الفهرس 
INTRODUCTIONOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
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Abstract
Nutrition is one of the most important parameters that are involved in modulating skin and hair health. An impaired nutritional status alters the structural integrity and biological function of skin, resulting in an abnormal skin barrier while hair may stop growing or become brittle.
The nutrients of most obvious importance to skin and hair health are proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins as vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin E, folates, pantothenic acid, biotin, and niacin and minerals as zinc, iron, copper, selenium, calcium and magnesium.
Amino acids are essential for producing the extracellular proteins including collagen and enzymes needed for synthesis of epidermal barrier.Proteinacts as a precursor to keratin hair protein synthesis and basic element of diet conditioning of hair building.Vitamin A stimulates the turnover of skin cells and hair. Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant. Vitamin E promotes healthy skin and hair and suppresses collagen breakdown. Vitamin D has several biological functions in skin and hair including regulation of proliferation and differentiation of keratinocytes, hair follicles. Biotin promotes hair growth by renewing hair follicles.Zinc is an antioxidant, essential for epidermal proliferation and wound healing and is essential for DNA and RNA production leading to normal hair follicle-cell division. Iron is an essential nutrient necessary for oxygen metabolism and mitochondrial function and supplies energy to matrix cells being important in normal growth and functional maturation of the skin and hair. It’s important to eat a balanced diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables as they are rich in vitamins, minerals and powerful any antioxidants that protect skin and hair.
Women may face poor nutritional knowledge and behavior that affect her health in general and their skin and hair in particular. Therefore, the present study was conducted to assess the knowledge and the dietary intake of nutrients related to skin and hair health. The target population of this study was 400 female students apparently healthy at Damanhur University. Data was collected using a pre-designed interview questionnaire about personal and demographic characteristics, medical history, dietary and lifestyle practices, knowledge on skin and hair health and dietary intake assessment.
Conclusion
It could be concluded that Damanhur University female students are at high risk of unhealthy skin and hair due to the following findings of the study:
- Inadequate dietary intake of essential nutrients for skin and hair health as protein, vitamins (as vitamin A, D, E, C, B2, B6, B12, biotin and pantothenic acid) and minerals (as zinc, iron, copper, magnesium and calcium).
- Poor knowledge about risk factors towards unhealthy skin and hair health.
- Bad and unhealthy dietary habits and lifestyle practices related to skin and hair health as:
• Low or no consumption of foods rich in vitamins and minerals as fruits and vegetables.
• Skipping meals, low daily intake of water, low or no daily exposure to sun.
Recommendations
Most important recommendations are:
Nutritional educational programs about the problem ought to be developed and implemented for females at age of university through the following recommendation helping them to translate this knowledge into behaviors:
1. Increase consumption of foods that rich in vitamins and minerals which are nutritious to skin and hair.
2. Increase the daily consumption of drinking water.
3. Expose to sunlight regularly and adequately at the good times.
Encourage authorities and dietitians to intensify their efforts to provide nutritional information to students.
Future research should assess serum micro-nutrients concentration in combination with a diagnosis of skin and hair diseases.