Combines Panthenol's tissue-repair properties with Biotin's keratin-supporting carboxylase pathway.
Source5
비오틴 · 전성분
Biotin
An essential B-complex vitamin (Vitamin B7 / Vitamin H) that serves as a carboxylase coenzyme supporting keratin and fatty-acid metabolism; a topical encapsulated form has been linked to reduced hair-pull-test shedding in a small clinical cohort 1, and oral biotin may support nail firmness in people with brittle nail syndrome or a documented deficiency 2.
GentlenessGentle — four of fiveEvidenceIndicativeTopicalOral
- INCI
- BIOTIN
Also called Vitamin B7 · Vitamin H · D-Biotin · Coenzyme R
Early-stage page
This ingredient page is still early. We're actively researching before it's ready to stand fully on its own — check back as more sections are verified.
The short answer
Four lines, each compressed from the section it links to. Every line carries the sources of the claim it compresses.
- What it does
Reduction of Hair Shedding and Shaft Thickness Increase, Topical Encapsulated Biotin
See the evidence - Where it goes
scalp serum step · day and night
See how to use it - What shows, and when
30 days: In the reviewed study, a significant reduction in pull-test hair shedding was observed at this point.
Source1
See the timeline
How to use it
Where it sits in the seven-step ladder, and the record's own fields for the habit.
아침DayDay: used
저녁NightNight: used
day and night
Cleanser클렌저
Toner토너
Essence에센스
Serum세럼 sits here
Eye cream아이크림
Moisturizer크림
Sunscreen자외선차단제
Filled steps are where Biotin commonly appears. No product is recommended.
Everything here comes from the sources below. None of it is a product recommendation.
- Time of day
- day and night
- Where it sits
- scalp serum step
- Starting frequency
- daily
- Amount
- a few drops for scalp serum
- Application
- Apply a few drops directly to clean scalp daily and gently massage with fingertips.
- Storage
- Store in a cool, dry place away from direct light and heat.
Plays well with / keep apart
One card per pair. Where the partner has its own passport, the name links to it.
Do layer it with
What to expect, and when
The record's own timeline. Each step keeps the source of the study it came from.
- Immediate
Initial scalp hydration and conditioning.
- 30 days
In the reviewed study, a significant reduction in pull-test hair shedding was observed at this point.
Source1
- 90 days
In the reviewed study, a further significant reduction in pull-test hair shedding and increase in hair-shaft thickness median was observed.
Source1
Is this safe for me
Everything the record says about suitability, consolidated. Pause-first comes first.
Before you start
Topically exceptionally gentle and non-irritating. High-dose oral biotin supplementation is documented to interfere with clinical blood immunoassay tests, including cardiac troponin and thyroid panels, producing falsely normal or falsely abnormal results -- tell your doctor about any biotin supplement before bloodwork 6.
Good match for
Reported with a near-zero irritation and sensitization rate across skin and scalp types in the reviewed study.
Best match
hair shedding
thinning hair · weak hair shaft · brittle nails
Routine
scalp serum step
Pregnancy and breastfeeding
Not medical advice · ask your own clinician
Pregnancy. A 2011 dermatology review of skin-care product safety in pregnancy names hydroquinone (high systemic absorption) and tretinoin (evidence controversial) as the actives of concern, and states that most other topical skin-care products act locally and produce minimal systemic absorption; biotin is not named among the flagged concerns 7. This is general topical-product reasoning rather than an ingredient-specific safety trial, and does not address oral biotin supplementation. If you are pregnant, ask your doctor before use.
Breastfeeding. Topical application is applied locally with minimal expected systemic absorption; no ingredient-specific breastfeeding safety trial was located. As a general precaution common to topical actives, avoid applying directly to the breast or nipple area, since incidental transfer to a nursing infant has not been studied for this ingredient. If you are breastfeeding, ask your doctor before use.
| Common, and it usually settles | Stop using it |
|---|---|
| A comfortable feeling on application with no stinging or flaking reported in the reviewed study. | persistent scalp redness |
| localized itching | |
| rash or swelling |
Allergen history
A dedicated search of the peer-reviewed literature (PubMed) for biotin topical allergic contact dermatitis, contact allergy, and sensitization case reports found one historical case study noted within the 2001 CIR safety assessment, alongside a very large population exposed to biotin daily with no parallel pattern of adverse reactions 4. This is a genuine, if sparse, literature record rather than a confirmed absence.
Who should not use it
Not yet researched
Research in progress — check back soon. How we verify
What it will not do
- The pull-test shedding reduction demonstrated with a daily leave-on topical encapsulated D-Biotin scalp serum cannot be directly expected from quick-rinse foaming shampoos due to minimal scalp contact time.
- The case-review-level evidence for oral biotin in brittle nail syndrome or documented deficiency does not extend to healthy individuals with normal biotin status, and does not establish a specific percentage improvement in nail thickness.
- Topical biotin acts as a hair-strengthening and anti-shedding cosmetic active; it is not a prescription pharmaceutical cure for androgenetic alopecia (male-pattern baldness).
- A separate systematic review of oral biotin for hair growth specifically (not nails), including the highest-quality double-blind placebo-controlled trial identified, found no difference between biotin and placebo groups in healthy individuals -- this record's oral claim is limited to nail firmness in a deficient or brittle-nail population, not general hair-growth supplementation 3.
The evidence
One card per claim. Concentration, form, population and limitation sit with it, always visible.
Grade legend
- Indicative
- Limited
- Moderate
- Strong
Reduction of Hair Shedding and Shaft Thickness Increase, Topical Encapsulated Biotin
IndicativeIn a small single-arm cohort study, daily topical application of an encapsulated water-soluble D-Biotin serum was linked to a significant reduction in pull-test hair shedding and a significant increase in hair-shaft thickness.1
- Tested concentration
- 1.2% w/w encapsulated D-Biotin (0.55% free biotin)
- Which form
- Encapsulated Water-Soluble Biotin (Serum WS Biotin)
- Population and duration
- 22 human volunteers with moderate-to-excessive hair shedding applying the topical serum daily for 90 days
- Limitation
- Single-arm pretest-posttest design without a concurrent vehicle-controlled placebo group; the study was funded by Tagra Biotechnologies, the manufacturer of the tested Serum WS Biotin product, and several of its authors are Tagra employees. The significant reduction in pull-test hair shedding and hair-shaft thickness median is the study's own headline result; a further increase in hair-shaft thickness mean and hair mass was reported but did not reach statistical significance.
Nail Firmness Support, Oral Biotin, in Brittle Nail Syndrome or Documented Deficiency
IndicativeIn individuals with brittle nail syndrome or a documented biotin deficiency, case-report-level evidence suggests oral biotin supplementation (2.5 mg daily) may improve nail plate firmness and reduce splitting; evidence in people without an underlying deficiency is not established.2
- Tested concentration
- 2.5 mg daily
- Which form
- D-Biotin (Pure Biotin)
- Population and duration
- Systematic review of 18 reported clinical cases of biotin use for hair and nail changes, nearly all with an underlying pathology or deficiency
- Limitation
- The underlying review reports qualitative clinical improvement across 18 cases, not a quantified randomized-trial effect size; this record cannot state a specific percentage improvement in nail thickness, as none of the reviewed sources reports one. Clinical benefit is described only in individuals with brittle nail syndrome or a documented biotin deficiency, not in healthy individuals with normal biotin status. This is an oral supplement claim, educational rather than a topical routine step.
Open
A quantified randomized controlled trial of oral biotin specifically measuring nail plate thickness or firmness as a percentage change in individuals with brittle nail syndrome or documented biotin deficiency.
Open
How we verify Large-scale, multi-center, double-blind, randomized controlled clinical trials comparing topical encapsulated biotin monotherapy vs vehicle control in healthy individuals without diagnosed hair shedding, and an independent (non-sponsor-funded) replication of the topical hair-shedding trial this record relies on.
Questions & related
Common questions · 자주 묻는 질문
Can topical Biotin help with hair shedding?
In a 90-day single-arm cohort study of 22 volunteers, daily topical application of an encapsulated water-soluble D-Biotin serum was linked to a significant reduction in pull-test hair shedding and an increase in hair-shaft thickness. The study had no vehicle-control group and was funded by the product's manufacturer.
Is topical Biotin linked to breakouts?
Topical biotin serums are non-comedogenic; no sources reviewed for this record link topical biotin use to acne or breakouts.
The clinical recordHow it works · Forms · Manufacturing · Regulations · Study ledger · Gaps · Sources
How it works
Biotin (Vitamin B7) is an essential coenzyme for carboxylase enzymes involved in fatty-acid synthesis and amino-acid catabolism within epidermal and follicular cells. The topical trial's own introduction reports that biotin deficiency is linked to hair loss and brittle nails, and that the authors' earlier in-vitro work found encapsulated biotin upregulated hair-related keratins (KRT40, KRT85) and dermal-papilla growth factors (VEGF, FGF7, IGF1) in cultured human cells 1.
- Essential Carboxylase Coenzyme Function
Serves as a coenzyme for carboxylase enzymes involved in fatty-acid synthesis and amino-acid catabolism; biotin deficiency is linked to hair loss and brittle nails.
What that rests on: reported background, prospective clinical cohort study
Source1
- Trans-Follicular Delivery and Reported Keratin Gene Expression
Encapsulated water-soluble biotin is reported to penetrate the follicular infundibulum toward the dermal papilla; the study's authors report their own earlier in-vitro work found this form upregulated hair-related keratins (KRT40, KRT85) and dermal-papilla growth factors (VEGF, FGF7, IGF1).
What that rests on: reported background (prior in-vitro work) plus clinical pull-test and phototrichogrammetry
Source1
Reading the label
- Find this name
- 비오틴 (Biotin) — Biotin (Vitamin B7), a vitamin cofactor used in hair, scalp, and nail-support formulations.
- Read the percentage
- Under South Korea's MFDS, a specific combination of Biotin 0.06% with Niacinamide, Dexpanthenol, and Zinc Pyrithione -- not biotin alone -- qualifies for document-exempt functional cosmetic reporting for alopecia alleviation; biotin by itself is not an MFDS-notified functional ingredient at any percentage.
- Judge production transparency
- Manufacturers disclose HPLC purity assay, melting point, and heavy-metal certificates of analysis.
| Attribute | D-Biotin (Pure Biotin) | Encapsulated Water-Soluble Biotin (Serum WS Biotin) |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | The pure, biologically active dextrorotatory enantiomer (D-Biotin) recognized and utilized by mammalian carboxylase enzymes; the form used orally. | Provides enhanced trans-follicular absorption compared to unencapsulated crystalline biotin; the form tested topically. |
| Official INCI | BIOTIN | BIOTIN |
| Where it comes from | Synthetic chemical synthesis or microbial fermentation | Synthetic synthesis and liposomal vesicle encapsulation |
| How it is made | Synthesized chemically or via microbial fermentation to yield the biologically active D-stereoisomer, followed by multi-stage crystallization and high-purity filtration. | Pure D-Biotin is encapsulated into amphiphilic lipid micro-vesicles to overcome crystalline water insolubility and enhance trans-follicular penetration toward the dermal papilla. |
| Gentleness | No topical exposure; oral use carries a diagnostic-test-interference caution, not a skin-tolerance one. | Hypoallergenic and non-irritating on skin and scalp in the reviewed study. |
How it is actually made
- Origin regions: Germany, Switzerland, China, South Korea, United States
- Commercial D-Biotin is produced primarily via chemical synthesis (Sternbach synthesis or modified enantioselective routes) or bacterial fermentation using engineered Escherichia coli or Kurthia sp. strains, followed by crystallization and aqueous purification.
- Potency is controlled by standardizing D-Biotin content to a minimum of 98.0% by HPLC, with limits on optical rotation and heavy-metal impurities.
- Manufacturers disclose HPLC purity assays, specific rotation, loss on drying, and heavy-metal certificates of analysis.
Where the ceiling is set
European Union
- The rule
- EU Cosmetics Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009
- What it allows
- Not named in Annex II (prohibited) or Annex III (restricted) substances. Listed in the CosIng database under BIOTIN with the function Hair Conditioning Agent / Skin Conditioning Agent -- a function/inventory listing, not a regulatory approval. The 2023 CIR Expert Panel reaffirmed biotin safe as used in cosmetic formulations.
Source4
South Korea
In force since 2020-10-07- The rule
- Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) Functional Cosmetics Approval Standards
- What it allows
- Recognized under MFDS functional regulations for alopecia (hair loss) alleviation only as part of a specific combination formulation (Biotin, Niacinamide, Dexpanthenol, and Zinc Pyrithione), which qualifies for document-exempt functional cosmetic reporting. Biotin alone is not an MFDS-notified functional active.
Source5
What the evidence rests on
Study records
Prospective single-arm, nonrandomized, pretest-posttest clinical cohort study2025
The Clinical Evaluation of Serum WS Biotin, a Novel Encapsulated Form of D-Biotin With Improved Water Solubility, for Anti-Hair Shedding Applications. A Prospective Single-Arm, Nonrandomized, Pretest-Posttest Study
Daily application for 90 days in 22 volunteers significantly reduced pulled hairs (Modified Pull Test) by 43.0% at Day 30, 56.0% at Day 60, and 76.1% at Day 90, and significantly increased hair-thickness median by 7.5% at Day 30, 10.6% at Day 60, and 7.6% at Day 90. Hair-thickness mean and hair mass also increased but did not reach statistical significance.
Where it falls shortSingle-arm study design without a concurrent vehicle-controlled placebo group. The study was partially funded by, and several authors are affiliated with, Tagra Biotechnologies, the manufacturer of the tested Serum WS Biotin product.
Source1
Systematic literature review of 18 clinical cases and trials2017
A Review of the Use of Biotin for Hair Loss
Found 18 reported cases of biotin use for hair and nail changes; in all cases patients had an underlying pathology (acquired or inherited biotin deficiency, brittle nail syndrome, or uncombable hair syndrome) and showed clinical improvement after biotin supplementation. Evidence for supplementation in healthy, non-deficient individuals remains limited.
Where it falls shortCase-report-level review, not a quantified randomized controlled trial; does not report a specific percentage change in nail thickness.
Source2
Systematic review of clinical trials (case reports and case series excluded)2024
Biotin for Hair Loss: Teasing Out the Evidence
Three studies met inclusion criteria. The highest-quality study (double-blind, placebo-controlled) found no difference between biotin and placebo groups for hair growth. The other two studies, in specific patient populations (isotretinoin users and post-sleeve-gastrectomy patients), were susceptible to multiple biases with no striking results favoring biotin. The review does not address nail outcomes.
Where it falls shortLimited to oral administration studies of hair outcomes; does not evaluate nails, and is limited by a small number of available studies.
Source3
Expert panel safety reassessment reviewing data since the original 2001 CIR final report2023
Biotin (CIR Expert Panel safety reaffirmation)
The CIR Expert Panel reviewed updated information available since the original 2001 assessment and reaffirmed that Biotin is safe as a cosmetic ingredient in the practices of use and concentration described in the report.
Where it falls shortA panel safety reaffirmation rather than a new primary clinical trial; covers cosmetic-use safety, not topical or oral efficacy.
Source4
Regulatory safety and efficacy evaluation standard2020
Regulation on the Evaluation of Functional Cosmetics: Alopecia Alleviation Combination Notification
South Korea MFDS official regulation establishing that the specific combination of Biotin 0.06% with Niacinamide, Dexpanthenol, and Zinc Pyrithione qualifies for document-exempt functional cosmetic status for hair loss alleviation.
Where it falls shortApplies strictly to the specified functional combination in hair-care products, not to biotin alone.
Source5
Real-world clinical evaluation2019
Biotin interference in high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T testing: a real-world evaluation in acute cardiac care
Confirmed that biotin supplementation can cause falsely lowered high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T results in real-world acute cardiac care, a risk relevant to any oral biotin use, including doses used for hair or nail support.
Where it falls shortFocused on troponin T specifically; other biotin-streptavidin-based immunoassays (e.g., thyroid panels) are affected by the same mechanism per separate literature, not re-verified here.
Source6
Study
Source7
What is still missing
A quantified randomized controlled trial of oral biotin specifically measuring nail plate thickness or firmness as a percentage change in individuals with brittle nail syndrome or documented biotin deficiency.
This record cannot state a specific percentage improvement in nail thickness from oral biotin -- the reviewed case-report literature describes qualitative clinical improvement across 18 cases without a quantified effect size.
NeedsA double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial of oral biotin (2.5 mg daily or higher) measuring nail plate thickness by a validated instrumental method in a cohort with brittle nail syndrome or documented biotin deficiency.
Large-scale, multi-center, double-blind, randomized controlled clinical trials comparing topical encapsulated biotin monotherapy vs vehicle control in healthy individuals without diagnosed hair shedding, and an independent (non-sponsor-funded) replication of the topical hair-shedding trial this record relies on.
The isolated topical hair-shedding effect in a general healthy population, and independent of the manufacturer's own funding, remains a clinical estimation from a single sponsor-funded, single-arm study.
NeedsAn independently funded, double-blind, vehicle-controlled trial of topical encapsulated biotin on pull-test hair shedding in at least 100 subjects over 90 days.
Sources on file
- Gonzalez Fernandez D, Duchi S, Fernandez Gomez L, Leon Sala T, Hajuj A, Molho D, Abo Saada N, Molina Martinez D, Perez-Fernandez A, Goldstein D. The Clinical Evaluation of Serum WS Biotin, a Novel Encapsulated Form of D-Biotin With Improved Water Solubility, for Anti-Hair Shedding Applications. Health Sci Rep (2025)(opens in a new tab)
- Patel DP, Swink SM, Castelo-Soccio L. A Review of the Use of Biotin for Hair Loss. Skin Appendage Disord (2017)(opens in a new tab)
- Yelich A, Jenkins H, Holt S, Miller R. Biotin for Hair Loss: Teasing Out the Evidence. J Clin Aesthet Dermatol (2024)(opens in a new tab)
- Fiume M, Bergfeld WF, Belsito DV, Hill RA, Klaassen CD, Liebler DC, Marks JG, Shank RC, Slaga TJ, Snyder PW, Heldreth B. Biotin. Int J Toxicol (2023)(opens in a new tab)
- Republic of Korea Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS). Regulation on the Evaluation of Functional Cosmetics: Alopecia Alleviation Combination Notification (2020)(opens in a new tab)
- Vroemen WHM, van Doorn WPTM, Kimenai DM, Wodzig WKWH, de Boer D, Bekers O, Meex SJR. Biotin interference in high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T testing: a real-world evaluation in acute cardiac care. Cardiovasc Res (2019)(opens in a new tab)
- Bozzo, Chua-Gocheco & Einarson. Can Fam Physician (2011)(opens in a new tab)