Vitamins Minerals and Nutrients for Healthy Skin

Skin Care Products that can be Anti-Aging, Reduce Acne and Much More

Aug 7, 2009

One of the most important - and most often overlooked - skin care products is a good supply of vitamins and minerals.

Despite the cliché, no one actually has 'perfect skin'. But giving the skin the vitamins and nutrients it needs is necessary to unlock the full beauty and potential of the skin. A good, complete multi-vitamin is crucial for all aspects of body health, but in addition, consider adding - or at least increasing - one or more of the following:

Vitamin A (Retinoids)

Vitamin A does not need to be supplemented internally unless there is a deficiency in your diet and multivitamin combination, as it is easy to overdose; however, it can be useful topically with little worry. It helps to increase the elasticity of the skin, more specifically helping to reduce wrinkles and stretch marks, making it important for anti-aging skincare. It is also a good moisture booster, making it perfect for itchy, flaky, or dry skin.

B Vitamins / B-Complex

This group of closely related vitamins form the basis for skin, nail, and hair cells, making them critical for good skin care and hair care. They can be taken internally with little danger from megadoses, and can be used topically as well. As a group, they prevent or improve the condition of psoriasis, dermatitis, eczema and acne; as an added benefit, they help with hair loss and a variety of emotional imbalances. Grains like rice and oatmeal, as well as eggs and bananas are good natural sources for B vitamins. The recommended dose of each of the B complex vitamins is 100 mg 3 times daily, except for Niacin (B-3), which is twice that.

Vitamin C (L-ascorbic Acid)

One of the more important and versatile vitamins. Although it can be overdosed, it takes quite a lot, and the effects are minimal, so it is safe for both internal and external applications. Being a powerful antioxidant, it helps minimize damage to the skin, such as from the sun, and the buildup of melanin (skin spots); it similarly helps repair damage that has already been done, including psoriasis and eczema, and some say even under-eye circles. It is one of the building blocks required for collagen production, which helps to give the skin strength and elasticity, a lack of which can lead to wrinkles. All of this makes it an important vitamin for anti-aging. The 'average' recommended dose is about 1250 mg daily, but can vary widely depending on who is speaking.

Vitamin D

The primary source of this vitamin is sunlight exposure, so it rarely needs supplementation unless there is a severe deficiency. However, it is worth mentioning as it is a highly effective antioxidant and anticarcinogen.

Vitamin E (Alpha Tocopherol)

This strong antioxidant can be used both internally and externally, and while mega doses are not dangerous in and of themselves, it is possible to develop an allergy, and so should be avoided. Next to vitamin C, vitamin E is probably the most important for healthy, vibrant skin. It protects from damage and significantly increases the speed and strength of healing, making it an important anti-aging product. It helps the skin retain moisture, and reduces irritation.

Vitamin K

Used topically, vitamin K can help repair the damage of bruises, including under-eye circles (which are, in fact, a form of bruising.)

Alpha-lipoic Acid

This is a strong antioxidant, and has the advantage of boosting the effectiveness of other antioxidants, but its greatest feature is that it is both water and oil soluble, making it highly useful for the skin.

Hyaluronic Acid

Wonderful for helping to retain moisture in the skin, and also has strong anti-aging properties. As an added bonus, it is very good for joint health.

Essential Fatty Acids (Omega-3 and Omega-5)

These nutrients help a number of skin conditions, including psoriasis, eczema, and acne. They also lower the production of certain oils in the skin which can actually irritate the skin.

Chromium

Zinc

This antioxidant increases the rate of healing, making it effective with psoriasis, eczema and acne, and also helps reduce scarring from such problems.

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