There is always some skepticism when it comes to hair vitamins, with some people believing they are gold and others convinced they’re just a waste of money.
But the truth about hair growth supplements is always a little more complex than that — how well they work usually depends on what vitamin and mineral deficiencies you currently have and whether you are experiencing hair shedding from sources like stress or hormonal changes.
There has always been a bit of mystery behind supplements, something that has a lot to do with the fact that it’s a bit Wild West at the moment.
“Supplements, in general, are kind of an unregulated market. A lot of supplements are not FDA approved so we don’t get a lot of research on them,” Michelle Henry, clinical instructor at Weill Cornell Medical College, told Yahoo Lifestyle. Huffington Post reports that, according to the dermatologist, androgenetic alopecia, hypothyroidism, low levels of vitamin D and iron and traction alopecia are among the most common reasons behind hair loss.
Given these facts about hair loss, this is one of the best supplements you can take to address it.
A prescription of Finasteride is considered the gold standard for hair loss (especially in men), according to Henry. But certain vitamins and vitamin combinations may help.
And one that’s right up there: biotin.
According to Henry: “When we’re doing bloodwork and trying to asses why someone is not having optimal hair growth we look at nutrient levels. Biotin is a type of vitamin B and you get it natural in certain food, like salmon, and it is essential for nail growth and potentially hair growth as well.”
This popular hair vitamin is available in gummy form and contains biotin, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin D, Vitamin E, Vitamin B-6, Folic Acid, Vitamin B-12, Pantothenic Acid, Iodine, Zinc, Choline, Inositol, and other vitamins and minerals. With more than 4,000 mostly positive reviews, they’re easily among the first hair supplements that folks turn to when they experience thinning hair.
Here’s what one reviewer has to say about this supplement: “I was shocked when I started seeing results after two weeks, not only was my hair growing longer, the sparse areas in my edges grew back and I had new hair growing around my hair line pushing it forward. My nails also grew and hairs on the other parts of my body both wanted and unwanted lol.”
SugarBearHair Vitamins, $30, Amazon