Many people don’t realize the many benefits of taking vitamins — especially the beauty and skin-related benefits. In this guide we’ll go over how vitamins help, how to know whether you need to take vitamins, the best vitamins for healthy skin and the different types of vitamin C for your skin care concerns.
[Related: Your Guide to Wrinkles: What Causes Them and How to Prevent and Reduce Their Appearance]
How Vitamins Help
The right vitamins can make you look and feel younger, as well as boost your confidence. You can find vitamins that help your hair grow longer, your skin clear up, your nails grow stronger and everything in between. Certain vitamins can also help relieve stress, control your weight and stave off the common cold and flu.
Where to Get Vitamins
We get a lot of natural vitamins in the foods we eat. Foods like fish, dark leafy greens, broccoli, pork, avocados, blueberries, eggs and even some nuts are all high in natural vitamins.
Sometimes vitamin supplements are necessary. You might be familiar with these vitamin supplements in different forms, like pills, gummies, liquids or powders to mix into a drink. In some cases, if the vitamins you choose don’t work for you, your doctor can give you an injection.
You can purchase almost all types of vitamins you might need at local drugstores, some supermarkets, department stores and of course online.
[Related: Best Facial Treatments for Aging Skin]
Which Vitamins and Supplements Are Right for Me?
Are you unsure which vitamins are right for you? If you’re hesitant about which vitamins could help your specific concerns, check with your doctor. They may have recommendations based on your medical history, body type, skin type and custom goals.
You have a wide array of vitamins to choose from, including B1, B12, B6, C, E, D, K and A.
Vitamin B1
For example, B1 can help your heart function better. The vitamin assists your central nervous system as well by helping stabilize your mood. B1 gives you energy by transferring blood sugar into energy. B1 also promotes a healthy mucous membrane and promotes muscular and cardiovascular functions.
Melatonin
If you experience muscle tenderness or insomnia, the vitamin supplement melatonin can help. It blocks certain receptors in the nervous system that interfere with our ability to relax and fall asleep.
Vitamin E
This is a great vitamin for anti-aging purposes. According to experts, vitamin E is responsible for preserving oxygen in the blood. Research has also linked vitamin E to influential anticoagulants.
Some experts believe it slows blood clotting by dilating the blood vessels. If you’re searching for a vitamin to help you stay feeling young and healthy, then 200-unit vitamin E is for you.
[Related: What to Look For in a Sunscreen]
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is great for fighting off colds, but did you know that it’s also one of the best vitamins for healthy skin and has many skin care benefits?
Beauty Benefits of Vitamin C
Vitamin C is necessary for collagen production. Collagen is a strong connective cloth that literally retains us in our entire form. Without collagen, we would go to pieces because this protein knits bones together, fastens muscles to bones and keeps our organs in place.
The efficacy of vitamin C for treating inflammation (such as psoriasis or sunburn) depends on its solubility. Whether vitamin C is dissolved in water or in fat determines which part of the cell it can penetrate and protect. Between natural vitamin C (L-ascorbic acid) and the ether form of vitamin C (palm acid), the latter is best at protecting skin cells.
Here’s why.
L-Ascorbic Acid
L-ascorbic acid, the natural form of vitamin C, is dissolved in water. Therefore, although L-ascorbic acid is concentrated inside the cell, it can’t necessarily protect itself from free radicals. Additionally, L-ascorbic acid possesses strong acidic properties and can irritate the skin before rapidly decomposing and losing efficacy after 24 hours.
[Related: How to Take Care of the Skin on Your Body]
Palm Acid
Palm acid, the ether form of vitamin C, is a derivative of L-ascorbic acid. The fatty acid is isolated from palm tree oil.
The ideal medicine can be created from palm acid if you add a small quantity of palm oil to the vitamin C molecule. In this case, ether won’t irritate the skin and can even be applied directly to open wounds.
Palm acid can be dissolved into fat and is easily absorbed by skin. The cellular plasma membrane itself consists predominantly of fat. As a result, palm acid can strongly protect skin cells against free radicals.
You can add palm acid to creams and lotions because it will preserve its acting ability for months or even years while maintaining its antioxidant effects.
[Related: Six Simple Steps to Clear Skin]
Contact Athré Facial Plastics Today
Do you have questions about the best vitamins for healthy skin? Would you like to try out some of our quality, luxurious spa services? Maybe you’re interested in our premium medical-grade skin care products.
If so, we’ve got you covered. Contact Athré Med Spa at Athré Facial Plastics today, and let’s get started.