Biotin for Hair:
There are several vitamins that play a part in growing thick, healthy, strong hair.
Biotin is one of the only natural supplements backed by science that show growth for those having deficiencies.
That said, as a new mom struggling with postpartum hair loss I was curious if it would be a hero product to help.
Postpartum Hairloss:
My doctor shared with me that after giving birth (along with a hormone/estrogen drop) a mother's body sheds the vitamins they have been holding onto while pregnant.
This sudden shedding can lead to a sudden deficiency extremely common in postpartum women.
The vitamins shed include vitamins needed to grow and maintain strong and healthy hair, and often times hair is the last to be replenished. T
his is why it is so common for postpartum hair loss and shedding to occur.
Additionally, your body really is still reeling and recovering from pregnancy and healing from childbirth, at the same time you are most likely experiencing insufficient sleep, skipped meals, and exhaustion.
Moms really are superheroes.
What is Biotin?
Biotin is part of the Vitamin B family. A water-soluble vitamin that your body needs to convert certain nutrients into energy.
Biotin also plays a significant role in the health of your hair, skin, and nails along with managing blood sugar levels.
If you aren't getting enough biotin, you may notice your hair shedding, dry eyes, brittle hair, fatigue, loss of appetite, insomnia, depression and even a red scaly rash (also often seen in postpartum women).
Supporting Studies:
While limited studies have been done a 2015 study (by the Hindawi group) gave women who were experiencing thinning and shedding hair a biotin pill for 90 days with digital images taken of affected areas of the scalp before the study began. (image 1 below shows hair before supplementation began)
Within 90 days the participants had a significant amount of new hair growth along with a decrease in hair shedding (see new hair growth in image 2).
There have been other studies providing similar results in regards to growth and slowing of hair shedding.
Where to get Biotin:
For those not experiencing sudden postpartum vitamin deficiencies, biotin can be consumed by upping ones intake of biotin rich foods such as: eggs (specifically the yolk), bananas, cauliflower, mushrooms, soybeans and nuts to name a few.
As it’s a water soluble vitamin, overcooking can kill it. Go for non processed ingredients if trying to add biotin rich foods, and eat as fresh as possible while not overcooking your food.
As a supplement, there are capsules, tablets, and most recently gummy forms like the Baby Blues postpartum hair loss vitamins with biotin to take. When supplementing you should start to notice a difference within 90 days in regards to growth and hair texture and shine.
The thought is the longer you consume your supplement the better your results should be.
Will biotin prevent my hair loss?
Yes and no.
Since I’ve started taking biotin in the Baby Blues postpartum hair vitamins, my hair and nails are definitely stronger. I've been taking for three months which really is necessary to gauge the effects of adding a supplement into your routine.
My hair feels stronger and less thin one hundred percent, but the shedding that goes along with postpartum hair loss is hormonal so don't expect a 100% decrease, as there will still be some of that hormonal shed.
The biggest difference I've found between two pregnancies is how much quicker my hair regrowth has taken place and how much faster it grows now.
Baby Blues Vitamins for Postpartum Hair Loss contains 6000 mcg of Biotin per serving (along with a combination of collagen, vitamin c, d, a, zinc, folate and more) and has proven to be a highly effective way to replenish vitamins and encourage new and faster hair growth in the postpartum period.
