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 Knowledge drop: In your 20s, your skin cell turnover decreases. (Cell turnover is a key component in keeping your skin youthful.) You know what else slows down? Your collagen production. Starting in your 20s, collagen decreases by about 1 percent per year. Should you want to prevent fine lines and wrinkles, start by eliminating behaviors that contribute to premature aging. “If it’s bad for you, it’s bad for your skin,” says dermatologist Michel Somenek.
“Cigarette smoking reduces blood flow to the skin and causes premature wrinkling and a dull skin texture. Making the repeated pursed motion to inhale can also cause smoker’s lines. Alcohol and recreational drugs are toxins for the skin that damage its cellular structure and DNA,” Somenek tells us. “The faster you eliminate vices while you are young, the better chance your skin and body have to recuperate.” Also, adopting an anti-aging routine in your 20s is key. After all, the best offense is a good defense. We spoke to Somenek and experts Joshua Ross and Audrey Kunin to find out more.
Keep reading for the best anti-aging products for your 20s, according to skincare professionals.
Sunscreen
“We all know that the sun is the number one cause of skin aging and starting the prevention in your 20s is very important,” Ross says. “The majority of your sun damage won’t start to appear until you’re in your 30s, so don’t wait until you see it surface or you’ll be behind the curve. Stay ahead of it with a good-quality zinc-based sunscreen worn daily.”
Farmacy Green Defense Daily Mineral Sunscreen
An invisible sunscreen with SPF 30, plus botanical extracts meant to protect skin with tons of antioxidants. Bonus: It’s clean and fine to use under makeup.
Bareminerals Complexion Rescue™ Tinted Moisturizer Broad Spectrum SPF 30
Although we recommend you use your SPF and moisturizer separately, we also understand moments when you don’t have time or energy for that extra step. For those times, this bareMinerals moisturizer is a great thing to have on hand.
Vitamin C Serum
“A great introduction to anti-aging is to start with a vitamin C serum in your morning skincare routine,” Ross says. “It’s a powerful antioxidant that will neutralize free radicals and brighten the skin.” He adds that it’s a great way to counteract the effects of the sun’s harmful rays, which, as previously mentioned, are among the biggest causes of premature aging.
Drunk Elephant C-Firma™ Vitamin C Day Serum
The Drunk Elephant C-Firma is a lightweight serum that promises to give skin a glow by combining the brightening powers of vitamin C with ferulic acid, l-ascorbic acid, and vitamin E. The included sodium hyaluronate is meant to replace hydration loss, so you shouldn’t have to deal with any irritation.
Sunday Riley C.E.O. Rapid Flash Brightening Serum
This potent serum is jam-packed with vitamin C (15 percent, to be exact), which means it’s a potential superstar at both brightening skin and dousing it in antioxidants.
Peptides
Using peptides on your skin has many benefits, says Somenek. “The skin barrier is what defends the body against pollution, UV rays, bacteria, and toxins. It can be damaged by several everyday factors. Using topical peptides aids in building a stronger barrier,” he says. “Peptides comprise elastic fibers, which are a type of protein. These fibers help to make skin appear taut and firm. Peptides can also help repair damaged skin, relieve inflammation, and even out skin tone. Some peptides can kill acne-causing bacteria that is common in 20-somethings.”
Kunin agrees, saying, “Peptides are an excellent entry point for supporting collagen.” She recommends looking for face and eye treatments that contain these collagen-boosting powerhouses.
Charlotte Tilbury Magic Eye Rescue Cream
This Charlotte Tilbury super-emollient eye cream has a base of coconut oil and shea butter (read: it’s incredibly hydrating). Botanicals plus peptides are meant to help reduce dark circles and boost collagen, respectively.
This creamy moisturizer serves up potent collagen-boosting peptides and pycnogenol, and antioxidant-rich vitamin C. “Instead of sitting on top of the skin, peptides penetrate the outer layer so they go deep. The ‘signals’ they send tell the cells to produce elastin and collagen, which are needed for youthful-looking skin,” explains Somenek.
At-Home Peel Pads
Remember that skin cell turnover fiasco we talked about earlier? One way to help support it is by exfoliating. “Exfoliation is important to help keep skin fresh and luminous,” Kunin says. She recommends using at-home peel pads as an easy and effective way to exfoliate.
“The goal in your 20s is to fight the slowing pace of cell turnover. It is wise to use products that gently exfoliate, yet still remove oil and other impurities. Products that have Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHA) or Beta Hydroxy Acids (BHA) are a good choice.”
According to Somenek, you should only exfoliate two to three times a week. “People of all ages are guilty of over-exfoliating and that can be too much of a good thing,” he says.
Dermadoctor Kakadu C Intensive Vitamin C Peel Pad
A few swipes of this Derma Doctor powerful peel pad promise to leave your skin glowing and smooth, thanks to the seven (yes, seven) types of chemical exfoliants, including AHA and BHA. It also contains vitamin C via Kakadu plum extract for added brightening and antioxidant protection.
KEY INGREDIENTS Kakadu plum extract is sourced from the Kakadu plum, a fruit grown in northern Australia. It contains vitamin C, which restores the skin’s natural barrier, increases collagen production, and soothes irritation.
Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Alpha Beta® Universal Daily Peel Pads
These are the gold standard of peel pads, with a cult following and over 900 five-star reviews on Sephora. They’re easy to use and contain a blend of anti-aging exfoliating acids.
Emollient Night Cream
“In your 20s, you need to start upping the hydration in your skincare routine. You may have been cautious of over-moisturizing because of acne in your teens, but as you enter your 20s, your skin transitions and becomes drier,” Ross says. “I recommend an emollient night cream added into your evening skincare regimen.”
“Twenty-somethings need to make sure that they are not using creams that will clog their pores and cause excess oil production,” says Somenek. Opt for non-comedogenic products.
Cerave Skin Renewing Night Cream
One great choice is the CeraVe Skin Renewing Night Cream, which is a non-comedogenic night cream that leaves skin soft and glowy. It combines the moisturizing powers of ceramides and hyaluronic acid.
RoC Retinol Correxion Max Hydration Creme
“The best night cream ingredients contain retinol, benzoyl peroxide, and/or salicylic acid or hyaluronic acid. The goal is to moisturize, yet remove excess oil,” says Somenek. This Roc Retinol Correxion cream fits the bill as it contains both hyaluronic acid and retinol so it promises to moisturize while also being non-comedogenic.
