Silicon and skin, hair and nails: what the research shows

Scientific reviewer of the Ukrainian source: Andrii Mokiienko, Doctor of Medical Sciences

Does any of this sound familiar?

Skin. Its texture is not as smooth as it used to be. Fine lines around the eyes show even under make-up, and cream only helps for a short while.

Nails. They split, break and never seem to grow to the length you want. Even a fresh manicure soon looks worn, because a thin nail plate does not hold polish well.

Hair. It has become thinner and more brittle, with split ends. Over the past couple of years, your hair has noticeably lost the volume it used to have.

Turgor (skin elasticity). After sleep, marks from the pillow and from creases in the bedding stay on your face for longer and longer. “Sleep lines” no longer fade within a few minutes, and the contour of your face is gradually losing its former definition.

Collagen. You took your time choosing a collagen supplement and dutifully completed the full course, but saw no noticeable change. Now you want to understand why.

There can be different reasons. Besides collagen, studies of skin, hair and nails look at another substance that gets far less attention. This is silicon, or more precisely its soluble form, orthosilicic acid (OSA). Its stabilised forms have been studied for more than twenty years [1].

The essentials in 30 seconds

What did the studies show? Stabilised forms of silicon were studied in women. Skin became smoother and wrinkles less visible [1, 2]. Hair kept its strength better and became thicker [3]. And participants reported that their nails broke less [1].

Where does collagen come in? The skin contains a lot of collagen. Together with elastin and hyaluronic acid, it forms a scaffold that allows the skin to keep its strength and elasticity [4]. That is why silicon is studied in relation to the formation of the body’s own collagen [4], including in a laboratory study in human cells [5].

Which silicon was used in the studies? Stabilised orthosilicic acid [1, 2, 3]. Silicon is a trace element found in water and in foods of plant and animal origin. It occurs in different chemical forms, and these are absorbed very differently [4]. Orthosilicic acid is a soluble form and one of the best absorbed. But it is unstable in concentrated form, so for supplements it is stabilised to keep it soluble [4]. In one of the studies, a separate group took another form of silicon, MMST [2]. Silicon from bamboo or horsetail was not used in these studies: wording like this on a label only tells you about the raw material, not the form.

Who this article is for

• people whose skin has become drier, whose hair has lost strength and whose nails split more often;
• women in perimenopause and after menopause, when changes in the skin become more noticeable;
• men who notice changes in their hair or skin and want to understand the topic without a typically “female” angle;
• active people and athletes who are interested not only in their muscles but also in the condition of their connective tissue;
• those who have already tried collagen or biotin but want to better understand the role of other ingredients.

SILINEXT products at a glance

There are two products in the SILINEXT range, and both use OAOSA as their form of silicon.

What is OAOSA? Silicic acid is a general term for compounds of silicon, oxygen and hydrogen; the simplest is orthosilicic acid. OAOSA is stabilised silicic acid with acacia gum. The OAOSA raw material is made by the Spanish company Silicium España Laboratorios (the LIVING SILICA® brand). Each product provides 500 mg of OAOSA per daily serving. This is the weight of the raw material. It contains around 15 mg of silicon itself, or elemental silicon.

SILINEXT PRO COLLAGEN MATRIX comes in sachets containing collagen peptides from fish and OAOSA stabilised silicic acid. It also contains vitamin C, zinc, copper, manganese, biotin and sodium hyaluronate. SILINEXT PRO COLLAGEN ACTIVATOR comes in vegan capsules containing the same OAOSA and vitamin C.

MATRIX ingredients for skin, hair and nails*: vitamin C, zinc and biotin. *Vitamin C contributes to normal collagen formation for the normal function of skin. Zinc contributes to the maintenance of normal skin, hair and nails. Biotin contributes to the maintenance of normal skin and hair.

A varied, balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle are important for health. Ingredients, daily servings, precautions and how to choose between the products are covered in the section “MATRIX and ACTIVATOR: ingredients and how to choose”.

Why silicon is studied in relation to collagen

Skin, hair and nails look different, but they are often studied together. Scientists call hair and nails skin appendages [4].

The skin contains a lot of collagen. Together with elastin and hyaluronic acid, it forms a kind of scaffold around the cells. Thanks to this scaffold, the skin keeps its strength and elasticity [4]. Hair and nails are built differently. They consist mainly of keratin. And the hair follicle is surrounded by collagen-rich tissue [3].

That is why silicon is studied in relation to collagen formation [4]. In a laboratory study (in vitro) in human cells, orthosilicic acid increased the formation of type I collagen [5].

Skin: what the studies showed

The Barel study involved 50 women with sun-damaged facial skin. For 20 weeks, one group took 10 mg of silicon a day as ch-OSA, and the other was a control group [1]. In ch-OSA, orthosilicic acid is stabilised with choline.

By the end of the study, skin in the silicon group had become smoother. In the control group, by contrast, it had become rougher. In the silicon group, instrument measurements showed that skin elasticity had become more uniform [1].

The Ferreira study involved 51 women. Two groups took 10 mg of silicon a day for five months: one took orthosilicic acid stabilised with maltodextrin, the other took MMST. The third group was a control group [2].

Skin condition was assessed using digital photographs of the face. In both silicon groups, wrinkles decreased by about a quarter compared with the start of the study. Sun-related pigment spots decreased by 25–35%. In the control group, there was no statistically significant change in wrinkles [2].

Hair: strength and thickness

When people say their hair has become weaker, they may mean two different things: it is falling out, or it is breaking along its length. These are not the same. In the silicon studies, researchers looked at the hair strand itself: its strength and thickness.

The Wickett study involved 48 women with fine hair. For nine months, one group took 10 mg of silicon a day in the same choline-stabilised form as in the Barel study, and the other was a control group [3].

Over this period, hair in the control group lost 10.8% of its tensile strength, compared with only 2.2% in the silicon group. Hair strands in the silicon group became thicker. In the control group, thickness did not increase [3].

In the Barel study, the women assessed their own hair. After 20 weeks, they reported that it broke less than at the start [1]. And in the study with the maltodextrin-based form, the silicon content of the hair had increased after five months [2].

Hair loss was not measured separately in these studies [1, 2, 3]. If it has started suddenly, see “When to consult a doctor”.

Nails: less breakage

Your nails are always in sight. So changes are easy to notice: they break more often, split or become uneven.

In the Barel study, the women assessed the condition of their own nails. At the end of the 20 weeks, they reported that their nails broke less than at the start [1].

Biotin for nails has been studied separately. In the largest of these studies, 71 people with brittle nails took 2.5 mg of biotin daily. In 41 of the 45 participants assessed at the end, the nails became harder and stronger [6]. In another study, the nail plate became 25% thicker in 8 women [7]. And in a third, improvement was seen in 22 of 35 people [8].

What to check before buying

• Form of silicon. On the label, look for the name of the form and how much silicon itself the daily serving provides, not just the name of the raw material.
• Collagen and vitamin complexes. Look at the dose and form of each active ingredient.
• Biotin. Add up how much biotin all your supplements provide together: it is often present in several at once.

When to consult a doctor

• Your hair has started falling out suddenly, much more than usual, or patches of thinning have appeared [9].
• Your nails have changed colour, texture or shape, have started to lift away from the nail bed, or have developed deep horizontal grooves [10].

In such cases, first see your family doctor or a dermatologist to find out the cause, and only then choose supplements.

MATRIX and ACTIVATOR: ingredients and how to choose

What MATRIX contains besides collagen

How is MATRIX different from regular collagen? Besides collagen peptides, each sachet contains OAOSA stabilised silicic acid, vitamins and minerals. MATRIX is high in vitamin C (100 mg), zinc (10 mg), copper (1 mg), manganese (1 mg) and biotin (3000 µg) per sachet.

• Collagen peptides, 5000 mg, from fish. This type of collagen is also sold as “marine collagen”. These 5000 mg of peptides contain around 1 g of glycine, more than 0.5 g of proline and more than 0.4 g of hydroxyproline.
• Silicon. 500 mg of OAOSA provides around 15 mg of elemental silicon.
• Vitamin C, 100 mg. Vitamin C contributes to normal collagen formation for the normal function of skin.
• Zinc, 10 mg. Zinc contributes to the maintenance of normal skin, hair and nails. Zinc contributes to normal protein synthesis.
• Biotin, 3000 µg. Biotin contributes to the maintenance of normal skin and hair.
• Copper, 1 mg. Copper contributes to maintenance of normal connective tissues. Copper contributes to normal hair pigmentation.
• Manganese, 1 mg. Manganese contributes to the normal formation of connective tissue.
• Sodium hyaluronate, 120 mg.

MATRIX is high in protein: more than 4.5 g of protein per sachet.

ACTIVATOR: silicon and vitamin C

SILINEXT PRO COLLAGEN ACTIVATOR comes in capsules containing OAOSA stabilised silicic acid and 80 mg of vitamin C. The formula is vegan. ACTIVATOR contains vitamin C, which contributes to normal collagen formation for the normal function of skin.

Which to choose

MATRIX and ACTIVATOR contain the same amount of silicon. So the choice depends on what you need besides silicon.

**Zinc contributes to the maintenance of normal hair and nails. Biotin contributes to the maintenance of normal hair.

A varied, balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle are important for health.

Daily serving for adults:

• MATRIX: 1 sachet in a glass of water (at least 200 ml);
• ACTIVATOR: 2 capsules with food.

Do not exceed the recommended daily serving.

If you take MATRIX, include zinc from other supplements and food when considering your total intake. Each sachet contains 10 mg of zinc, and according to the European assessment, the upper limit for adults is 25 mg per day from all sources [11]. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, consult a doctor before use.

The collagen in MATRIX comes from fish, so this product is not suitable for people with a fish allergy.

We explain why we chose OAOSA in “Bioavailable silicon: what is OAOSA and why does form matter?”.

Frequently asked questions

Has silicon from horsetail, bamboo or other plants been studied in hair research? No. In the hair studies we describe, people did not take silicon from plants (horsetail, bamboo, nettle, oat straw) or diatomite. They took stabilised orthosilicic acid or MMST [1, 2, 3]. Silicon from plant raw materials comes in different forms and is absorbed differently [4]. So the results of these studies do not automatically apply to such supplements. For more on the forms, see “Forms of silicon in supplements”.

Can I take MATRIX while having cosmetic procedures? This is for the doctor or cosmetologist performing the procedure to decide: there are no data on combining MATRIX with procedures. So before injectable, laser or other procedures, tell them about all the supplements and medicines you take. A supplement is not a substitute for either skin cream or a procedure.

Is MATRIX suitable for people with a fish allergy? No. The collagen peptides in MATRIX come from fish.

Can the biotin in MATRIX affect test results? Yes. One sachet of MATRIX contains 3000 µg of biotin. Biotin can distort the results of some laboratory tests, including thyroid hormone tests [12] and troponin tests [13]: the result comes out falsely high or falsely low. This is an error of the test method, not an effect of biotin on the thyroid or the heart.

Some analysers are not sensitive to biotin [12]. Even so, before any tests, tell your doctor and the laboratory that you take biotin, and ask whether you need to pause it and for how long. This depends on the dose, the test and the laboratory’s equipment [12]. Of the two products, only MATRIX contains biotin.

How is ACTIVATOR different from liquid forms of silicon? ACTIVATOR contains OAOSA, a stabilised silicic acid, as a powder in a plant-based capsule: around 15 mg of silicon per day. What matters for absorption is the form of silicon inside, and a liquid format alone does not guarantee better absorption [4]. For more detail, see “Forms of silicon in supplements”.

At what age can you start taking a silicon supplement? SILINEXT products are intended for adults. Age alone is not a reason to take a supplement or to avoid one: what matters more is what exactly concerns you and what you already take. If changes in your hair, skin or nails have appeared suddenly, consult a doctor first. We discuss who should pay attention to silicon in “Who needs silicon?”.

Authorship and scientific review

Author: BIOMOLECULA™ scientific editorial team (based on peer-reviewed scientific sources). Scientific reviewer of the Ukrainian source: Andrii Viktorovych Mokiienko, Doctor of Medical Sciences, Senior Researcher, Associate Professor in the Department of Public Health and Physical Education at the National University of Ostroh Academy; author of the monograph “Кремний в воде. Гигиенические и медико-биологические аспекты” (2020) and co-author of the monograph “Кремній у воді: гігієнічні та медико-біологічні аспекти” (2026). Both titles translate as Silicon in Water: Hygienic and Biomedical Aspects. Review date: 21 August 2026. Publication date: 1 September 2026. Updated: 27 October 2026. Last scientific review: 21 August 2026. These dates refer to the Ukrainian source article.

References

1. Barel A, Calomme M, Timchenko A, De Paepe K, Demeester N, Rogiers V, Clarys P, Vanden Berghe D. Effect of oral intake of choline-stabilized orthosilicic acid on skin, nails and hair in women with photodamaged skin. Archives of Dermatological Research. 2005;297(4):147–153. doi:10.1007/s00403-005-0584-6. PMID 16205932.
2. Ferreira AO, Freire ÉS, Polonini HC, et al. Anti-Aging Effects of Monomethylsilanetriol and Maltodextrin-Stabilized Orthosilicic Acid on Nails, Skin and Hair. Cosmetics. 2018;5(3):41. doi:10.3390/cosmetics5030041.
3. Wickett RR, Kossmann E, Barel A, Demeester N, Clarys P, Vanden Berghe D, Calomme M. Effect of oral intake of choline-stabilized orthosilicic acid on hair tensile strength and morphology in women with fine hair. Archives of Dermatological Research. 2007;299(10):499–505. doi:10.1007/s00403-007-0796-z. PMID 17960402.
4. Araújo LA, Addor F, Campos PM. Use of silicon for skin and hair care: an approach of chemical forms available and efficacy. Anais Brasileiros de Dermatologia. 2016;91(3):331–335. doi:10.1590/abd1806-4841.20163986. PMID 27438201. (review)
5. Reffitt DM, Ogston N, Jugdaohsingh R, Cheung HF, Evans BA, Thompson RP, Powell JJ, Hampson GN. Orthosilicic acid stimulates collagen type 1 synthesis and osteoblastic differentiation in human osteoblast-like cells in vitro. Bone. 2003;32(2):127–135. doi:10.1016/S8756-3282(02)00950-X. PMID 12633784. (in vitro data)
6. Floersheim GL. [Treatment of brittle fingernails with biotin]. Zeitschrift für Hautkrankheiten. 1989;64(1):41–48. PMID 2648686. (article in German)
7. Colombo VE, Gerber F, Bronhofer M, Floersheim GL. Treatment of brittle fingernails and onychoschizia with biotin: scanning electron microscopy. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology. 1990;23(6 Pt 1):1127–1132. doi:10.1016/0190-9622(90)70345-i. PMID 2273113.
8. Hochman LG, Scher RK, Meyerson MS. Brittle nails: response to daily biotin supplementation. Cutis. 1993;51(4):303–305. PMID 8477615.
9. American Academy of Dermatology. Hair loss: Signs and symptoms. Accessed 28 July 2026.
10. American Academy of Dermatology. 12 nail changes a dermatologist should examine. Accessed 28 July 2026.
11. Scientific Committee on Food. Opinion of the Scientific Committee on Food on the Tolerable Upper Intake Level of Zinc. SCF/CS/NUT/UPPLEV/62 Final, 19.03.2003.
12. Zhang Y, Wang R, Dong Y, Huang G, Ji B, Wang Q. Assessment of biotin interference in thyroid function tests. Medicine (Baltimore). 2020;99(9):e19232. doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000019232. PMID 32118725.
13. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Biotin Interference with Troponin Lab Tests: Assays Subject to Biotin Interference. Accessed 28 July 2026.

Disclaimer

This article is for educational and informational purposes only. A food supplement is not a medicinal product and is not intended to diagnose, treat or prevent disease. The collagen in SILINEXT PRO COLLAGEN MATRIX comes from fish, so this product is not suitable for people with a fish allergy. Consult a doctor before use.