Biotin, Silica or MSM -- does one work better?

Which worked better for your hair?

  • Biotin

    Votes: 39 24.5%

  • Silica

    Votes: 18 11.3%

  • MSM

    Votes: 32 20.1%

  • None of them worked for me

    Votes: 4 2.5%

  • I use them all!

    Votes: 66 41.5%
  • Total voters
    159
BFeathers

BFeathers

Member
Of bamboo and MSM which is better?

I'm a little wary of MSM just because of a lot of what I've read.

When I take down this install I'll examine the biotin effects. I think it's helping. I had started thinning due to stretching and manipulating.

I had heard of biotin forever and then MSM and now silicia as the new "it" thing is making me pause. Just because it feels like it's all of a sudden the new thing. Enough people have been taking biotin and MSM for years for me to feel more secure with them.

I doubt it'll do deep damage but of all 3 I do worry about taking MSM and it doing the most damage. Just the idea of something chaning my hair texture sounds good but then kind of scary. Like first it's all wavy then it starts to fall out or something all while I have weird dreams of becoming bald then wake up looking like Steve Harvey.
 
melahnee

melahnee

Well-Known Member
I have taken all of them for 6 months or more at one point or another. Of these three, the one I cannot be without......
SILICA. Biotin gives me the same results as supplements from walgreens and such and makes me break out. MSM I think makes my hair grow stronger, not so much faster. Also makes me breakout.
Silica...gives me about 3/4" a month. Haven't missed a single day since I started. I take Silica and MSM daily for a while now.
I take Phytophanere vitamins on and off. Just got on Manetabolism last month.
 
melahnee

melahnee

Well-Known Member
How many Silica(Swanson) supplements do you ladies take daily and do you take them together, if more than one? I take one, but I heard it's good to take one every 12 hours (forgot where I read that)
 
fluffyforever

fluffyforever

Well-Known Member
I just bought some bamboo tea online and biotin pills at the store. I hope this combo can help strengthen my hair and nails. My nails are always peeling and breaking just Ike my hair.
 
atlien11

atlien11

Well-Known Member
I have been taking Biotin in the form of Reservage Keratin Supplements (look it up on amazon). No breakouts but it makes my skin really oily. I don't care tho, i want long hair. I just bought some face blotting tissues for sephora and called it a day :grin:

I have also paired the Keratin supplements with Silica and msm. I think everything depends on what your body is lacking. Silica is going to show u the most results if you are deficient in it. Same if you are not getting enough B vitamins (biotin) or foods with a sulfur content (MSM). Even protein and iron play their roles.

I take these at specified times throughout the day (very rarely together), but i always pair each set with a vitamin C tab for maximum absorption.
 
PureSilver

PureSilver

Well-Known Member
atlien11 I just ordered my new set of vitamins and herbs and I added Keratin supplements to it. I'm thinking of taking 1 per day. How are you liking the Keratin supplements you bought. I got a 2 month supply, also my body seems to show the efficacy of these things pretty fast usually.
 
sugaplum

sugaplum

Star Shooter
I voted for i take them all.

I did take biotin once but it gave me terrible headaches and breakouts. I now take GNC Ultra Nourishair and GNC Mega Mega multi-vitamins. Biotin, MSM and Silica are all in these pills. I do take 1 additional MSM 1,000mg
 
lenu80

lenu80

Well-Known Member
So far I've been taking biotin 1000mg and a b-vitamin from Walmart which has 500mg biotin along with vitamin c. I also juice veggies and fruits.
I'm about to jump on the silica tea bandwagon. Just scared of taking pills.
 
Kmonae

Kmonae

Member
Im taking oceanic silica by solgar, is there a difference between that and bamboo silica? I bought based on reviews on amazon, a lot if people claimed to get hair and nail growth from it.
 
BlackMarilyn

BlackMarilyn

Well-Known Member
I started taking biotin. Small dose initially (1,000 once a day) now I have bumped it up to twice a day.
Still take bamboo silica daily. MSM whenever I remember.

I've noticed since adding biotin, my hair is growing a bit faster. 4 weeks post relaxer felt like 5 weeks.

To be fair, I have also started using Avalon organics thickening shampoo (which I believe has this stuff in it) and Shea Moisture growth milk.
 
B

bluediamond0829

Well-Known Member
I cant' take biotin and i'm pushing it now because I'm taking gummies that have biotion in them. So I'm up'ing my water. I will break out with horrible acne so just trying to take it easy with how much I'm consuming. Hopefully I won't get the same reaction with the gummies.

Silica ---Vitaminshoppe had the liquid form of it and I used it in my smoothies and have to say I did notice a lot of thicker hair and nail growth. I'm going to go back and do silica.

MSM --- I've tried it but it makes me have vivid dreams so I need my sleep and have no time for crazy vivid dreams.

I saw someone mentioned Keratin as well I may try that with the silica. I need to narrow my vitamins down. I don't mind taking the gummies, then I have a prenatal vitamin for a multi vitamin already. But I don't think that would be too bad.
 
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AmethystLily

AmethystLily

Cynic on the outside; Dreamer on the inside
Can't comment on silica (haven't tried it).
Biotin was a no-go for my skin. :nono: I tried it and had to stop after a few days because my acne worsened.
As for MSM, I don't know whether it's doing anything different for my hair. I've hit a plateau retention wise, but that has more to do with my external regimen (having trouble with dryness). MSM does wonders for my skin. I just put about a teaspoon of the powdered form into my water bottle and sip it through the day. :yep:
 
E

Evolving78

Well-Known Member
AmethystLily said:
Can't comment on silica (haven't tried it). Biotin was a no-go for my skin. :nono: I tried it and had to stop after a few days because my acne worsened. As for MSM, I don't know whether it's doing anything different for my hair. I've hit a plateau retention wise, but that has more to do with my external regimen (having trouble with dryness). MSM does wonders for my skin. I just put about a teaspoon of the powdered form into my water bottle and sip it through the day. :yep:
Click to expand...
what is it doing for your skin?
 
Adelta89

Adelta89

Ready for the next vacation
Not a big fan of Biotin. I just don't think it ever helped me plus it made me bloat. The only MSM I used is when I took the Ultra Nourish Hair by GNC. (It has 500 mg I believe). I took those about a year and I felt my hair thickened and grew but it took a good 6-7 months to start seeing results but then I read so much about MSM and I decided to back off it. I love love Bamboo Silica. I've been using it for about 4-5 months and I've had steady growth but I've also been taking Priteva( only 1 a day). This combo has strengthened my hair and really no breakage. I shed normal but have had good growth. Bamboo silica will be a staple because I love what it also does for my skin. Silica builds collagen. That is very important as you age to ward off wrinkles.

My vote would be 1) Bamboo Silica because of what it does for my hair and skin. 2) MSM .. Good for thickening and retention, 3) Biotin, It's ok. Most vitamin supplements have biotin but I'd never take a high dosage Biotin only supplement.
 
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AmethystLily

AmethystLily

Cynic on the outside; Dreamer on the inside
shortdub78 said:
what is it doing for your skin?
Click to expand...

I get a nice "glow" when I take it consistently. I also notice my acne clears up fast, and the scars seem to fade faster. There have been times where I had a big, painful pimple start to form, only to recede by the next day. Normally I KNOW it would have gotten red and ugly and taken a week to go away (they come around my TOM which coincidentally [with MSM] seems lighter and less crampy). But with the MSM, sometimes those huge bumps don't form at all. :grin:
 
M

Mmfood

Member
Every time I tried to use Biotin, it broke out my chin in painful subskin acne and left scars that are still noticeable. I tried slowly taking small doses, and I drank more water even though it's my main drink. I still got the bumps. I take pride in my skin so I was very disappointed in Biotin. Never using it again.
 
BlackMarilyn

BlackMarilyn

Well-Known Member
How small were the small doses?

I'm take 1000 in morning and another at night.
I think next month I'll try adding another dose at lunch.
So far my skin seems fine *knocks on wood*

All the stuff I'm taking, my hair is definitely feeling thicker at the roots.
 
J

Jewell

New Member
AmethystLily said:
I get a nice "glow" when I take it consistently. I also notice my acne clears up fast, and the scars seem to fade faster. There have been times where I had a big, painful pimple start to form, only to recede by the next day. Normally I KNOW it would have gotten red and ugly and taken a week to go away (they come around my TOM which coincidentally [with MSM] seems lighter and less crampy). But with the MSM, sometimes those huge bumps don't form at all. :grin:
Click to expand...


MSM is a detoxifier, so it will definitely help with skin and blood issues. I have been taking it over 10 years, and I have seen it help with both TOM, GI health, and bone/joint health. Drinking lots of water on MSM, biotin, and silica is absolutely critical. If im not mistaken, MSM is water-soluble and water helps to distribute it evenly.

Average recommended dose for a 150 lb person is 2,000-6,000 mg per day. I take 1,500-3,000 per day (120 lbs +/-), and i mainly drink water, about a gallon per day because I take a lot of other supplements as well. Whatever your body does not use will be excreted by the kidneys in urine.
 
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