The Truth About Biotin For Hair And Skin Health
We've all heard the claim that taking biotin will not only help your hair grow out faster but thicker. But is this claim true? Apparently, for many people, this claim is their solution for all their hair and skin issues. As seen in data collected by Google, online searches for the question "how much biotin should I take for hair loss" was up 100% in 2021. Meanwhile, the search term "best biotin for hair growth" was up 70%.
Biotin is on everyone's minds, and it's easy to see why it's in so many products now. In recent years, many companies have taken an interest in adding biotin-infused products to their lineups. With the influx of biotin products, many people have sought after the ingredient to help with their hair growth journey. But what is the truth behind biotin, and should you be investing your time and money into this ingredient?
Does biotin actually work?
Although biotin is a necessity for the body, it's untrue that biotin is solely responsible for your hair growth and skin health. According to Healthline, biotin's main role is to transform food into energy. This also helps the body's production of keratin. Keratin is the principle protein that makes up hair, nails, and skin. All of this means that one's lack of hair growth is often rooted in a biotin deficiency. Since biotin aids the production of keratin, if someone is biotin deficient, they will, therefore, have a keratin deficiency, potentially leading to hair thinning.
The claim that biotin will help with clear skin is also untrue. Paula's Choice director of applied research and education Desirée Stordahl tells InStyle that while a product that has biotin might help with skin health, it wouldn't be only because of its biotin contents. "Unfortunately, we've researched it and there are no benefits to topical biotin," she tells the outlet, which means that biotin may not be the skincare savior we all thought it was. According to Stordahl, too, there have been a significant amount of studies that don't show any large correlation between clear skin and biotin. The margin of correlation between the two is around 2% in those studied.
What supplements can work for hair and skin health?
As the Mayo Clinic explains, it's possible to help your hair and skin health without the need for supplements. Since hair is mostly made of proteins, it's important to consume enough protein in your daily diet. Protein, of course, can be found in common foods such as chicken or turkey. Furthermore, ealthy fats are responsible for making sure your skin and hair have an adequate amount of moisture. You can get your share of healthy fats from unsaturated fats, plant-based fats, or omega-3s.
Making sure you get a variety of vitamins from supplements is important for an effective strategy for hair growth and healthy skin. According to Penn Medicine, you want to avoid focusing only on one vitamin, unless you are deficient and have been directed to focus on one vitamin by your physician. Better skin and hair health results from multiple vitamins working together, and this cooperation can include biotin. While it's not fully responsible for hair growth, it can certainly help. It just needs a little help from other vitamins and proteins if it's going to succeed to its fullest potential.