There are a variety of ways to improve your skin. Certain vitamins can improve the way it looks and feel. This article looks at the vitamins that may improve your skin.
Those who manufacture skincare and supplements often claim that the right vitamin can help fight skin ageing, cure acne, and improve skin health.
With the help of a pill or liquid supplement, you can reclaim your youthful skin, hair, and nails. These are some of the claims we’ve seen from beauty companies claiming their products will improve your appearance, but are they effective? Let’s explore it together. 🙂
Vitamins & Supplements: general overview
Supplements are nutritional products that are added to your diet to fill specific nutrient gaps. Vitamins, minerals, herbs, botanicals, or amino acids are included in these products.
But vitamins are nothing new.
Vitamins are necessary to keep your body functioning. Our body naturally produces them to function normally. The growth of cells and the maintenance of organs require specific vitamins.
Let’s now explore the types of vitamins that are beneficial to our skin:
Vitamin A
In addition to its cell-reproducing benefits, vitamin A has anti-ageing properties, such as attracting moisture to the skin by increasing levels of natural humectants.
the good news is that you can get all the vitamin A you need from a healthy, varied diet.
B complex vitamins (such as B3 B5)
B3 B5 both contribute to increasing ceramide levels, your skin’s ability to fight pollution is enhanced, as well as creating smoothness and suppleness.
Vitamin B family
*Choline: As vitamin B, choline aids your skin in absorbing elastin and collagen, which help keep it smooth and firm.
Vitamin C
As an antioxidant, vitamin C is effective at fighting free radicals that cause oxidation of the skin, one of the major causes of ageing. Vitamin C also contributes to the production of collagen.
In addition, it helps brighten and smooth your skin.
It is also considered to be the best vitamin for sensitive skin.
Vitamin D
Bone-building and immune-boosting properties of this vitamin have long been known.
Calcium and phosphate, which are both vital for the body, are controlled by vitamin D. Vitamin D keeps bones, teeth, and muscles healthy.
It is also possible to opt for foods rich in vitamin D, such as fatty fish, dairy products, egg yolks, and beef liver unless you have been tested and found to be deficient.
Vitamin E
Vitamin E supplements can improve the moisture of dry skin and can help heal scars as well.
It can be used to treat skin inflammation and promises to heal damaged skin. It is important to take the right amount of vitamin E since studies have shown that taking too much can worsen the damage, it is not recommended for people that are not deficient in other words.
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The health of your skin can be improved by many vitamins. There are also other nutrients to look for in a supplement, and these include:
Folic acid: This can help prevent skin damage caused by oxidative stress. In other words, it’s when you have an imbalance between free radicals and antioxidants in your body.
Zinc: By regulating oil production, zinc controls acne symptoms for many people who take it. It also has antioxidant properties and facilitates the healing of damaged tissues.
Collagen: Collagen is a protein that provides strength and resilience to skin cells.
It is a protein that forms one of the main building blocks that make up bones, skin, hair, muscles, tendons, and ligaments. Collagen is what gives young, plump skin its plumpness.
General recommendations
Vitamin C, zinc, sulphur, silica, and omega 3 are commonly recommended by dermatologists because they not only promote the skin’s ability to produce collagen naturally but also help the skin turn over its cells, which brightens the complexion, along with Vitamin D for winter.
Astaxanthin, which is an antioxidant obtained from seafood, is also recommended to slow down ageing by fighting inflammation in the skin and is fat-soluble so it penetrates deep into the skin.
Supplements on dry skin:
Different treatment methods may be used to improve skin hydration, including medicated ointments and moisturizers.
For instance, dry skin may be caused by low levels of vitamin D. As a result, supplementing with vitamin D may increase skin hydration.
Taking supplements (such as vitamin D) and drinking more water may also improve your skin’s dryness.
For insight check: Nutrition vitamins for dry skin
Are supplements important/useful?
Depending on whom you ask, the answer may vary.
Choosing the best moisturiser for a healthy glow is a no-brainer, but sometimes what your skin needs is from the inside out with skin supplements that work.
It is however extremely important to maintain a balanced and healthy diet. To improve your overall skin health, it is very important to focus on eating a variety of fruits and vegetables and avoiding dietary triggers.
*Related: Is your diet more important than your skincare?
I get it we are all human, after all. Many of us lead busy lives, slip-ups are easy to make, and eating a healthy diet alone doesn’t provide the right balance of nutrients. This is where supplements come in handy.
Supplements can give your skin the boost it needs, alongside your skincare routine and a well-balanced diet. They can even address specific skin concerns if needed.
Doctor Howard Murad, a world-renowned dermatologist who is board-certified, says that even a healthy diet cannot give the body everything it needs. By providing your body with the essential vitamins and minerals it needs, supplements ensure optimal nutrition.
Supplementation has been shown to nourish and support your skin from the inside out, and see this in my clinic regularly, says Alice Mackintosh, registered nutritional therapist and founder of Equi.
What to note/take into consideration:
Vitamins should be chosen based on the type of skin condition you have. Different vitamins are suitable for different skin conditions, and the wrong combination of vitamins may even exacerbate some conditions. The skin may become dry and irritated when using too many products containing vitamin A.
Taking too many vitamins can cause health issues, so people should avoid over supplementing.
Skin problems can be caused by malnutrition, so eating a balanced and nutrient-dense diet remains one of the best things one can do to maintain good skin health.
What primary Nutrients do we need for Healthy Skin?
The skin requires the right balance of nutrients to perform its main function: forming a barrier to protect the rest of your body from things outside. Taking care of your skin from within to keep it looking, working, and feeling good is ESSENTIAL.
It is not to say, however, that there is no room for supplements. Even though nothing can replace a nutritious diet or good sleep, many people find it tough to eat properly all the time due to stress, work, alcohol, and pollution all increasing the body’s demands for vitamins and minerals, notes Mackintosh. To maintain a healthy complexion throughout the coldest months, some supplements claim to work from the inside out. It seems reasonable. 🙂
So, what should you look for in a supplement?
To ensure you’re getting value for your money when taking a skin supplement, read the label carefully and look at the ingredients they contain.
Make sure that you always do your research before buying a product, rather than assuming it is safe just because it is on the market. Supplements are a self-regulatory industry, which means companies must meet FDA standards
To find the best products, Lortscher suggests checking for the black and yellow USP Verified seal, the blue and white NSF seal, or the CL seal of approval. In addition, dermatologist Dr Talib recommends avoiding supplements with fillers, binders, artificial colours and flavours.
Also, look for companies that provide their nutrition facts and ingredients in an easy-to-read manner. Do not rely solely on pretty pictures to back up claims. Look for experts who are associated with the company.
The importance of a healthy lifestyle
A healthy lifestyle cannot be overshadowed. It’s important to note that your diet should be your first port of call for skin-nourishing vitamins and minerals, while lifestyle factors like deep sleep and exercise can also make a difference.
Dr Rajani Katta a clinical professor of dermatology at the McGovern Medical School University in Texas states that no supplement can ever replace the foundation of good health. Several people hope that they can eat anything and take a supplement, but that doesn’t work.
Generally, experts do not consider supplements essential, but they can be helpful if your doctor feels they are what you need. Discuss your nutritional status with him/her, and if you decide to take a supplement, find one that has studies and quality ingredients to support its claims. 😉
