The Unexpected Benefit Of Adding Egg Yolk To Your Haircare Routine

Who doesn't want healthy, shiny hair? But weather, stress, lousy styling habits, and even your diet can affect hair strength, length, and quality, causing it to become weak, dry, brittle, or dull (via Healthline). Expensive, professional hair products can help protect and restore hair, but if you're strapped for cash or time, simple home remedies like egg yolks could help give your tresses a boost.

This is not a new hair care practice by any stretch of the imagination. In fact, people have been using egg yolks since the 11th century, says Vogue. You may have even heard about your grandma putting egg yolk into her hair. If that seems strange, you're about to learn why this humble hair enhancer has been used for so long. But what is it precisely that makes egg yolks so good for hair? The secret lies in the unique blend of deeply nourishing, hair-friendly vitamins and nutrients they contain. 

Egg yolk contains 26.54 grams of fat in the form of lecithin, a natural moisturizer and emulsifier that may make hair softer, per Medical News Today. Protein in egg yolks can also improve hair's appearance by promoting shine.

Egg yolks contain many other vitamins, but Vitamin B5 (biotin) offers extra, unique hair-boosting benefits. Also known as panthenol and pantothenic acid, this natural hair enhancer is often included in hair care products (via WebMD) for its moisturizing effects.

All these nourishing nutrients combined in the humble egg yolk, can help you achieve a well-rounded hair treatment that can help moisturize, add shine, and strengthen hair. But the most unexpected benefit of egg yolks for hair, Healthline suggests, could help protect against hair loss. Massaging the yolk into the scalp can strengthen the roots and hair follicles at the source, making it less prone to shedding and breakage to promote a fuller head of hair. With reduced breakage and splitting, hair may even seem as if it's growing longer, faster.