By Brigitte Mars, for healthshop.com

Silica is a trace mineral that helps relieve dry skin, brittle nails, thinning hair, and dandruff. It also seems to help the body develop a resistance to joint and cartilage inflammation and also supports the bones and helps to prevent gum and tooth loss. It's found in foods such as wheat, oats, and barley, but it's often lost in the refining process of many foods. Silica is found in the herb horsetail (Equisetum arvense). Silica is also available in a gel derived from quartz crystals. Healthy hair, clear skin, and strong nails--the results of using silica supplementation--are what give silica the reputation of being a beauty-enhancing mineral.