Damaged hair is the opposite of healthy hair. It's undesirable to say the least, and a major confidence killer at its worst. There are all manner of deep conditioners, salves, and treatments that can help restore damaged hair – to a point. But the key to long, healthy hair is to ensure that the hair that emerges from each hair follicle is healthy and strong, and the best way to do that is nutrition.

Hair damage can come from several different sources:

• Heated styling tools (irons, blow drying, curlers, heat lamps, etc.)
• U.V. rays (Sun, lights, tanning beds)
• Mechanical devices (combs, brushes, curling irons, etc.)
• Chemicals (color, perms, relaxers, pool chemicals, the air, etc)
• Poor diet (specifically - lack of proteins and essential fatty acids)

Poor diet is the one on this list that is often ignored because it is passive, meaning it's not something that actively happens to your hair, yet it can have the biggest impact on how much other damage factors can effect your hair.

If you have damaged hair, nutrition is essential for turning it back to strong, healthy hair. Specially formulated hair supplements can infuse damaged hair with vitamins, minerals, and proteins to make it stronger. This in turn will make hair more resistant to future damage factors, and promote long healthy hair growth.

The primary nutrients in any hair vitamins supplement are proteins and B vitamins, and occasionally fatty acids. There are certainly others, but these can have the biggest beneficial impact on the state of damaged hair.

B vitamins
Niacin, Biotin, and Pantothenic Acid are essential parts of the metabolic process and in turn essential to healthy hair growth. If you don't have enough of these micronutrients in your diet, you hair will be more susceptible to damage.

Protein (Amino Acids)
Your hair is made of proteins. If you aren't getting enough, the condition of your hair can suffer. All quality hair supplements will contain significant amounts of protein to insure optimal hair health, and make your hair more resilient.

Fatty Acids
Again, essential to hair health, but if you don't get any from your diet (through fish usually), then your hair's health can suffer. Linoleic acid and Linolenic are found in some high end hair supplements.

So there's really no secret to turning damaged hair into healthy hair. Just pay close attention to your diet and take a specialized hair vitamin supplement.