Biotin Hair Growth

Biotin is a B-Complex vitamin, also called vitamin H or B7. People who have a deficiency in their body's natural production of Biotin are usually advised by their doctors to take Biotin supplements orally, in the form of capsules (caps) or tablets (tabs), in order to prevent or reduce hair loss and / or other consequences of a vitamin B7 deficiency.

In a nutshell: "maybe".... I bet you don't like that answer, so please let me explain some more. It is recognized that Biotin is not significantly absorbed through the skin or your hair's capillaries, so using a Biotin shampoo will have less effect on your actual hair growth than taking Biotin supplement caps or tabs orally, on a daily basis.

However, many women, black women or white or "any color" women, reporting that after using a good Biotin shampoo or conditioner on a daily basis, their hair has a great natural sheen and looks thicker and healthier using these topical products only. Although to my knowledge no scientific study has been conducted on Biotin shampoos or conditioners and hair growth, I have read many testimonials on hair growth and care forums that attest that there are significant benefits of using Biotin topical product for hair care.

So what are the Biotin hair growth secrets? Well, it seems that many women taking 5000 mcg to 10,000 mcg daily of a good Biotin supplement brand like Freeda or Puritan's Pride (or other) report that their hair growth rate increased by about 15% to 35%. Before you decide on taking a supplement, make sure to consult your physician or doctor to see what dose is right for you. This depends on your personal metabolism and other factors linked to your lifestyle and level of activity. Make sure to drink a lot of water regularly throughout the day.

What about Biotin hair growth side effects?
Based on my research (not scientific, but quite elaborate nevertheless), there seems to be no apparent harmful side effects reported from taking Biotin supplements.
However, some people also reported the following:

• thicker hair


• faster nail growth


• stronger nails


• increased facial or body hair (less than 6%)


• some form of temporary acne / skin reaction

Some of these effects can be viewed as positive, depending on your situation. You have to understand that unless you try out taking a Biotin supplement, you will not know:
> how Biotin affects your hair growth
> how much you should take daily
> whether you prefer tabs or caps
> what other effects it will have on your body

Good luck, and make sure you monitor your hair growth rate by taking periodical pictures and hair measurements.