Biotin Shampoo Is Said To Help Hair Grow - But Does It Really Work?

Stuck with hair that refuses to grow or get any thicker? The truth about your thinning hair varies from person to person, but it can definitely be frustrating to feel like your locks aren't doing what you want them to now matter how hard you try. All of our scalps are different and you shouldn't necessarily be concerned about your thinning hair unless the change has happened suddenly and without an obvious cause. 

Still, there is one ingredient that could potentially make a big difference. Enter biotin shampoo. As an ingredient, biotin helps with healthy skin and hair, as well as treating hair loss, brittle nails, and potentially even diabetes. Although most people already receive enough biotin in their diet, the growing number of biotin supplements on the market suggests we all think we need a little more of it. 

However, it's important to note that biotin taken orally will have different health benefits than biotin applied topically like in a shampoo. If you're looking to see whether biotin shampoo could work for you and promote hair growth, we've gathered up everything you need to know below.

Board-certified hair surgeon Dr. Gary Linkov spoke to MarthaStewart.com about whether biotin lives up to its reputation for promoting hair growth. Unfortunately for those who are looking to grow their locks fast, the answer is no, biotin shampoos will not encourage more growth. As Dr. Linkov explained, "These shampoos can give more volume and texture, but they will not grow new hairs, or affect hairs at the follicular level." 

Likewise, even if biotin was able to work that way, the shampoo likely wouldn't be on your head long enough for it to be properly absorbed. This issue was brought up by consultant trichologist Zoe Passam, too. As Passam told Glamour, "Using a topical biotin is very unlikely to have a beneficial effect on hair growth" because the shampoo is "diluted and rinsed off quickly," meaning it simply wouldn't have enough time to work. 

Simply put, you'll be wasting your money if you buy a special biotin-infused shampoo expecting it to make your hair magically grow faster.

Nevertheless, biotin shampoo may have some other benefits besides hair growth. According to board-certified dermatologist Hadley King, M.D., "When applied topically, there is some evidence that biotin may strengthen existing strands and minimize splits and breakage," (via Real Simple). Still, King did note that these shampoos are marketed toward and formulated for "thin, fine hair," meaning it's difficult to tell whether they would have the same effect on thicker hair.

Interestingly, when InStyle tested biotin shampoo for three weeks, they noticed that it left hair feeling super clean and didn't result in an itchy scalp either. There was also less noticeable breakage as a result of consistently using the biotin shampoo. A little went a long way too, so you won't feel like you're (literally) pouring money down the drain if you do decide to try it out. 

Overall, biotin shampoo won't give you the long, luscious locks of your dreams all by itself, but when used in tandem with other products it could help to improve the condition of your hair and give you an overall healthier scalp too.