MSM = Softer Hair? How and Why?

[BrightEyes]

Someone posted this on Nappturality and I thought I'd share it here. I have seen a few threads about MSM and softer hair here so I thought this might be of use to some of you:

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I have heard of people's hair texture changing when they take MSM. From a medical point of view, the genes that make your hair texture do not change unless you have a mutation. So technically your hair texture does not change.

If you have insufficient sulphur, the amino acid cysteine (which is the primary contributor to hair curling) is not produced in sufficient quantities. So when the protein of the hair is being made and the cysteine supply is in low quantities, once it's finished in the cell, the strand breaks off and a new strand starts. This breaking and restarting contributes to your hair texture.

If you have sufficient sulphur hence cysteine, synthesis is not interupted and the strand keeps on being formed.

So this is why your hair may appear to have one texture without MSM and another with MSM. But if you had sufficient sulphur to start with then you would have the same texture through out. Your true texture is most probably the one you achieve with MSM.

 

[Kitkat]

Very interesting, BrightEyes. I had to stop taking MSM by itself because it made me break out something terrible, although thank goodness my hair vitamin has it. Thanks for posting that, though.

 

[MissJ]

What is MSM, and what's in it?

 

[Amethyst]

Thanks for this post BrightEyes. I'll take MSM until the day I die because I know first-hand about the power and potency of this supplement. It is the only substance I know of when taken internally, that dramatically changes the hair texture. MSM internally to me, is what Henna is externally for my hairshaft /images/graemlins/up.gif

 

[Katrine]

Well I know nothing about MSM but I do know that even though genes determine hair texture it does it within a range. My hair went from 1a to 3b because of hormones (puberty). People who get chemo sometimes change hairtexture.

Hair texture/color can certainly change because of a drug not just because you lack/get sufficient vitamins.

We have alot of 'sleeping genes/conditions' that can go on or off based on external or internal factors.

 

[BrightEyes]

</font><blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr />
Amethyst said:It is the only substance I know of when taken internally, that dramatically changes the hair texture.

[/ QUOTE ]


Yep, if you are lacking sulfur it does. It doesn't do anything for me, but then again I have been taking vitamins since I was very small. Plus, I'm anemic so I have to take large amounts of sulfate.

 

[BrightEyes]

</font><blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr />
Katrine said:
Well I know nothing about MSM but I do know that even though genes determine hair texture it does it within a range. My hair went from 1a to 3b because of hormones (puberty). People who get chemo sometimes change hairtexture.

Hair texture/color can certainly change because of a drug not just because you lack/get sufficient vitamins.

We have alot of 'sleeping genes/conditions' that can go on or off based on external or internal factors.

[/ QUOTE ]


Yes, I think that hair can change and still be within the limits of the gene pool too. You see many White children who were born curly blondes but grew into wavy or straight haired brunettes. Chemo and other drug related hair changes, however, are mutations. That doesn't have anything to do with your genetic code. That's the drugs messing with you.

What that woman was trying to say is that MSM is not a wonder mineral. It doesn't relax the hair, it just restores it to it's natural state. Some people have been deficient for so long they don’t know what their hair is supposed to look like. They think the deficient texture is their natural hair, and that's not the case. No one was saying that lack of vitamins is the only reason your hair texture can change. The main message was that sometimes your hair is missing something, and certain supplements help with that. But they can only make your hair the best that GOD intended it to be. It's not going to give you a "better" head of hair. /images/graemlins/drunk.gif

 

[ngaa]

thats interestin and it makes sense how my hair has managed to get waves instead of the kinky way its always been /images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[ny2atl]

AMETHYST... How has the MSM changed your hair texture? How long have you been taking it? I started 1000 mcg. about 2 weeks ago. Oh yeah... tell me about your henna. /images/graemlins/look.gif

 

[azul11]

I was just doing a search on msm and came across this thread. i find it rather interesting and does explain a lot of things for me. God bless you all.

 

[azul11]

bump. God bless you all.

 

[katie]

bumping for hairlove

 

[inthepink]

This is great, thanks Katie!!

 

[katie]

no problem!

 

[Nonie]

[ QUOTE ]
BrightEyes said:

...So this is why your hair may appear to have one texture without MSM and another with MSM. But if you had sufficient sulphur to start with then you would have the same texture through out. Your true texture is most probably the one you achieve with MSM.

[/ QUOTE ]

Interesting thread BrightEyes. I was just telling someone earlier today that I have not noticed a change in my hair texture not even when I was taking detox quantities of MSM and had joked that perhaps I needed my eyes examined. I'm pleased to learn that it's normal not to see any change. My hair has the same pen-spring ringlets from base to ends.