Growing Longer Hair With Biotin

Some time ago I had posted  on my Facebook page about how fast my hair was growing and how one of the things that caused a tremendous difference was the addition of a Biotin supplement.

This post will deal with some of the more popular questions I've been asked since then. Please note that though the Biotin was the main thing encouraging hair growth it wasn't the only thing. If you want a more detailed explanation of my hair routine you can go here .

Alright,  I started taking Biotin in July of this year. I took the Sundown brand with the 5000 microgram (mcg) capsule in the High Potency formula. I chose this brand because it claimed to be an all natural formula made with vegetable rather than animal products. It comes in in an orange bottle with 60 filled capsules. The capsules are clear and are filled with a fine white powder. It is not a small capsule by any means so if you are uncomfortable swallowing pills maybe this brand is not for you. I took the capsule once a day with meals as was indicated. Biotin also has the claim of speeding up your metabolism but that is for another post.

Here are the pros and cons:

Pros
-increased the speed at which my hair grew
-increased the healing time for cuts,  scrapes and mosquito bites
-allowed for my hair to grow thicker and stronger
-improved the overall complexion of my skin by evening out my skin tone
-made my nails grow faster and stronger and longer w/o breakage or splitting.

Cons
-I had acne flare ups on my face, neck and shoulders
-it makes you suuuuper thirsty forcing you to drastically increase your liquid intake
-to control the acne you need to make sure that you're hydrating with water not any sugary drink or you will bloat

Other FAQ
-It does not have any taste and did not dissolve on my tongue
-it did not cause upset stomach or diarrhoea
-it did not increase/decrease my appetite
-it did not cause me to lose or gain weight on its own
-it didn't cause gas or bloating
-it didn't affect my menstrual cycle
-my hair did not fall out
-all your hair will grow quicker including legs , arm pits etc

I am currently finished with my second bottle and am taking a month off before continuing to take it. I've achieved the growth spurt I wanted so I might reduce the amount of micrograms I take daily.

I hope I've answered all your questions but if you have any more please feel free to leave a comment or contact me on Facebook.

Till later,
**Jane

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Tips for Growing Out Short Relaxed Hair

I chopped my hair off and regretted it almost instantly. I am now bent on getting it back to a length below my shoulders and along the way I've picked up some tricks that have given me hope that by the end of this year I will be able to get back most of my length. 

Here are are my tips:

• Supplements: More than ever, what you eat plays a role in how fast your hair grows. I hear that Biotin is good for skin and hair, so is vitamin E (I personally take this). I can't tell you which supplement will work best for you, but be sure to add one to your diet, whether in capsule form or in actual chew and swallow food
• Moisturize: moisturize your scalp at least every other day and your ends on the days in between. Dry hair becomes brittle and breaks easily. 
• Stay away from the scissors: You may think that cutting your hair every six weeks is a good idea, but until you've grown your hair a considerable length stay away from the scissors. Your hair dresser may be tempted to get as close to your original style as possible - so refuse the trim. IF things are really bad then go for not more than an inch every six weeks. Seriously. Unless you're physically splitting your split ends, your hair will be just fine
• Leave the heat alone - try to only use heat as necessary. Quit blowdrying your hair, put down the curling iron or flat iron. Truth is, hot tools flatten and singe your hair and make it brittle and dry which is basically a disaster for growing hair. 
• Set your hair, don't wrap it: setting your hair encourages it to retain moisture, it allows for air to pass through the scalp and properly ventilate it, and it protects the ends of your hair. Though wrapping may prevent frizz, it can encourage dryness on the ends of your hair and flatness. Plus your hair keeps its style longer when it is set, than when wrapped
• Skip the alcohol - check your hair products, anything that lists alcohol in the first five ingredients give it away or throw it out. The alcohol will dry out your hair. Pronto
• Deep condition the natural way - use natural products to do your deep conditioning treatments. Shea butter, coconut oil and argan oil are great natural products. You can pick these up at Earth Elements in Savannah Plaza
• Stretch out your relaxer - every month wait an extra week to relax your hair, building up to ten weeks.  If you make sure to set your hair, and deep treat it your hair will look a lot better than you think. Stretching out the relaxer helps your hair to grow back stronger. If you don't think you can do a week at a time then try waiting an extra day.

Everyone's hair grows at different speeds but you can encourage growth if you take care of your hair. You just need to be consistent. I chopped my hair in September, then again in October and I have grown about 2 inches since then. Happy happy joy joy!

Let me know what works for you in the comments below.

Till later,

*Jane

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