The SKINTENTIONAL Pyramid, Vitamins and Minerals (C)

Micronutrients

        Vitamins A, C, E, and D are necessary for your skin cells to function properly. All are antioxidants except for Vitamin D. Antioxidants are  very effective in keeping skin healthy. We will cover antioxidants in more detail in a later post.

       We learned that Vitamin A helps to aid in the prevention of skin cancer, stimulate collagen production, and soften lines and wrinkles. If you dig a little deeper into the role Vitamin A plays within the body, you will find that it also keeps the skin around our organs healthy by repelling bacteria and viruses. I think it's worth repeating that the overall health of the skin is supported by Vitamin A.

Vitamin C

       Vitamin C (ascorbic acid), an antioxidant vitamin needed for repair of the skin, helps with the production of collagen and aids in the skins healing process.  

       Vitamin C is my favorite vitamin. Here's why. Like Vitamin A, it also is an antioxidant, can help prevent cancer, and aids in the production of collagen. Vitamin C is also able to lighten pigmentation in the skin. How amazing is that!

       Think back to one of my first post in which you learned some basic facts about the skin. One of those facts was that the skin contains one-half of your primary immune cells. Vitamin C is a preventative vitamin in the fact that when taken orally it can reduce the severity of colds. It helps wounds heal faster, and helps keep skin from becoming dry and rough. 

       Here's another fact about skin. Most of the damage (aging) to our skin is caused by UV exposure. When we expose ourselves to the sun without protection, free radicals (molecules that cause aging in the body and wrinkling and sagging of the skin) attack our DNA, and this leads to the formation of cancerous cells. Vitamin C decreases this damage. 

       Vitamin C is very useful in reducing the inflammation (redness) that is often associated with acne or any other disorder that causes inflammation (redness) in the skin.

C-sential

   As you can see Vitamin C is essential to healthy skin. It is found within most product lines. Look for it before you purchase. If Vitamin C is not an ingredient used within a product line, then don't buy their products. Serums of 20% Vitamin C will give the best results. Test have shown that concentrations higher than 20% do not have better results, so don't waste your money on higher concentrations.

C-Licious

Vitamin C is also found in some of my favorite foods. They include; broccoli, cantaloupe, grapes, garlic, green tea, kiwi, tomatoes, turnip greens, oranges, peppers, and strawberries.

In or On

Whether you include Vitamin C in your diet, take a supplement, or apply topically, either way will be beneficial to your skin cells.