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Skin Nutrition: Vitamins and Minerals For Your Skin
Your skin says a lot about your overall health. In fact, experts say that the reason why we think a fresh, clear complexion is attractive is because we instinctively like the look of healthy people. After all, it makes survival sense to associate with the strongest, healthiest individuals in any population. While we may have left the trees and the caves our distant ancestors inhabited, we still like the look of a healthy complexion. Skin nutrition works in two ways – from the outside in and from the inside out. We look at the vitamins and minerals you need for a healthy skin.
Vitamins C and E: Scientifically Proven Anti-Ageing Agents
You don’t have to take our word for it, or even that of the makers of countless dietary supplement and skincare product producers. Scientists agree that these vitamins, taken both internally and externally, help to keep skin looking younger. Here’s what they’ve found:
- Vitamins C and E in skin creams help to protect against sun damage
- Both vitamins, applied topically, fight free radicals that bring about signs of ageing
- Vitamin C in skin creams encourages collagen production, delaying the onset of wrinkles
- The American Academy of Dermatology recommends vitamins C and E as dietary ingredients that promote healthy skin
Vitamin A
Your mom told you that vitamin A is good for your eyes and improves night vision, but that’s not all it does. It’s not a case of “more is better,” though. If you’re already getting enough vitamin A, eating more yellow veg won’t improve your skin. However, if you have a vitamin A deficiency, your skin will quickly dry out and become rough and flaky.
Applying it to your skin in the form of a vitamin-enriched skin-cream is even better. It reduces acne and can even reverse the damage caused by sun exposure and age. Since this shows up as fine lines and wrinkles, you’re sure to be pleased with the results.
B-Vitamins – Especially Biotin
B-vitamins are good for skin, hair and nails. Biotin is the most important of the B-vitamins for your skin, especially when it is applied externally – and scientists are also finding Niacin important for skin health. B-vitamins help to reduce inflammation and they also help your skin to retain moisture, plumping it up and concealing wrinkles.
Vitamin K
You wouldn’t ordinarily take a Vitamin K supplement to improve your skin, but studies have shown that it reduces the dark rings around the eyes that many people are prone to. As a result, many of the best eye-creams will contain this vitamin. A study conducted in Japan showed that vitamins K, A, C, and E in an eye gel formulation will also reduce wrinkles around the eyes.
Minerals
Mineral deficiencies are quite rare, but the most important ones for a healthy skin are Selenium, Copper and Zinc. If you have a sensitive skin, washing your face in mineral water will help to soothe inflammation, and some experts believe that it will help your skin to absorb moisturisers more effectively. Here’s what we know about these minerals and how they keep your skin healthy:
- Selenium: may help to reduce your chances of skin cancer and reduces sunburn damage
- Copper: applied to skin in the form of copper peptides promotes elastin production, keeping your skin supple and reducing wrinkles
- Zinc: regulates oil production and helps to prevent and resolve acne.
Every Little Bit Counts
While vitamins and minerals for a healthy skin have some effect on keeping your skin looking great, you shouldn’t expect dramatic results. Having said that, every little bit helps! Do be cautious, though. You can overdose on certain vitamins – and the results can be as bad or worse than a deficiency! Topical applications and a healthy diet are the best solutions – and if you use supplements be careful to follow the instructions precisely.
If you’d like to find out more about staving off the effects of ageing and about skin health in general, feel free to make an appointment with us. We’ll gladly explain the options you can explore in order to get the healthy, youthful complexion you’ve always dreamed of.
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