When it comes to vitamins and your skin, you definitely want to be up to date on you’re A, B, Cs and more. While eating the right foods is good for overall health including the skin, Prevention magazine points out that the body only provides a certain amount of vitamins to your skin, regardless of how much you ingest. That’s why it suggests you may want to apply vitamins topically to the skin.
Following are the vitamins you definitely want to make sure you have in your skin care toolbox, whether taken in foods, supplements or over the counter (OTC) skin care products.
Vitamin A: When it comes to renewing and repairing skin, Vitamin A heads the list. Vitamin A reduces fine lines, reduces pigmentation and improves skin texture. The good news is that fruits and vegetables are loaded with vitamin A. Also Retin-A is a prescription treatment derived from Vitamin A that is used to treat acne and has anti-aging properties. Retinols, such as True Results Retinol Active Skincare, are among the less retail non-prescription strength formulations sold for anti-aging skin care.
Vitamin C: Vitamin D gets an “A” for the role it plays in good skin care. It helps fight the signs of aging because of its collagen producing benefits. It also can help in the repair of damaged skin. You won’t have any trouble finding sources of Vitamin C. Just have an orange. Other fruits and vegetables that are a source of Vitamin C include strawberries, broccoli, kale and red peppers. You also can take supplements or find Vitamin C in antiaging products.
Vitamin D: You definitely want to be sure to get enough Vitamin D to strengthen bones and to boost your immunity. Fortunately, your body naturally produces Vitamin D when your skin is exposed to the sun (Just don’t get too much because of the aging effects of UV rays). Some dermatologists also are championing the use of Vitamin D2, which is made by plants versus D3 which your skin naturally makes, writes Amber Kallor in “Why Vitamin D Serum Belongs in Your Skin-Care Arsenal.”
Kallor citesresearch conducted on mice, which indicates that the vitamin has anti-aging properties. Other experts say that the “jury is still out” on the effectiveness of OTC forms of Vitamin D. While they may have some benefits, one dermatologist Annie Chiu, says in “The ABCs of Vitamins in Your Skincare” that the jury is still out on just how effective they are since it’s not yet clear that “…topical OTC vitamin D undergoes the correct chemical modifications in the skin to render it an active ingredient.”
Vitamin E: Vitamin E is definitely a must for good skincare since it fights free radicals, which damage collagen and elastin thereby causing wrinkles and other signs of aging. Many foods such as olives, avocados, sweet potatoes, leafy green vegetables and more are abundant in Vitamin E. You also can take a supplement or apply it topically through creams. Using topical products that contain both Vitamin E and Vitamin C can be more effective in photo protection than those that contain only one of the two, according to healthline.
A, C, D and E aren’t the only vitamins that help your skin but they are a good start to a more glowing, healthy complexion.