Is it safe to give Biotin, MSM, etc to children?

*Frisky*

Well-Known Member
My 5 year old step daughter's hair is a mess. It is so broke off and damaged. It has not grown and the condition of it has not changed over the last 3 and 1/2 years. I took her to the hair dresser on Saturday for the first time for some deep conditioning and to start to get it going on the right track.(which should have been done along time ago by her mother I think). I was thinking of maybe giving her a small dosage of biotin or some other vitamins to help it start to grow but I don't know if it is safe for a 5 year old.
 

MiWay

New Member
What about a children's multi-vitamin? I was thinking that the Biotin and MSM may be too strong for her at such a young age. How about increasing her protein, water and fresh fruit/veggie intake and maybe using something like WGO or natural oils on her hair until there's some progress?

I haven't had too much experience with kids hair...except my little sister's, and I remember she had 3b/c hair, and I put braids (extensions) in her hair and the texture changed to 4b/c! :eek: It definitely grew, but it was so thick we couldn't even comb it. :perplexed My mother started relaxing it, which makes it so much easier to comb, but it's amazing how the smallest things (that work for us) can change a child's hair.
 

caligirl

Well-Known Member
I don't take supplements myself because I don't want to worry about side effects or O.D.ing on something just for some darn hair growth. Maybe give her a flintstones vitamin every day and offer her healthy snacks.
 

*Frisky*

Well-Known Member
msbrown76 said:
What about a children's multi-vitamin? I was thinking that the Biotin and MSM may be too strong for her at such a young age. How about increasing her protein, water and fresh fruit/veggie intake and maybe using something like WGO or natural oils on her hair until there's some progress?

I haven't had too much experience with kids hair...except my little sister's, and I remember she had 3b/c hair, and I put braids (extensions) in her hair and the texture changed to 4b/c! :eek: It definitely grew, but it was so thick we couldn't even comb it. :perplexed My mother started relaxing it, which makes it so much easier to comb, but it's amazing how the smallest things (that work for us) can change a child's hair.

I thought about regular childrens vitamins but I just don't think they are gonna do the trick. I am thinking about getting some castor oil and start massaging that into her scalp. I have WGO so I may use that as well.
 

~*~ShopAholic~*~

Well-Known Member
Some childrens vitamins come w/biotin in it already. My daughter takes One Source Active Kids Complete and it has 15% of Biotin in it. I buy it from Wal-mart only about $7 for the large one 120 vitamins.
 

*Frisky*

Well-Known Member
BeautifulWideEyes said:
Some childrens vitamins come w/biotin in it already. My daughter takes One Source Active Kids Complete and it has 15% of Biotin in it. I buy it from Wal-mart only about $7 for the large one 120 vitamins.

Ok great...I will definately pick this up. Do you know how 15% calculates into mcg's?
 

Sistaslick

New Member
I would give her a one-a-day formulated for her age group just for overall heatlh (in case her diet is lacking something) but I wouldn't focus on vitamins strictly for hair growth reasons. Healthy maintenance of the hair itself, especially the ends, is the best assurance of seeing the most growth and length.:yep: Vitamins are kinda useless if the hair is not well taken care of once it does grow out. If you care for the hair itself, the condition will dramatically improve and the length will become evident. I am just kinda leery of giving young kids "growth enhancing" stuff:ohwell: Some adults have bad reactions to certain vitamins (acne, headaches, irritablity) so please, please be careful with the little one. Childhood is when the hair grows the fastest, so if you are doing right by her hair, the length will come.:)
 

~*~ShopAholic~*~

Well-Known Member
15% = 45mcg, it also has 100% of Pantothentic Acid, iron, and vitamin C. This is a childrens chewable vitamin for children 2-4 yrs can take half and 4-adult can take a whole one.
marie170 said:
Ok great...I will definately pick this up. Do you know how 15% calculates into mcg's?
 

LuvLiLocks

New Member
I wouldn't do it. Just give her a good children's multi-vitamin, and have her wear braided styles. You could probably give her some cod liver oil tablets too, once she's in optimum health, her hair will thrive.
 

kreeme

New Member
marie170 said:
My 5 year old step daughter's hair is a mess. It is so broke off and damaged. It has not grown and the condition of it has not changed over the last 3 and 1/2 years. I took her to the hair dresser on Saturday for the first time for some deep conditioning and to start to get it going on the right track.(which should have been done along time ago by her mother I think). I was thinking of maybe giving her a small dosage of biotin or some other vitamins to help it start to grow but I don't know if it is safe for a 5 year old.

I thought about doing the same thing with my 5 year old, but I remembered how the Biotin made my skin break out, so I decided against it. I just give her the Flinstones and make her drink more water. Right now we are keeping her hair in braids and putting the Surge products on her hair. On Saturdays I do a CO wash and get it rebraided. I can already see a difference in her hair.
 

DragonPearl

Well-Known Member
I wouldn't. We don't know what the long term side effects of these supplements are for grown adults, let alone for young children. Is the rest of her body healthy? if so, I wouldn't make such a big deal about hair. Hair is NOT that important, r e a l l y. She is only 5.

Suggestions: like the other posters say, give her regular children's vitamins, have her in protective styles, do weekly deep conditioning, comb her hair very gently and only when wet and loaded with conditioner. Her hair will improve.
 

CurliDiva

Well-Known Member
I would check with her doctor before giving anything- some vitamins (such as IRON) can be lethal when given to children in the the adult dosages.

Try working on the care of her strands instead (scalp massages, regular conditioning and protective styling) and no heat or chemicals before trying pills.

Good luck! :)
 

*Frisky*

Well-Known Member
Jessy55 said:
I wouldn't. We don't know what the long term side effects of these supplements are for grown adults, let alone for young children. Is the rest of her body healthy? if so, I wouldn't make such a big deal about hair. Hair is NOT that important, r e a l l y. She is only 5.

Suggestions: like the other posters say, give her regular children's vitamins, have her in protective styles, do weekly deep conditioning, comb her hair very gently and only when wet and loaded with conditioner. Her hair will improve.

I would have to disagree with you about it not being important..she is about to start school and I believe she will be teased and joked about it. I think even people in the beauty shop were making comments. I noticed some strange looks being giving out. I just want to get her hair healthy and all one length.
 

MiWay

New Member
marie170 said:
I would have to disagree with you about it not being important..she is about to start school and I believe she will be teased and joked about it. I think even people in the beauty shop were making comments. I noticed some strange looks being giving out. I just want to get her hair healthy and all one length.


Yeah, a little boy in my sister's class called her weavy weave this year because she has braids. Of course he doesn't know any better, but that can be hurtful to a child. Luckily she's one of the few that cares what others think, so she still wants to get braids.
 

~*~ShopAholic~*~

Well-Known Member
Just to reassure eveyone, the vitamin i suggested is a regular childrens vitamin. Inexpensive and great, I didn't realize it had biotin in it until my 9 year old wanted to take hair vitamins like her momma, and I told her she was too young and her vitamin was good enough. That night I took a look to see all that was in the one we have that said "Complete" and compared to the other one that said, "Extra Vitamin C", that's when I discovered that the complete one was I guess "Complete" lol. So I told her it already had Biotin in it and that made her happy. I give my children (my 2 boys also) the same vitamins she takes there for over all health, not to promote hair growth, but in my daughters little mind she feels like her hair regimen is just like mine now. ;)
 

ThursdayGirl

Well-Known Member
I think, at 5, a children's vitamin (Flintstones or something)... would be good and I would teach her the value of healthy eating. Her hair will improve with good nutrition and healthy food choices. This is something that will follow her for life.
 

Sistaslick

New Member
marie170 said:
I would have to disagree with you about it not being important..she is about to start school and I believe she will be teased and joked about it. I think even people in the beauty shop were making comments. I noticed some strange looks being giving out. I just want to get her hair healthy and all one length.

Oh yes! I know how important hair is for little girls especially.:yep: I got made fun of horribly for mine all throughout the lower grades. With a little maintenance, my hair could have turned around easily. But, my poor mom and I just didnt know any better. Just make sure that you pamper the hair itself first and foremost with a basic regimen-- without that, no kind or amount of supplement will do any good. We all just want your little kindergardener to be the cutest (and healthiest) she can be! :yep:
 

*Frisky*

Well-Known Member
Sistaslick said:
Oh yes! I know how important hair is for little girls especially.:yep: I got made fun of horribly for mine all throughout the lower grades. With a little maintenance, my hair could have turned around easily. But, my poor mom and I just didnt know any better. Just make sure that you pamper the hair itself first and foremost with a basic regimen-- without that, no kind or amount of supplement will do any good. We all just want your little kindergardener to be the cutest (and healthiest) she can be! :yep:

Thanks for the kind words....I am hoping there is some improvement over the next 6 months...another board member suggested the jamaican black castor oil...any thoughts on this?
 
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