Does taking a biotin supplement really help hair growth?
Biotin supplements can be used to correct biotin deficiency and potentially improve hair growth. But how well do they work? Can they prevent hair loss?
Read on to learn why people take biotin for hair growth, what research shows about its effects on hair loss, and how much you should take.
What is biotin?
Biotin is a water-soluble B vitamin that plays many important roles in metabolism, gene regulation, and cell signaling. Like other B vitamins, biotin helps the body convert food into fuel, which in turn turns into energy. Biotin also helps the body metabolize carbohydrates, fats, and amino acids, which are the building blocks of protein. If you don’t get enough biotin, you may experience hair loss, rashes, and brittle nails. 1
Does biotin help hair growth?
There are some misconceptions about biotin and hair growth. Supplementing with biotin will not produce immediate results, and the vitamin is not a panacea for hereditary hair loss, thinning hair, or hair loss. However, biotin plays an important role in hair health. Like this:
Biotin helps your body produce keratin, a protein responsible for the formation of nails, skin, and hair. 2
Biotin helps regulate inflammation in hair follicles and slows hair loss, which is particularly helpful in treating alopecia (genetic hair loss). 3 A woman who felt she had thinning hair saw improvements after taking a multivitamin containing biotin. Their hair. 4
Can biotin prevent hair loss?
Some experts believe that biotin is more effective at preventing hair loss than promoting hair growth. 5 This is largely because biotin deficiency has been linked to hair loss.
A Swiss study found that 38% of women who complained of hair loss were deficient in biotin. Of these participants, 11% had a history of risk factors for biotin deficiency, suggesting a link between hair loss and insufficient biotin levels. 6 Correcting this deficiency is an important way to prevent hair loss.
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Foods rich in biotin
If you don’t eat a nutritious and varied diet, taking a biotin supplement for hair growth may be helpful. If you’re looking to adjust your diet to get more biotin from food, you’d be surprised how many foods contain this important nutrient.
Foods rich in biotin are:
Organs, such as liver
Eggs
Fish
Meat
Nuts
Seeds
Spinach
Sweet potatoes
Mushrooms
Bananas
Broccoli
Serums and supplements for hair growth?
The recommended daily intake of biotin is 30 micrograms. 1 Many hair supplements contain much more biotin than this, which is likely to be excreted in the urine or may cause adverse side effects. 6 For example, Nutrafol® contains 3,000 micrograms and Codeage® contains 10,000 micrograms.
With a recommended daily dose of 30 mcg, Foundation Skincare UnTangled Hair Supplement fills any gaps in your diet and ensures you get the right amount of biotin to support keratin production. In addition to biotin, the supplement contains a variety of other vitamins, minerals, herbs and acids, such as marine collagen, saw palmetto, horsetail extract, selenium, iron and other scientifically proven ingredients. This custom blend helps stimulate hair growth by rejuvenating stalled hair growth cycles and increasing keratin production in hair follicles. The result is noticeably thicker, fuller hair, with initial results typically seen after 30 days.
UnTangled is recommended for treating hair loss, thinning hair or thinning hair and works best in conjunction with Foundation Skincare Hair Serum to nourish follicles, promote new growth and prevent further hair loss, without the need for minoxidil.
While it’s much easier to maintain hair than to reverse hair loss, addressing thinning hair and hair loss early with lifestyle changes, dietary changes and hair growth products can make a big difference. Biotin is not a magic bullet for treating hair loss, but it is an important component that should not be missing from your hair care routine.
DQH Can I use salicylic acid first and then vitamin C?
It’s easy to create a skincare routine, but knowing how to use it is another thing entirely. In most cases, if you’re not getting the desired skin results, it could be due to the layering of conflicting ingredients. So, is it possible that salicylic acid and vitamin C are such ingredients? Or are these active ingredients the duo that’s been missing from your skincare routine? If you want answers, stick around because today we are going to explain the benefits of salicylic acid and vitamin C and how they can be used in your daily life.
What are the benefits of salicylic acid for skin?
Salicylic acid is one of the most commonly used beta hydroxy acids and is favored by many people with oily, acne-prone skin. This acid is derived from willow bark, and unlike its water-soluble relatives (called alpha-hydroxy acids), salicylic acid is oil-soluble, which means it can penetrate deeper into the lower layers of the skin. Once it reaches the lower layers, it can help unclog pores of excess sebum, dirt, bacteria, debris, and impurities. This results in clearer skin tones and greater definition.
Not only does salicylic acid benefit the underlying layers, but the outer surface of the skin benefits as well. When applied to the skin, salicylic acid removes the buildup of dead skin cells. This is accomplished by breaking the bonds that hold dead cells to the surface. Over time, this can cause the complexion to look dull and prone to acne, blackheads, and other blemishes.
If you’d like to learn more about salicylic acid and how it can improve your skin, check out this dedicated blog post from a beauty insider.
What are the benefits of vitamin C for skin?
Vitamin C is considered one of the most powerful antioxidants, which means it is very effective at fighting free radicals and preventing them from causing further skin damage. Examples of free radicals include pollution, central heating, UV rays and harsh climate. They attack proteins, fats and cell membranes as soon as they come into contact with the skin, causing signs of premature aging such as fine lines and wrinkles as well as hyperpigmentation, flaky patches of skin and loss of elasticity.
Many people usually prefer to use vitamin C in their morning routine as this ingredient gives the complexion a radiant glow. You’ll also find that vitamin C can target areas of hyperpigmentation, plumping the skin and reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
The thing about vitamin C is that there are a lot of outdated studies going back to the 1950s that describe vitamin C as an unstable skin component. Thanks to improvements in modern technology, this is no longer the case as all products now contain a stable form of vitamin C.
Visit The Beauty Insider to learn more about vitamin C. So please check out our blog post.
Can I use salicylic acid first and then vitamin C?
Yes, you absolutely can. In fact, it’s thought that using salicylic acid before using vitamin C ensures it penetrates faster and works faster.
This is an efficient way to utilize two power sources, and the reason has to do with pH. For example, the skin’s natural pH is about 4.7, making it slightly acidic. Salicylic acid and vitamin C are also both acidic, and you’ll find that vitamin C is absorbed quickly into the skin. Therefore, using salicylic acid beforehand can increase the acidity of the skin and allow vitamin C to penetrate into the skin faster.
While this is considered an effective way to combine two powerful ingredients, you need to be aware of your skin type and how it reacts to certain active ingredients. Even people with perfect, normal skin can experience skin sensitivity and irritation. Therefore, always consult a doctor or dermatologist before using any new products on your skin.
It’s also important to follow skin application rules. In this case, you need to use the product correctly to ensure you get the best results for your skin. If you’re not sure what I mean, the basic rule for skin is to start with the thinnest consistency and work your way up to the thickest consistency. This prevents a barrier from forming on the surface, preventing other active ingredients from penetrating the skin.
Can I use salicylic acid at night and vitamin C in the morning?
Yes, absolutely, this is considered the most effective way to get returns without any adverse side effects. This is because there is enough time between applications to ensure that the skin’s pH levels return to balance.
You’ll also find that Vitamin C is rich in antioxidants and is perfect for use in the morning to ensure your skin is protected and looking its healthiest. Due to the small size of salicylic acid molecules, it is an acid that is able to reach the deepest parts of the skin. While this is effective at keeping skin clear, it also increases the risk of irritation and photosensitivity. Therefore, many people prefer to use powerful BHAs in their evening routine without exposure to UV rays, pollution, or harsh weather.
Warning: If you avoid using sunscreen every day, none of these ingredients will do what your skin needs. The combination of chemical peels and powerful ingredients increases the risk of further damage to the skin’s surface. Use SPF 50 every day to keep your skin protected and your lipid barrier healthy, even on cloudy days, keeping your skin in top condition.
