Liquid Biotin for Hair Growth: Is It Effective?

If you’ve looked into supplements for stronger, healthier and thicker hair, you’ve almost certainly heard of biotin.

What Is Liquid Biotin?

Liquid biotin is exactly what it sounds like — the popular vitamin biotin in liquid form. 

Biotin liquid supplements usually come in a flavored liquid. You’ll also get a dropper, allowing you to take a precise amount of the liquid vitamin with each serving.

Beyond liquid supplements, you can find the vitamin in a variety of biotin-rich foods, such as eggs, bananas, and milk. You can also get it in other formulations, including pills, capsules, collagen hair-growth drops with vitamin B7, and biotin gummies in yummy berry flavors.

Some biotin supplements are vegan, while others may contain beef gelatin. And collagen supplements containing biotin usually won’t be vegan.

What Does Biotin Do?

Biotin itself is a B vitamin needed for overall health and wellness. It’s used in many critical processes within the body and helps break down substances such as fats and carbohydrates.

Biotin is also involved in regulating gene expression, cell signaling, and amino acid function.

As with many other essential vitamins, when your body is deficient in biotin, things don’t work quite as well as they should. 

If you have a biotin deficiency, you may develop: 

• Thinning hair

• Brittle nails

• Irritated skin

• Hair loss that affects your entire body — in the case of severe deficiency 

So, you can see why a biotin supplement could help you get healthy skin, strong nails, and a full head of hair.

Does Liquid Biotin Help Hair Growth? 

There’s not much research on liquid biotin in particular. But biotin supplements, in general, may support hair growth.

Research is mixed, though, and biotin supplements may only help in certain situations.

Research on Biotin for Hair Growth

For example, in a small 2012 study published in the Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology, 15 women with self-perceived thinning hair were sorted into two groups.

One group was treated with an oral supplement containing many ingredients, including biotin. The other group received a non-therapeutic placebo.

This study took place over 180 days, with researchers assessing hair growth after 90 and 180 days.

After 90 days:

• The women who took the active supplement roughly doubled their hair count

• Those who took the non-therapeutic placebo showed a very small reduction in hair count

The women in the supplement group maintained their results at the end of the study, with a small increase in hair count observed at 180 days. These women also reported improvements in the shininess of their hair and skin health.

Not bad, right? 

However, there are a few issues here we need to point out: 

• Women in the study all suffered from thinning hair. While the biotin supplement clearly helped them, it may not have the same effect in people without existing signs of hair thinning.

• The supplement contained a mix of ingredients. This is a key problem — participants weren’t just taking biotin. Other deficiencies can contribute to hair loss, and other hair vitamins and supplements can promote hair growth. So, it’s possible other ingredients in the supplement were contributing to participants’ hair growth.

Indeed, you’ll probably notice many liquid biotin supplements contain other ingredients like collagen, keratin, or a vitamin B complex — so it can be hard to pinpoint what’s helping if you notice positive changes.

Other research on biotin is mixed. 

A 2017 review published in Skin Appendage Disorders listed 18 reported cases that found biotin supplements improved hair growth in people with a biotin deficiency. But there isn’t enough evidence to say whether it can help those without a deficiency. 

On the other hand, a study published in the International Journal of Trichology in 2016 found that 38 percent of women with hair loss also have a biotin deficiency.

Does Liquid Biotin Work?

If you have a biotin deficiency, the research suggests that biotin could be effective at promoting hair growth. You might even notice glowing skin and nail growth to go along with improved hair.

However, if you don’t have a biotin deficiency, you may not notice any changes from taking biotin. 

How to Use Liquid Biotin for Hair Growth

Taking liquid biotin is simple. Most products come with a dropper, allowing you to measure the correct amount of liquid for each serving. 

Use the dropper to carefully squeeze the liquid biotin drops under your tongue, and then hold the solution there for a moment before swallowing. 

Make sure to check the dosage — and the recommended holding time — on the product label before using any liquid biotin supplement. 

Other liquid biotin supplements recommend adding the liquid to a glass of water or blending it into other beverages, like smoothies. 

Again, be sure to check the instructions on any supplement you take.

What Dosage of Liquid Biotin Should I Take for Hair Growth?

There’s no agreed-upon dosage of liquid biotin to take for hair growth — or for anything else, for that matter.

According to the Food and Nutrition Board at the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, the adequate intake of biotin is 30 micrograms (μg or mcg) a day for adults aged 19 and over.

But you can buy supplements with much more biotin than that, and studies on biotin often use much larger amounts. 

For instance, the 2017 review we mentioned earlier looked at biotin supplements ranging from 300μg three times a day to 30,000μg once a day.

Hers biotin gummies contain 300μg of biotin per serving — an amount much closer to the adequate daily intake of 30μg.

Liquid Biotin Side Effects

Biotin is generally a safe supplement. When taken at the recommended dosage, side effects are mild and uncommon. 

Currently, there’s no evidence to suggest that biotin is toxic to humans, even when taken in large amounts.

That said, large doses of biotin can cause false results for certain diagnostic tests.

For example, taking large amounts of biotin from supplements can interfere with tests used to check thyroid hormone levels. This means that if you use a biotin supplement at a high dose, it’s possible you could be misdiagnosed with a thyroid disorder.

This is an important problem to be aware of, especially because many liquid biotin supplements contain extremely high doses of vitamin B7. Some liquid biotin supplements have a whopping 100,000μg of biotin per serving.

If you use a biotin dietary supplement — especially a high-strength one — tell your healthcare provider about it if you ever take a blood test. This will help them properly interpret your test results and prevent misdiagnosis.

Other Ways to Stop Hair Loss and Stimulate Hair Growth 

Liquid biotin benefits may include increased hair growth, especially if you have thinning hair caused by a nutritional deficiency. 

But taking biotin isn’t the only way to prevent hair loss and improve hair growth — nor is it necessarily the most effective on its own. 

If you’re starting to notice hair thinning, you’ll get the best results by combining supplements like biotin with FDA-approved hair loss medication and other lifestyle changes.

Here’s what to consider. 

Minoxidil

When it comes to female hair loss, the most effective treatment on the market is the topical hair loss medication minoxidil (commonly sold under the brand name Rogaine®).

Minoxidil works by moving hair follicles into the growth phase of the hair growth cycle and stimulating blood flow to the scalp. 

It’s used to treat many different types of hair loss, including: 

• Androgenetic alopecia (female pattern hair loss)

• Alopecia areata (an autoimmune disease that causes hair loss)

• Telogen effluvium (hair loss from stress) 

You can buy over-the-counter minoxidil solution and minoxidil foam online. Both forms of the treatment can stimulate hair growth and treat thinning hair. 

For the best of both worlds, check out our combined minoxidil and biotin chew.

Hair Loss Shampoos 

Another way to stop hair loss and strengthen hair is by using a women’s hair loss shampoo and conditioner to control shedding and wash away excess sebum that can damage hair follicles.

The Hers Complete Hair Kit includes minoxidil, biotin, shampoo, and conditioner, making it easy to target hair loss and stimulate growth from every possible angle.

Lifestyle Changes for Hair Health

Beyond medications and haircare products, good habits can promote optimal growth and keep your hair strong, smooth, and thick.

Try to:

• Eat a balanced, healthy diet to ward off deficiencies

• Limit stress as much as possible

• Be gentle when you style, color, or brush your hair to avoid hair breakage

• Wear your hair in loose hairstyles and avoid pulling and tugging your hair too much

Check out our guide on how to thicken your hair for effective techniques to improve hair growth and thickness. 

Is Liquid Biotin for Hair Growth Right for You?

Biotin may help you get a healthy head of hair — along with improved skin and nail health — but the jury’s still out on whether it’s effective for everyone. 

Here’s what to keep in mind if you’re considering liquid biotin: 

• Biotin can help you regrow hair if you have a biotin deficiency. More research is needed to find out if it’s useful for those without a deficiency, though.

• Biotin supplements can interfere with blood tests. Let your healthcare provider know you take biotin if you need to get a blood test to avoid any alarming results.

• Consider other hair loss treatments alongside (or instead of) liquid biotin. Minoxidil is proven to promote hair growth, and hair loss shampoos and lifestyle changes can make a big difference to your hair health.

To get started treating hair loss and promoting optimal hair growth, check out our complete range of women’s hair loss products online.

If you’re experiencing noticeable hair thinning or hair loss, you may want to consult a healthcare professional to learn what’s causing your issue and your best treatment options.