Whether you just gave yourself quarantine bangs you now regret or want waist-length hair by summertime, many of us are trying to grow out our hair efficiently and healthily. To do this, it’s important to consult haircare experts to know what the right products are— we took care of that for you!
We spoke with hairstylists and cosmetologists to find one vital serum ingredient to help you grow out your hair healthily.
Why Biotin Is Effective for Hair Growth
Biotin, also called vitamin B7 and vitamin H, is water soluble, meaning the body does not store it. Daily intake is necessary for healthy skin, eyes, and liver and of course, hair. While biotin can be obtained through foods like egg yolks, nuts, soybeans, etc., our expert sources also recommend using serums with biotin as a main ingredient for healthier and longer hair.
“Vitamin B7 is an essential nutrient found in the body that takes part in bringing oxygen to the hair through red blood cells,” says Rodrigo Galvao, hairstylist at GEM House in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. “This can be taken in a vitamin form or as a serum topically applied to the scalp and massaged in to promote even more blood flow to the scalp.”
Biotin serums, Galvao explains, can help in the fight against hair thinning since biotin deficiencies are often a contributing factor of hair loss.
Hair expert and cosmetologist Ghanima Abdullah adds that whether you’re taking it as a supplement or using it topically, biotin is “bringing nutrients to the hair follicle where they are needed most.” There are a lot of biotin shampoos on the market, and while these will help, she says, only a limited amount of biotin will actually reach inside the hair follicles (where hair grows) because you’re going to wash it off.
“It’s better to use a water-based serum with biotin, as water-based products reach inside the hair follicles and are going to stay there and do their work, at least until the next wash,” says Abdullah.
Another benefit of biotin is that aids in improving the structural integrity of keratin, which Abdullah notes makes up the outer layer of our body’s cells including hair, nails, and skin. “Hair health may be improved by using it regularly for several months,” she says.
Now that you know the benefits biotin can provide for your hair, we asked our experts about other popular serum ingredients as well.
Breaking Down Other Common Serum Ingredients
While biotin has been proven to help with hair thinning, Galvao says that the "most common active ingredient" in cosmetics is minoxidil, to help with hair growth, thinning and loss.
"Minoxidil applied to the scalp, in a serum or even a foam will aid in widening the blood vessels and increasing blood flow," says Galvao. "This will encourage new hair growth by allowing more oxygen and nutrients to the scalp, preventing hair loss. " This, he says is one of the leading active ingredients to treat alopecia, a known type of hair loss.
Abdullah says that biotin is still the "fastest hair growth component" she's found in her experience compared to other common ones. "I've tried caffeine, castor oil, peppermint and pumpkin seed oil, which are all hair growth ingredients, but I've never seen results that come as fast as biotin," Abdullah says. "I've actually seen hair thickening at the roots and around the edges in as little as three weeks."
She advises to look for a serum with "multiple hair growth ingredients," as different bodies take better to different things.
Acne-prone users should proceed with caution, Abdullah says, as "maybe a bout of acne" is a potential side effect if you "go too fast assimilating biotin into your routine." The way to prevent this is by trying to use a biotin serum once a week, then twice a week before you start using it every day.
Overall the best serum ingredients for you personally can always be determined by you your doctor and hair specialist.
Knowing the potential biotin has for hair growth and hearing directly from experts can also help you on your journey to find products that fit your current hair growth needs and goals.
