Taking Biotin After Hair Transplant

After having a hair transplant, some of the most important things that can shape the success of your surgery are the post-surgery instructions and medications our Surgeons will give to you. You may also choose to take certain medications or supplements that can speed up the healing process of your scalp, accelerate hair growth and increase the quality of hair in the transplanted area. One of these supplements is biotin. In this article we will explore whether you can take biotin after having a hair transplant.

What is biotin?

Vitamin B7 or biotin, as it is popularly called, is one of the eight B-group vitamins. It is water soluble, and can be found naturally in some foods like salmon, beef, avocado, nuts, and seeds. It is also available as a dietary supplement.

In the human body, biotin plays numerous roles. It assists in the breakdown of food materials like carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. It also helps in regulating gene activity and cellular signals. Its deficiency has been shown to cause skin rashes, hair loss, and brittle nails ^1,2.

How can biotin benefit the hair?

Promiting keratin production

Biotin has been shown to play a role in the production of keratin — the structural protein that’s found in our hair, nails, and skin. As a fibrous protein, it forms the strands of our hair. Just as you might have thought, keratin deficiency can cause thinning of the hair and ultimately hair loss.

Generally, if the human body isn’t able to make enough keratin, secondary to a poor diet, the hair and nails are usually the first to suffer. They may begin to grow at a slower rate, with nails becoming less shiny and brittle, and hair becoming coarse and thin in texture. In fact, it is this role of keratin in hair maintenance that has prompted many to go for the “keratin treatments,” which come with benefits like:

• A smoother and shinier hair
• A stronger hair strand
• And a better hair porosity

In research published in the Biotechnology Reports Journal, keratin, when applied to hairs that have been damaged by chemicals, can increase hair diameter by up to 49%, and increase their mechanical strength by about two fold after a single treatment. It also significantly straightened curly hair³.

Biotin can potentially support hair growth

There is some evidence to suggest Biotin can promote hair growth however the evidence is not robust. It has mainly been shown to promote hair growth in individuals who are already deficient in Biotin however this is rare for patients who have a balanced western diet ⁴.

Whilst most research studies show that biotin deficiency is not that common, some findings have suggested otherwise. Findings published in the International Journal of Trichology, suggested biotin deficiency was found to occur in around 38% of the women complaining of hair loss.

Taking biotin after your hair transplant

For patients who have just had their hair transplant, it is essential that you take all the necessary precautions and medications that can help your hair surgery to become a success. Apart from taking very good care of your transplanted hair, intake of vitamins and minerals must not be underestimated. Some of these nutrients have the ability to boost hair production, improve hair shine and strength, and also prevent unnecessary hair loss. In general, intake of the B-complex vitamins such as biotin, is a great way to start.

Just like we have seen earlier, biotin possesses some properties that may be beneficial to your newly transplanted hair follicles. It may help your hair to grow faster, and increase the quality of both the new and existing hair strands on your scalp. This will benefit not only the transplanted hair but also the rest of the hair on the scalp.

Sources of biotin

The human body does not produce biotin. And since it is a water-soluble vitamin, it is not stored in the body for long, as it gets discarded via the urine.

The main source of Biotin will come from diet and supplements. The foods rich in Biotin are meats, eggs, fish, nuts, and seeds. Just a whole cooked egg can provide as much as 10 mcg of biotin. About 3 ounces of cooked beef liver can provide 30.8 mcg of biotin, which is slightly more than the daily recommended intake amount for biotin.

In supplements, biotin can be found in a B-complex mixture along with other vitamins that can help with hair growth. It can also be found as a biotin-only supplement.

How much biotin should you take after your hair transplant?

According to the Food and Nutrition Board (FNB), the adequate intake for biotin for adults that are 19 years and above is set at 30 mcg and 35 mcg for males and females respectively.

Apart from biotin, what else should you consider after your hair transplant?

Biotin is not the only nutrient that can be recommended for hair transplant patients. Others like vitamin C, zinc, vitamin A, vitamin D, and vitamin E also get recommended to patients by health care professionals.

Vitamin C in particular, can aid scalp healing due to its involvement in all the phases of wound healing ⁵.

Summary

There isn’t strong evidence to suggest Biotin is important to take after having a hair transplant but it can potentially help with supporting hair growth and strength. After a hair transplant surgery, some doctors can recommend biotin to help aid recovery and growth. Patients can take Biotin in the form of supplements of increase their dietary intake of the vitamin.

If you are exploring having a hair transplant, book your consultation today. Our lead surgeons will be more than happy to give you more information on the personalised hair transplant service we offer at The Treatment Rooms London.

References

1. https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/biotin-vitamin-b7/
2. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Biotin-HealthProfessional/
3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6218806/
4. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5582478/
5. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24796079