Another Go Around with Biotin

[baddison]

1500mcg Biotin: I was taking GNC Ultra Nourish Hair (1200mcg biotin) along with GNC Women's Ultra Mega Multivitamin (300mcg biotin). I took that for six months...no breakouts - no adverse affects - nothing.

1600mcg Biotin: On July 4th I switched to Nioxin (300mcg biotin), with GNC Women's Ultra Mega Multivitamin (300mcg biotin), and I simply added Solgar 1000mcg biotin on top of that. The breakouts are terrible. Both Nioxin and GNC ultra have the B-Complex's. Its been 3weeks, and the breakouts seem to be subsiding, but I'm not sure. My forehead has already been damaged.... I do NOT want to stop taking this combination until I reach my goal of BSL in december. I have been drinking soooo much water ...sometimes even substituting breakfast for 3 or 4 of the 16.9oz bottles of water!!

Will my body eventually get used to the biotin...and the breakouts subside?? How long do you think I have to wait...its been 3weeks already

 

[ajoke]

What else are you taking? The first time around, I was taking DE and Biotin and the breakouts were horrible. This time, I have left out the DE and have no breakouts whatsoever. I am applying ACV to my face nightly with a cotton pad though, so maybe that is helping as well.

 

[baddison]

I am not taking any thing else -oohh wait, I take 25mg iron for anemia.

But the multivitiam, Nioxin, and biotin is it. I've had great results with Nioxin in the past, and was eager to get back to Nioxin. Both the Nioxin and the GNC multi have the b-complex vitamins, so I don't need to increase that.

I am treating my face, but I wanted to know how long before my system gets used to the dosage, and simply goes back to normal??

 

[Hairsnob]

Please be aware that there are differents amounts of B vitamins and different versions of complexes. I experimented and researched and found that most of the women who said it helped them used the "super" B complex.

I went and got the one labeled Natural Super B complex from Walmart along with extra vitamin C and I saw a big improvement. The other complexes I tried weren't labeled natural and I read something about your body absorbing it better. I still get a hormonal zit or two but it's not as bad.

HTH!

 

[baddison]

another question.... how are you all treating the acne until it goes away? should I use alcohol pads on them to dry them up faster??

 

[baddison]

what about ProActiv? think it'll get rid of the biotin-acne??

 

[Tiye]

Take biotin with VITAMIN C!!!!!!!!!

That should get rid of the pimples. Trust me! I was the biotin pusher for a long time! LOL

Once I took 1000mcg of Vitamin C with the biotin, I didn't break out at all. Plus your immune system is going to love you for it!

I didn't know that but it explains why I'm not breaking out. I'm actually taking biotin for my nails right now but if I get a little extra hair growth that's all good too.

 

[Hairsnob]

another question.... how are you all treating the acne until it goes away? should I use alcohol pads on them to dry them up faster??

I have to warn you about alcohol. I tried that thinking it would dry them up so I soaked an alcohol pad and pressed it on it for a few minutes trying to make a cystic one near my chin come to the head. Boy oh boy, it ate my skin up and left a nasty mark. I never knew that could happen. So be careful.

ACV works sometimes. But with my sensitive skin and after learning that hard lesson I'm not going to use too much harsh stuff other than maybe an OTC spot treatment or Neosporin.

 

[LovelyNaps26]

biotin does not work for me. within 24 hours my skin begins to break out. i take vitamin c but that doesn't combat the zits. honestly, as long as we care for the hair on our head we will see growth. *maybe* biotin would add an extra 2 inches a year but it's not worth the skin issues.

 

[NicBenny]

Have you tried Biotin shampoo opposed to taking it internally? Maybe you can avoid breakouts using Biotin topically.

I would recommend the following:

 

[baddison]

Thanks for the suggestion. I am hoping that I can wait out this phase for the next week or so. The breakouts are getting less. I have only had one new pimple in the last 2 days. But I wish the ones that are currently there would vanish a lot quicker! ....

 

[soonergirl]

Hey B! sorry about the acne.. Did you try and up your b complex??? I know one poster wrote about the super b complex, you may need that... I am taking 8600 mcgs with a bcomplex,vitamin c and zinc, no breakouts.. I know we are all different, but I hope this acne phase passes for you!!!

 

[steffiejoe]

My face broke out bad when I started taking 1000mcg biotin. I started cutting the biotin in half 500mcg, but that still didnt help. I tired taking a B- Complex and with lower dose of biotin and still broke out with painfully pimples along the side of my face. Still trying to fade the scars. I always take a vitamin c and drink about 60 ounces of water a day.
I have come to the conclusion that my diet is providing me with enough biotin , naturally. I feel the break outs happened becuase it was just to much biotin in my body. I do not need to take a biotin or b -complex supplement. So I stopped taking anything with biotin in it. I just take my omega 369, zinc, vitamin c, d, and a b-12.
The B-12 is amazing; my stress level has really gone down.

 

[baddison]

WHEW!!!

OK...good news. My face is clearing up very nicely. No new bumps in two days, and the ones there are getting smaller, some have already gone away. I can attack the dark spots with a nice blemish creme, and in no time, my skin will be back to normal. :woohoo:

I think my system was simply kicking up a fuss because I switched up vitamins on it. Honestly, everything was still the same dosages as before, nothing really increased/decreased dramatically.

Live and learn. On with my Biotin and Nioxin. I got the best results with this combination last year anyway. Don't know why I even switched to the GNC. WAIT...yes, I do! That PJBeast that I try to keep locked away .....*sigh*

 

[soonergirl]

So good to hear!!

 

[baddison]

So good to hear!!

Thanks, soonergirl. I have never really been prone to acne and breakouts. So I kinda knew my system was reacting to the change in vitamins. I think deciding to keep up the vitamin regimen and wait out the acne was a good idea. My skin is almost back to normal. I have not changed my facial regimen at all during this entire saga. I have also added fish oil: http://www.gnc.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2965535

to the vitamins...something I should have been taking from my youth anyway. SMH

Its got all the good omega's and its great for skin too.

 

[Livingmylifetothefullest]

My face broke out bad when I started taking 1000mcg biotin. I started cutting the biotin in half 500mcg, but that still didnt help. I tired taking a B- Complex and with lower dose of biotin and still broke out with painfully pimples along the side of my face. Still trying to fade the scars. I always take a vitamin c and drink about 60 ounces of water a day.
I have come to the conclusion that my diet is providing me with enough biotin , naturally. I feel the break outs happened becuase it was just to much biotin in my body. I do not need to take a biotin or b -complex supplement. So I stopped taking anything with biotin in it. I just take my omega 369, zinc, vitamin c, d, and a b-12.
The B-12 is amazing; my stress level has really gone down.

I agree with you. I stopped taking the straight biotin and decided to try the b-complex and my face is starting to break out again. I've come to the conclusion that anything in the b-related family, I can't take. In fact, I don't think my body can handle any additional vitamins.

And now when I think about it, when my face was the clearest...I wasn't taking anything, just getting my nutrients from the food I ate. I think I'm just going to stick with changing my diet and my face will probably clear up.

 

[FRESHstart101]

I take 2000 mgs of biotin every day and haven't got one pimple, try using a Neutrogena (the kind with beads in it to really scrub away the dead skin). My skins actaully getting clearer, I have little acne spots from high school and this is my frmen year of college. Hope this helped ohh and i use a topical cream, try using Ambi !

 

[wun_n_onlie]

i have taken 5000mcg of biotin alone for a period of time and then i added a b-complex and multivitamin...i didn't get any break outs either way, i just added the b complex to get the full spectrum of vitamins ....i'm acne prone so i've used benzoyl peroxide on my skin every morning and night for years to keep my pores oxygenated so that pimples cannot form (since acne bateria is anaerobic)....i'm not sure if this is the reason why i've never broken out from biotin or if it just doesn't do that to my body ahahaha i'm way too scared to take my benzoyl peroxide out of the equation to test it out though!