Vitamins for the Skin
Le Vitamins are among the most effective ingredients of cosmetic formulations. Available alone, i.e. as a single component, or in combination with other active substances, they meet various needs of the skin and hair.
What Are Vitamins (in short)
Vitamins are essential nutrients for the body, which participate in numerous biological processes and "protective" physiological mechanisms. The body obtains them from food, absorbing them in the digestive tract and distributing them to various tissues, including the skin. The best way to get the vitamins your body needs to prevent and repair damage to the skin surface is to eat a healthy, balanced diet rich in these nutrients: a healthy body helps support skin tropism.
Which Vitamins Are Useful for Skin Care?
In addition to those introduced with abalanced and healthy nutrition, vitamin are good for the skin, even when they enter the composition of cosmetics and in the form of topical treatment.
Warning! Although vitamins are numerous, some have benefits more than others and are particularly important for skin health and can affect its appearance. For example, vitamin C and vitamin E play an essential role in skin trophism. Others have no significant positive impact or may even be irritating if applied topically.
Glowing Skin: Essential Vitamins
The most important vitamins for skin care are:
- Vitamin A;
- Vitamin C: ;
- Vitamin D;
- Vitamin E;
- Vitamin B3.
Vitamin A: Renew
La Vitamin A is a particularly valuable fat-soluble vitamin for keep skin structures intact. It is no coincidence that it is one of the most popular skin care ingredients: in cosmetics, vitamin A is found in the form of a derivative called retinol or retinyl acetate. Vitamin A is capable of carrying out a profound action capable of stimulating the cell regeneration and improve the dermis collagen production.
Glowing Skin: What Is Vitamin A For?
Vitamin A stimulates skin renewal promoting cell turnover. For this, it is useful for counteract skin spots and the appearance of wrinkles.
In addition, vitamin A plays asebum-regulating action on oily skin, soothes those red and irritated e firms mature skins. Some significant clinical trials have shown that vitamin A can also increase the rate at which the skin repairs and heals on its own. Vitamin A is also a powerful anti-oxidant and is found in many cosmetics for keep the skin young in combination with vitamin C.
What to Watch Out for
- Vitamin A used in the form of Retinoic acid is used alone in anti-acne preparations ad medical use.
- Vitamin A is fotosensibilizzante: it is better to use preparations that contain it in high percentages only in the evening.
- In some cases, topical retinoids can cause skin irritation, especially in people with sensitive skin. Therefore it is advisable to perform a patch test to evaluate the possible reactivity and to start with a not very concentrated product.
Vitamin C: Firming
In routine skincare, topical vitamin C is one of the best allies for repair, protect e improve the appearance of the skin. Vitamin C invigorates e firms the epidermis making it younger and more elastic; Furthermore, defends against environmental pollution the skin and, thanks to the lightening effect, makes thebrighter and more even complexion.
Glowing Skin: What Is Vitamin C For?
At the skin level, the activities of vitamin C are many.
- First, this water-soluble vitamin acts as strong antioxidant, that is, it counteracts the action of free radicals, one of the main enemies of the skin's youth. The effects of these reactive compounds can affect the deeper dermal layer before damage can be seen on the surface in the form of cellular aging. Vitamin C contained in creams and serums prevents oxidative stress, capturing free radicals and transforming them into less reactive species.
- Vitamin C plays an important role in collagen production, thus helping the epidermis to maintain itself compact. Based on these actions, vitamin C can be recommended as an adjuvant in topical treatments restoring skin elasticity, toning e lighteners (on the surface, vitamin C brightens the complexion and minimizes hyperpigmented spots).
- Topical use of vitamin C contrasts the first signs of time, especially when skin aging is photo-induced, i.e. caused by exposure to the sun and the harmful effects of ultraviolet radiation. By limiting cell damage, vitamin C is able, in fact, to control the inflammatory response associated with exposure to UV rays.
What to Watch Out for
Vitamin C-based cosmetics should not be used as a substitute for traditional sunscreen, as it does not absorb UVA or UVB rays. Side effects of topical use of vitamin C include: yellowing of the skin, dryness and itching; episodes of urticaria are also possible.
For further information: Vitamin C for the Skin: What is it? It works?Vitamin E: Anti-Aging
La vitamin E it is commonly included, as an ingredient, in many skin care products. It is about one of the most powerful natural antioxidants.
Glowing Skin: What Is Vitamin E For?
Vitamin E has aanti-inflammatory activity which, combined withprotective effect, makes it a key ingredient in anti-aging products and cosmetics to protect the skin from damage from sun exposure.
What to Watch Out for
Vitamin E may have some protective effects against UV rays, but, like vitamin C, it is not a substitute for sunscreen. However, it can help heal sunburned skin, which is why it is included in the formulation of many creams and gels for relieve sunburn.
Vitamin D: Protect
Almost all of vitamin D is activated in the body at the skin level, by the action of ultraviolet light. Topically, the vitamin D it is mainly used for the treatment of some pathological skin conditions, such as psoriasis and acne.
Glowing Skin: What Is Vitamin D For?
In dermatology and cosmetology, vitamin D is used in the form of synthetic analogues and is also useful for:
- Strengthen the skin's defenses, thus strengthening the barrier function exercised by the skin;
- Alleviate inflammatory states, on the one hand avoiding the appearance of reactive episodes and facilitating on the other i healing processes. In combination with vitamin E, it can help soothe irritation of the skin associated with contact dermatitis.
Vitamin B3: Regenerating
Better known as niacinamide o vitamin PP, vitamin B3 is able to act on the damaged skin barrier, repairing it to make the skin, even the fragile one, stronger and more resistant to potentially harmful external aggressions.
Glowing Skin: What is Vitamin B3 for?
Vitamin B3 offers a regeneration to stressed and sensitized skin, which rediscover comfort and well-being.
Other Vitamins Useful for the Skin
Glowing Skin: Potential Benefits of Other Vitamins
- Vitamin B5: also known as panthenol, hydrates and regenerates the skin, maintaining its balance and softness. Vitamin B5 also has a soothing action that helps prevent and reduce redness.
- Vitamin B12: also called riboflavin, plays an important action in contrasting free radicals, therefore it counteracts premature skin aging. In combination with other topical vitamins, vitamin B12 produces a decongestant effect on the skin and, when added to sunscreens, helps reduce redness and erythema due to exposure.
- Vitamin F: this letter indicates the essential fatty acids (mainly: omega 3,6 and 9) obtained from vegetable oils (eg sweet almonds, argan) essential for keeping cell membranes intact and leaving the protective barrier of the skin intact. In addition to these benefits, vitamin F plays an important nourishing action and preserves the softness of the skin.
- Vitamin H: balances and regenerates the skin, especially when it is necessary to manage impure, oily or acne-prone skin.
To remember
If you have any doubts about the suitability of a particular vitamin for your skin type, it is possible ask your doctor or dermatologist for an opinion to evaluate the various possibilities.
