The Effects of Biotin Deficiency on Hair Development and Pigmentation

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Abstract
The symptoms of biotin deficiency produced in mice by a diet containing egg white include alopecia and achromotrichia. During deficiency the normal cycles of development are maintained although the hairs are shed at the completion of growth. It is concluded that biotin is necessary neither for hair development nor for the normal initiation of hair development. Since plucking is ineffective in inducing the development of the next hair generation during deficiency, it is suggested that biotin is involved in the response to the plucking stimulus. Single doses of biotin are effective at certain stages of hair development, in restoring normal pigmentation. It is evident that biotin is required for a final step in the pigmentation process, which is particularly sensitive to changes in the biotin level.