Supplements
Biotin, collagen and hair & skin supplements: do they work?
Updated 12 October 2026
Supplements help hair and skin when the body is short of something. When it is not, most extra vitamins do nothing, and some, such as vitamins A and D, build up and can harm.
So the best first step is a blood test. It tells you which supplement is worth paying for.
What the evidence says
- Iron: low stored iron (ferritin) is one of the commonest causes of hair fall in women. Correcting it helps.
- Vitamin D: often low in Indians, linked to hair shedding. Take it if a test shows you are low.
- Biotin: helps when you are deficient, which is uncommon. High doses can skew thyroid and other test results: stop biotin two to three days before a blood test, and tell the lab you take it.
- Collagen peptides: some studies show better skin hydration and elasticity after eight to twelve weeks.
- Zinc and omega-3: useful for some people with acne or dry skin.
How to take them
Give any hair supplement three months; hair grows slowly. Do not stack several multivitamins: vitamin A, vitamin D and zinc are harmful in excess. Do not take high-dose vitamin D sachets without a test.
