juices. Everyone, it seems, is going veg. And after my father gave me a NutriBullet for Christmas, even this burger enthusiast has started sipping mossy smoothies at work. But after a visit to the Philip Kinglsey Clinic in New York City, I learned that when it comes to hair health, embracing my inner carnivore might not be such a bad thing.


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The technician who examined my hair at the clinic, Stephen Pullan, applied an invigorating cocktail of scalp-cleansing, hair-strengthening masks to my head. He then informed me that my (already superfine) strands are shedding faster than normal. And one of the most likely culprits may be my diet: "You have to eat meat," said Pullan, "especially at breakfast. Fish, chicken, meat."

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He's not the first person I've heard say this lately. Hairstylist Garren recently told me that he often sees women who "don't get enough protein, and their hair is starving. It spindles out," he said. Meat contains protein, which is an essential nutrient for healthy hair, says dermatologist Francesca Fusco. So having salmon for dinner or adding some chicken to your salad can help significantly boost strands. For those with diets that are strictly plant-only, Fusco recommends eating plenty of spinach, tofu, beans, quinoa, and nut butters. For me, I'll take the New York strip, please, medium-rare.

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