Biotin

[Bambi]

Hi!

So I've just started to take biotin as of today and would love to hear about your experiences, the good and the bad.

Love Bambi.

[raingirl]

I got horrid cystic acne within 24 hours of taking it. If I stopped, the acne went away. If I tried, it came back. :(

[Ambrielle]

if i were you i'd start with smaller doses and see how you get along with it (skin and what not), then increase slowly if you feel the need to. Also make sure you keep hydrated and it may be best to take a vitamin B supplement along with it so that you keep things balanced in regards to the b vitamins. I took biotin years ago and did not notice any drastic difference on my hair growth wise, i admit i wasn't checking though. I remember breaking out a bit more than usual but i had no problem with lower doses and as long as i kept myself hydrated. I prefer to focus on a healthy diet and get my biotin intake from food (on most days i eat an egg or two).

[jacqueline101]

I use to take it and found nothing in the way of acne or hair growth. I gave it up due to having a metallic taste. I'm still having it so I'm taking my multivitamin every other day.

[Agnes Hannah]

I have used Biotin for about a year now. My growth has been just over 7" this year. I cant say for sure if my growth has increased due to taking it as I hadn't monitored it before. However, Biotin is also good for diabetics and I am one. I have had no bad effects whilst taking Biotin. Good luck

[Bambi]

if i were you i'd start with smaller doses and see how you get along with it (skin and what not), then increase slowly if you feel the need to. Also make sure you keep hydrated and it may be best to take a vitamin B supplement along with it so that you keep things balanced in regards to the b vitamins. I took biotin years ago and did not notice any drastic difference on my hair growth wise, i admit i wasn't checking though. I remember breaking out a bit more than usual but i had no problem with lower doses and as long as i kept myself hydrated. I prefer to focus on a healthy diet and get my biotin intake from food (on most days i eat an egg or two).

Thanks:).
I do eat other B-vitamins aswell and tries to keep my skin hydrated so that's good. I'm not very keen on breaking out so I will stop taking them if I do. Also I got the lowest dose I think.

[Belle Paix]

I've broken out horribly if I take more than 2000 mcg per day. My skin seems to do okay at this dose though.

[Bambi]

Maybe if you make sure to take it in conjunction with other vitamins and drink a lot of water, it could work? I'm taking it with as follows: vitamin D, Vitamin B, cod liver oil and zinc....fingers x-ex. I'm thinking of trying to start with Biotin every other day to begin with....:).

[Savvyhorsez]

I've been taking a high dose for a long time now, maybe a year or more? And I think it has helped the health of my hair, skin, and nails, not so sure it helps with it growing faster, but perhaps with some it could help by making the hair stronger therefore less shedding = more length?

[curiouskitty]

I'm taking biotin at the moment. When I first started taking it, the results weren't visible to me until one month in. At one month, I began to notice that the new hair that was growing in was much thicker and 'springier', and that I generally had more volume at the top of my head (my hair before that was usually thinner and flat).

I do think that it's a great supplement to take if you really care about the health of your hair. It didn't make my hair grow any faster, but my hair now (on biotin) feels much stronger and silkier than before. Be warned however, if you're taking higher doses (5000 mcg and up, like I am) it's important to be drinking lots of water along with it - I learned the hard way, and ended up breaking out all along my chin when I first started.

[curiouskitty]

Yeah, it definitely helps with decreasing general hair loss, since the new growth emerges much stronger and thicker. That's another thing I noticed one month into taking biotin supplements.

[ickle_cat]

I had a multi-vitamin that I took that included Biotin. I took it for about a month and didn't notice any difference. Not sure that I believe anything makes the hair grow faster from the root (except maybe pregnancy), just things that stop the ends breaking off!

[Bambi]

I double-checked the dose and it's 1000 mcg so it's not very high.

[Belle Paix]

Maybe if you make sure to take it in conjunction with other vitamins and drink a lot of water, it could work? I'm taking it with as follows: vitamin D, Vitamin B, cod liver oil and zinc....fingers x-ex. I'm thinking of trying to start with Biotin every other day to begin with....:).

This could be true! Right now I'm taking Folic Acid, Biotin, MSM, Zinc, and I'm going to add Gelatin this weekend. So far, my skin is tolerating it. Also, in all honesty, I could do much better on my water intake :)

[Ambrielle]

I double-checked the dose and it's 1000 mcg so it's not very high.

yes, that was a tolerable dosage for me too :thumbsup: you seem to be well informed already.
if i recall i was okay with double that amount a day but this will vary from individual to individual, some can barely tolerate 300. I am inclined to believe the people who notice a huge difference from taking b7 are those who may be a bit deficient in this vitamin diet wise, if you know what i mean, so correcting the deficiency would reflect on the health of their hair as well. I tend to be vitamin D, calcium & iron deficient, as soon as i incresed the amount of iron rich foods in my diet i noticed my hair started to grow much faster, became shinier and my nails are not brittle anymore. Same thing happened when i included spirulina in my diet (powder version) which is rich in protein.

[M-L-E]

I took biotin and my hair was noticeably shinier and fuller after about 3 weeks, particularly where it wasn't highlighted. Not sure about growth as I wasn't measuring back then... I took it with a B vitamin complex, but broke out so badly that i had to stop! I am, however, VERY prone to acne and many people find biotin actually improves their skin as well as their hair... I think it is worth a shot anyway:)

[Elly May]

I have taken biotin for about 3 years and have definitely seen a difference in my nails and hair. My hair is thicker and stronger, although I can't say whether or not it grows faster. My nails used to be so weak that they stayed broken off at the quick, and now I have to keep them cut or they get too long. It has definitely helped me. I have had cystic acne since I was about 13 (I'm 47 now) and it has not caused any increase in my acne, but each person is different.

[arr]

I took 5000mcg for a little over a month and it caused my scalp to become extremely tender and sore to the point I could barely brush my hair and I couldn't wear it up. It was terrible. I did some research online and found that other people had this experience. I know it was the biotin because it started about 5 days after I began taking it and got worse and worse until I finally made the connection and stopped taking it and my scalp felt completely normal in 3 days. Nothing else in my diet, routine or life changed during that time. Also I didn't notice any appreciable difference in my hair but my nails were better than ever. I might just be particularly sensitive though because I gave the rest of the bottle to my friend (she insisted, I wanted to throw it) and she had no problems.

[Bambi]

yes, that was a tolerable dosage for me too :thumbsup: you seem to be well informed already.
if i recall i was okay with double that amount a day but this will vary from individual to individual, some can barely tolerate 300. I am inclined to believe the people who notice a huge difference from taking b7 are those who may be a bit deficient in this vitamin diet wise, if you know what i mean, so correcting the deficiency would reflect on the health of their hair as well. I tend to be vitamin D, calcium & iron deficient, as soon as i incresed the amount of iron rich foods in my diet i noticed my hair started to grow much faster, became shinier and my nails are not brittle anymore. Same thing happened when i included spirulina in my diet (powder version) which is rich in protein.

I'm a bit deficient in folic-acid(B6 and B12) and vitamin D so we'll see:). My skin has just started to clear up and look good(knock on wood) so the minute I sense a zit forming I will quit.

[diddiedaisy]

I've taken biotin for a year now. It doesn't make my hair grow faster, but I have terrific amount of new growth. I actually found lhc while looking for advice on hair loss. I started taking biotin, msm and multi vit at the same time. Within a couple of weeks my hair had stopped dropping out (please note hair loss was due to stress and weightloss, nothing medical). My first layer of new growth at the back nape area is now cbl, the hair that grows just above the ears is now shoulder length, these two areas where the most effected by hair loss. It seems to be stronger and thicker, but as I'm used to looking at wispy fairy tail ends it could be a trick of the eye.

Although I take a high dose, 10,000mg a day, I do have digestion issues and I would not recommend such high doses. My gp is aware of my dosage. I plan on reducing that amount over the course of this year when my weight has stabled. It helps me digest my food better. I have had no bad effects from biotin, but I did build it up slowly.

You must always be aware that you can overdose on water soluble supplements. They still have to go through your kidneys after all.

[kitcatsmeow]

I got horrid cystic acne within 24 hours of taking it. If I stopped, the acne went away. If I tried, it came back. :(

Yep. Not within 24 hours but...yep. I've lowered and spread my dosage now. I find I do ok with 600 mcg every other day but still will have a bump appear so I'm trying every 3 days now or basically twice a week. You may be able to still add it to your supps but just once a week for a little boost!

[curlylocks85]

I have found Biotin has increased my growth by 1/4 -1/2 inches in any given month. I have not experienced any negative aspects about it either. :)

[AmethystLily]

It was a no-go for me due to the fact that it worsened my acne. I didn't use it long enough to know if it would affect my hair in any way.

[luvlonghair75]

Interesting thread! This is a vitamin I'm seriously thinking about taking. My nails naturally grow fairly quickly so I wonder how it will affect my hair.

[aleighkatz]

I've been taking it for about two months. In that time I've gotten a deep blind pimple on my chin right after my past two cycles. I haven't noticed anything different about my hair yet.

[Bambi]

I've gotten something resembling a pimple on my cheek, it doesn't hurt and is soft(?). Maybe I'll try to spread the dosage as Kitcatsmeow said she does.

[Johannah]

For me, it did nothing.

[charliefarlie]

I have been taking Biotin for five weeks now and have had no bad side effects. I have extremely sensitive skin and have had to put up with mini break-outs every now and then due to my contraceptive implant so I really thought that the acne I had read about would be a problem for me, but it really hasn't! I started off taking small amounts and have gradually increased the quantity. I am also drinking lots of water each day which is a must. I cannot pinpoint for sure that biotin has made my hair grow faster, as I am also taking other vitamins and have a whole hair routine, but I do think that it has contributed a lot to how healthy and strong my hair is now!
I also take a vitamin b complex alongside the biotin, which somebody has recommended in this thread already.

All the best. :o

[Bambi]

So a tiny update!
I spread the dosage now and it seems like my hair has a growth spurt or something? I did a little trim January 12th and now it feels even longer than before I cut it. I have been taking other supplements too, but yeeeah I'm not complaining ;).

[chen bao jun]

I took a hair skin and nails that had 600 mcg but now they have increased that and I'm scared to take more,

[monaaa75]

I have fine and thin hair and never had acne im my life. Im on biotin for 1.5 year. It doubled amount of my hair, seriously it is the best thing that ever happened to it. I was taking 10mg per day which is a lot, after few months I got blackheads on my back and chest and my chin and also acne in my hairline but it wasnt that bad and I ignored it bcz i could see HOW MUCH new hair were growing on my head. just recently i decreased my dose to 2,5 mg per day bcz my chin was looking very bad and i got tired of it. now my face cleared (washing face with honey in the morning helps A LOT), I still have some blackheads on my back and chest but I believe it will disapear soon, and I will never stop taking biotin bcz it gave new life to my hair ;) obviously If you want to see the difference you need to grow completely new hair with biotin, there is nothing you can do for old hair.

[afinemess]

I started taking Biotin after experience extreme hair loss caused by medication. Within two weeks of starting Biotin, my hair completely and totally stopped falling out in handfuls. That was almost a year ago, and now my hair has done a 180. It's much more shiny, softer, stronger, and I have lots of new growth as well. I take 10,000 mcg daily. I haven't personally had any side effects like acne, but I know lots of people do. I think it's always worth a try if someone wants to improve their hair health.

[Auni]

I've taken biotin for a about a year, and while I can't really say that it makes my hair grow faster, I do notice significantly less hair fall, like, hardly any! When I forget to take it for a few days, my hair sheds like crazy again. Haven't noticed any skin issues, if anything, I think it's evened out my skin tone! I get 600mcg in a hair skin and nails multivitamin.

[jenrjen]

I take a biotin/keratin supplement. It is 10,000 mcg and 100 mg keratin. I've only been taking it two months, but I'm impressed. I have no idea if it is helping my hair, but I had JUST cut all my nails to the quick due to the massive peeling I get. They are now past my fingertips enough to "click" as I type this and they are rock hard. I've never had hard nails before!
I also think it is what is responsible for my improved skin. Within about two weeks, my skin really cleared up and sometimes is kind of "glowy." I didn't have any breakouts, but I drink lots of water. My skin hasn't looked this good in like 15 years.
I know I have vitamin issues due to health concerns, so of course YMMV. I also take 10000 whatever-units of Vit D (per my doctor's orders) and fish oil and a prenatal multi. (I need the iron.)

[monaaa75]

I have fine and thin hair and never had acne im my life. Im on biotin for 1.5 year. It almost http://pho.to/8vGMzdoubled amount of my hair, seriously it is the best thing that ever happened to it. I was taking 10mg per day which is a lot, after few months I got blackheads on my back and chest and my chin and also acne in my hairline but it wasnt that bad and I ignored it bcz i could see HOW MUCH new hair were growing on my head. just recently i decreased my dose to 2,5 mg per day bcz my chin was looking very bad and i got tired of it. now my face cleared (washing face with honey in the morning helps A LOT), I still have some blackheads on my back and chest but they are also clearing up, and I will never stop taking biotin bcz it gave new life to my hair obviously If you want to see the difference you need to grow completely new hair with biotin, there is nothing you can do for old hair. check our my results: http://pho.to/8vGMz http://pho.to/8vGMz

[lapushka]

Whenever I see a biotin thread, I remember to post this informative blog post on it (for whoever wants to read it):
http://igorsbelltower.blogspot.be/p/infamous-biotin-rant.html

[Fleurdelafleur]

I start taking biotin today! I'm also taking multi vitamins with it to balance the (B) vitamins out so I hope I don't get acne. I will only be using it for a month though. I've read that it's better to use it for a maximum of 2,5 months. It's a fun experiment :) I will check how much it grows and get back to you.

Xx Fleur

[Ashflower89]

I tried it for 7-8 months while trying to grow out a pixie.... I'm really not sure if it sped up growth or improved anything, but I didn't have any acne issues like some people said either. Guess I just took it "just in case" it did help at all.

[RancheroTheBee]

Whenever I see a biotin thread, I remember to post this informative blog post on it (for whoever wants to read it):
http://igorsbelltower.blogspot.be/p/infamous-biotin-rant.html

I always think of this, too. Another woman here experienced kidney failure, which she attributed to biotin OD, after taking what some people here regard as a "reasonable" dose (5000 mcg, if I remember correctly?)

I would caution against experimenting with megadoses, especially since that seems to be how people often recommend biotin here. Personally, I DO take biotin... but the dose is 166 mcg, and it's part of a multivitamin (which I don't even take the full dose of, because the vitamin A content seems dangerously high for me). Faster hair is not worth kidney damage, IMO, and any supplement where you're going to pee out the excess is going to put strain on your kidneys.

[Cattiva]

I just recently stopped taking extra Biotin, about 3 weeks ago, after being on it for 2 and 1/2 years. I have thin, fine hair that was falling out after a recent surgery. What I noticed most since taking the 5000mcg from Nature's Bounty was more acne, bad acne. After realizing that the amount I was taking was ridiculous (3 months in), I changed to 1000mcg and stuck to it. No change in the acne flare ups, still happened just as regularly/bad. As far as hair growth, though? I noticed new hair growth within a few months of first starting the supplement. I was so happy to have baby hairs sticking out all over my head that I figured screw my skin for the time being!

Now, the only Biotin I get is in my food and in my morning Multivitamin (400mcg). My acne has calmed down considerably and my skin is practically cleared. I was nervous about stopping the extra, I didn't want to lose my hair again! I had to come to my senses about Biotin; it isn't a miracle pill, but it can and does help some people, including me, sometimes with side effects (:mad:). Just don't do what I did, theres's no need to OD on it. :p

[aligamergirl]

I still can't tell if it works or not. And that blogspot...

So...is it worth starting supplements at that 225 or not?

[M.McDonough]

I've never tried using Biotin, but I'm thinking about these days..it might help speed up the growth process..go for it

ETA:

I got horrid cystic acne within 24 hours of taking it. If I stopped, the acne went away. If I tried, it came back. :(

Yeah, I think they're too strong for you

[endlessly]

I got horrid cystic acne within 24 hours of taking it. If I stopped, the acne went away. If I tried, it came back. :(

Exact same thing happened to me, it was absolutely horrendous. So, for that very reason, I'm not taking it. My doctor said the reason was because it was probably too high of a dosage and that I wasn't drinking enough water, but the only way to stop the awful breakouts was to discontinue using the Biotin. I'm sure it does wonderful things for some other people, but I'm not a fan!

If anyone is planning on starting a vitamin regimen with Biotin, I'd recommend talking to your physician first just to make sure you're not taking a higher dosage than you should be.

[Deborah]

I have taken 5000 mg of Biotin daily for many years now. I originally tried it for my hair, and saw absolutely no difference. (My hair has always grown very fast naturally, so maybe that's why there was no difference.) But I did notice that my fingernails became stronger and stopped splitting and breaking. That's why I still take it. I have had liver tests because of a medicine I used to take, and have no damage there, so I don't worry about it.