Biotin basics

What a deficiency of the water-soluble vitamin—a nutrient naturally present in food—can do to your hair, skin & nails

- VAISHALI DAR

AREILLY-BASED MANU Bansal has been dealing with frizzy and hard-to-tame hair in extreme weather conditions for months. She tried natural remedies, shampoos and hair creams, but with zero results. At long last, a friend advised her to consult a scalp expert or a dermatologist.

While the treatment was taking its own course, an inherent reason indicating the cause was found to be a deficiency of biotin (vitamin H or B7), a water-soluble vitamin that helps the body metabolize fats, carbohydrates, and protein.

Biotin is an essential vitamin that plays an important role in the health of hair, nails, and skin. It promotes the production of keratin, a key protein to strengthen all three tissues. A biotin deficiency can lead to issues like brittle nails, thinning hair, and dry, scaly skin. All in all, biotin is the champion ingredient essential to incorporate in diet or through supplements for overall beauty and wellness.

"Biotin deficiency can be detected through specific symptoms in nails, skin, and hair. In nails, deficiency usually manifests as brittle nails that grow poorly and lack thickness and shine. In skin, although no very specific signs are visible, a deficiency can result in dry, dull skin with less hydration and glow. For hair, biotin deficiency leads to increased brittleness, more frequent hair breakage or shedding, split ends, thinning hair, and overall poor hair quality with frizziness and reduced growth," shares Dr Raina Nahar, senior consultant, dermatology, Nanavati Max Super Speciality Hospital, Mumbai.