Updated: November 2025

How Functional Keratin™ supplements repair damage, stimulate growth, and restore the hair you thought you'd lost

Keratin is a protein naturally found in hair, skin, and nails.

It's responsible for giving hair its strength, elasticity, and resilience.

But here's what happens as you age or face environmental stressors: your keratin levels decline.

The result is dry, damaged, brittle hair that breaks easily and grows slowly.

Most people accept this as inevitable.

They don't realise that keratin supplementation can genuinely reverse this damage.

This blog explores exactly how Functional Keratin™ pills transform hair health, from the cellular level to visible, dramatic results.

Understanding Keratin and Hair Health

The Role of Keratin in Hair

Keratin comprises 95% of your hair structure.

It's literally what your hair is made of.

Keratin's functions in hair:

Provides structural integrity and strength

Maintains elasticity and flexibility

Seals the hair cuticle, protecting inner layers

Retains moisture, preventing dryness

Protects against environmental damage

Without adequate keratin, hair cannot function properly.

Why Keratin Levels Decline

Natural ageing:

Your body produces less keratin with age

This decline accelerates in your 30s and 40s

By your 50s and beyond, keratin deficiency becomes pronounced

Environmental factors that deplete keratin:

UV radiation from sun exposure

Heat styling (blow dryers, straighteners, curling irons)

Harsh shampoos and chemical treatments

Pollution and environmental toxins

Chlorine and salt water

Lifestyle factors that accelerate loss:

Chronic stress (increases cortisol, damages keratin)

Poor sleep (when your body repairs hair)

Nutritional deficiencies

Dehydration

The result:

Hair becomes progressively drier, weaker, and more damaged

Breakage increases

Hair loss accelerates

Growth slows dramatically

How Keratin Pills Work: The Mechanism

Oral Supplementation: Delivery Method

Keratin pills are taken orally as capsules or tablets.

How they work:

You ingest the supplement with food

Your digestive system breaks it down into amino acids and peptides

These are absorbed into your bloodstream

Your body transports them to hair follicles

Hair cells immediately incorporate them into new keratin structures

Why Functional Keratin™ Is Superior

Not all keratin pills are created equal.

Functional Keratin™ differs because:

It maintains 91% bio-identity to human keratin

Your body recognises it as compatible

Absorption and utilisation are dramatically more efficient

Most other keratin pills use hydrolysed or denatured keratin

These are processed so heavily they're barely usable

This is why Functional Keratin™ delivers results other supplements cannot.

The Synergistic Formula

Quality keratin pills contain more than just keratin.

Supporting ingredients in Kiri10's KiriGlow:

Functional Keratin™ (the foundation)

OptiMSM™ (provides sulphur for keratin synthesis)

Biotin (B-vitamin supporting hair strength)

Zinc (essential for hair growth and follicle health)

Vitamin A (supports scalp health)

Vitamin C (supports collagen alongside keratin)

These work together:

Keratin provides the building blocks

OptiMSM™ provides the minerals needed for production

Biotin enhances keratin synthesis

Zinc supports growth cycles

The combination creates results faster than any single ingredient.

Benefit 1: Repairing and Strengthening Damaged Hair

Understanding Hair Damage

Damaged hair is weakened, fragile, and unable to grow properly.

Damage occurs at multiple levels:

The cuticle layer is compromised

Inner cortex proteins are broken

Disulfide bonds (what gives hair strength) are snapped

The medulla (innermost layer) is exposed

How Keratin Pills Repair Damage

When you supplement with Functional Keratin™:

The keratin fills gaps in damaged hair

It rebuilds the cuticle layer

Disulfide bonds reform

Hair regains its structural integrity

Hair follicles are strengthened from the inside

The result:

Hair becomes visibly stronger

Breakage decreases dramatically

Hair handles heat and styling better

Overall hair health improves.

Hair Loss Prevention

Damaged hair follicles are the primary source of hair loss.

When follicles are compromised:

Hair grows weakly and breaks easily

The follicle doesn't support new growth

Hair cycles accelerate, causing premature shedding

Over time, hair loss becomes noticeable

Keratin pills address this:

They strengthen follicles

Follicles can now support healthy, strong hair

New hair grows stronger from the root

Hair retention improves

Hair loss slows and reverses.

Benefit 2: Stimulating Hair Growth

How Hair Growth Works

Hair growth occurs in three phases:

Anagen (growth phase): 2-7 years, hair actively grows

Catagen (transition phase): 2-3 weeks, growth slows

Telogen (resting phase): 2-3 months, hair prepares to shed

The entire cycle takes approximately 3-7 years.

Keratin's Role in Growth

Keratin is essential for hair to enter and maintain the anagen phase.

When keratin is adequate:

Hair spends more time in the growth phase

The growth phase is longer and more active

Hair grows faster and stronger

When keratin is deficient:

Hair cycles accelerate

The anagen phase shortens

Hair sheds prematurely

Growth slows dramatically

Keratin pills restore balance:

By supplementing with Functional Keratin™

You extend the anagen phase

Hair grows faster and fuller

Growth becomes visible within 3-6 months.

Biotin's Supporting Role

Biotin is a B-vitamin critical for hair growth.

Biotin supports:

Keratin production (your body makes more keratin)

Hair follicle health

Hair shaft strength

Faster growth rate

When combined with Functional Keratin™, results accelerate.

Benefit 3: Overall Hair Health Improvement

The Comprehensive Approach

Hair health isn't just about keratin.

It's about comprehensive nutritional and structural support.

Quality keratin pills address multiple factors:

Zinc: Essential for hair growth and follicle health

According to research, zinc deficiency causes thinning hair and weakens remaining strands

Zinc plays an essential role in hair tissue growth and repair

Zinc keeps the oil glands around follicles operating efficiently

Vitamin A: Supports scalp health and sebum production

Vitamin C: Supports collagen production alongside keratin

OptiMSM™: Provides sulphur for connective tissue health

Together these create:

Healthier scalp environment

Better nutrient delivery to follicles

Stronger, shinier hair

Improved hair texture and appearance

Faster growth

Visible health and vitality.

The Timeline of Improvement

Remember: the hair cycle spans years, so committing long-term is important.

What to expect:

3 months: Initial improvements in hair strength, shine begins returning

3-6 months: Visible transformation, noticeable growth, reduced breakage

6 months onwards: Most dramatic results, hair is visibly healthier and stronger

Consistency matters more than speed.

Keratin Pills Work Best With Supportive Practices

Diet: The Foundation

Keratin pills are most effective when supported by good nutrition.

Eat foods that support hair health:

Protein (eggs, fish, chicken, beef, beans)

Biotin sources (almonds, sweet potatoes, spinach)

Zinc (pumpkin seeds, beef, chickpeas)

Iron (red meat, spinach, legumes)

Vitamin C (citrus, berries, leafy greens)

Omega-3s (fatty fish, walnuts, flaxseeds)

Your body builds hair from what you eat.

Keratin pills supplement, not replace, good nutrition.

Hair Care: The Maintenance

Keratin pills work best when your hair routine supports them.

Best practices:

Use naturally-derived, gentle surfactant shampoos (avoid harsh SLS)

Condition every wash

Use heat protectant before blow-drying

Minimise heat styling frequency

Protect hair from sun (UV cap or spray)

Avoid excessive brushing

Sleep on silk/satin pillowcases

Lifestyle: The Support System

Stress management:

Chronic stress increases cortisol, damaging keratin

Manage stress through meditation, exercise, or therapy

Sleep:

Hair repairs during sleep

Aim for 7-9 hours nightly

Hydration:

Drink adequate water daily

Your hair's moisture comes from internal hydration

Exercise:

Improves circulation, delivering nutrients to hair

Important Considerations

Consult Healthcare Providers

Before starting keratin pills, especially if:

You're pregnant or nursing

You have pre-existing medical conditions

You take medications that might interact

You have allergies

A healthcare professional can provide personalised guidance.

Keratin Pills Are Supplements, Not Substitutes

Keratin pills enhance but don't replace:

A healthy, nutrient-dense diet

Proper hair care routines

Overall wellness practices

All three together create transformation.

References and Further Reading

• Keratin and Hair Structure - PMC - Scientific overview of keratin's role in hair

• Hair Growth Cycles - Journal of Dermatology - Research on hair growth phases

• Biotin and Hair Health - Dermatology Practical and Conceptual - Evidence on biotin's role

• Effect of keraGEN IV Keratin Oral Supplementation - Lincoln Agritech - Clinical study on Functional Keratin™ effectiveness

• Zinc and Hair Growth - International Journal of Dermatology - Research on zinc's critical role

• Heat Damage and Hair - Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology - Studies on environmental damage

• Stress and Hair Loss - Dermatology Research and Practice - Research on cortisol's effects

• KiriGlow Keratin Supplement - Kiri10 - Functional Keratin™ with supporting nutrients