Skin Care: The Four Best Vitamins

Obtaining the proper vitamins

Skincare should be a priority in your health regimen. After all, it is the largest organ in your body.

The first thing most health professionals will tell you to do to maintain healthy skin is to limit your exposure to the sun’s harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays and to always wear protective sunscreen when outdoors.

However, the sun is not all bad. Daily exposure of 10–15 minutes aids in the production of vitamin D throughout the skin. Vitamin D, along with vitamins C, E, and K, is one of the best vitamins for your skin.

Maintaining an adequate vitamin intake can help keep your skin looking healthy and youthful. This could result in a decrease in:

  • Blemishes, redness, wrinkles
  • rocky terrain.
  • excessive aridity.

Supplements with essential skin vitamins are available, but they are also found in skin care products. Discover how these four essential vitamins can assist you in achieving optimal skin health.

Skin Care: The Four Best Vitamins - Photo by Cheyenne Doig
Skin Care: The Four Best Vitamins – Photo by Cheyenne Doig

Vitamin D

Vitamin D is most frequently synthesized when sunlight is absorbed through the skin. When this occurs, cholesterol is converted to vitamin D. Vitamin D is then absorbed by the liver and kidneys and distributed throughout the body to assist in the formation of healthy cells. This includes the skin, where vitamin D is critical for maintaining a healthy skin tone. It may even aid in the treatment of psoriasis.

Calcitriol is a synthetic version of a type of vitamin D that humans naturally produce. Calcitriol is a topical cream that has demonstrated efficacy in the treatment of psoriasis. Calcitriol was found to reduce skin inflammation and irritation in people with psoriasis in a 2009 study published in the Journal of Drugs and DermatologyTrusted Source.

The Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University recommends consuming 600 international units (IU) of vitamin D daily. If you are pregnant or over the age of 70, you may require more.

You can increase your vitamin D intake in the following ways:

  • Obtaining ten minutes of daily sun exposure (check with your doctor first, especially if you have a history of skin cancer)
  • Consuming foods fortified with vitamins and minerals, such as breakfast cereals, orange juice, and yogurt
  • vitamin D-fortified foods, such as salmon, tuna, and cod.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is abundant in both the epidermis (outer layer of skin) and dermis (inner layer of skin). Its anti-cancer (antioxidant) properties and role in collagen production help maintain the health of your skin. This is why vitamin C is a key ingredient in a large number of anti-aging skin care products.

Oral vitamin C supplementation can help maximize the effectiveness of sunscreens applied to the skin to protect against the sun’s harmful UV rays. This is accomplished by reducing cell damage and facilitating the healing process of bodily wounds. Vitamin C may also help prevent the signs of aging, as it is required for the body’s natural collagen synthesis. It aids in the healing of damaged skin and can even help reduce the appearance of wrinkles in some cases. Vitamin C supplementation can also aid in the repair and prevention of dry skin.

Vitamin C deficiency is uncommon due to the widespread use of over-the-counter products, dietary supplements, and foods. The recommended daily dose is 1,000 mg. If you discover that you are deficient in vitamin C, you can:

  • Increase your consumption of citrus fruits, such as oranges.
  • Consume additional vitamin C-rich plant-based foods such as strawberries, broccoli, and spinach, and orange juice.
  • Take supplements as directed by your physician and seek out anti-aging skin treatments containing vitamin C for the treatment of dryness, redness, wrinkles, and age spots.

Vitamin E

Vitamin E, like vitamin C, acts as an antioxidant. Its primary purpose in skin care is to protect the skin from sun damage. When applied to the skin, vitamin E absorbs harmful UV light from the sun. Photoprotection is a term that refers to the body’s ability to minimize damage caused by ultraviolet (UV) rays. This can assist in the prevention of dark spots and wrinkles.

Vitamin E is normally produced by the body via sebum, an oily substance emitted through the pores of the skin. Sebum, in the proper balance, helps maintain the skin’s condition and prevents dryness. If you have particularly dry skin, vitamin E may help compensate for a deficiency of sebum. Vitamin E is also beneficial for treating skin inflammation.

While vitamin E is found in a variety of skin care products, the issue is that any benefits may be diminished by sun exposure. Consuming an adequate amount of vitamin E is preferable. The average adult requires approximately 15 mg of vitamin E per day. You can increase your intake in the following ways:

  • consuming an increased number of nuts and seeds, such as almonds, hazelnuts, and sunflower seeds.
  • Taking a multivitamin or a separate vitamin E supplement and applying topical vitamin E and vitamin C products (this can be more effective in photoprotection than those that contain only one of the two)

Vitamin K

Vitamin K is necessary for the body’s blood clotting process, which aids in the healing of wounds, bruises, and areas affected by surgery. Vitamin K’s basic functions are also thought to benefit certain skin conditions, including:

  • striae
  • Scars caused by spider veins
  • Dark circles and blemishes beneath your eyes

Vitamin K is found in a variety of topical skin creams and can be used to treat a variety of skin conditions. Doctors frequently prescribe vitamin K creams to patients who have recently undergone surgery to aid in the reduction of swelling and bruising. This may aid in the speeding up of skin healing. However, research on the effects of vitamin K on the skin is less extensive than that on vitamins E and C.

Vitamin K deficiency is uncommon in the United States, according to the University of Florida. Adults require between 90 and 120 ug of vitamin D per day. You can increase your intake by eating the following foods: Spinach, kale lettuce, Cabbage, green beans.

Vitamins are necessary for healthy skin.

Vitamin deficiencies can have a negative effect on the skin because they are necessary for your health and body functions. Due to the critical role vitamins C and E play in protecting your skin from the sun, deficiency in either vitamin increases your risk of skin damage, including skin cancer. Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Consult your physician

Vitamin supplements are widely available these days, so consult your dermatologist or physician before beginning a regimen for your health. The next time you’re in the store’s skin care aisle, check to see if any of these four beneficial vitamins are included in the ingredients of your favorite products.

While vitamins are necessary for skin health, you may already be consuming an adequate amount of them through your daily diet. A blood test can help determine if you are deficient in any vitamins. Vitamins should only be taken under the supervision of a medical professional to avoid overdose.

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