Many people swear by a strict skincare regimen to keep their skin looking soft and supple. They’ll cleanse, exfoliate, moisturize and go to any length to maintain their skin. But beauty is more than just surface-level. Vitamins for skin health are just as important as any external booster and should be a part of every beauty regime. Read on to learn more about which vitamins are good for your skin, their health benefits, and how to add them to your diet via food and with some of the best supplements for beautiful skin.
Which Vitamins Improve Skin Health?
There is a wide variety of vitamins that are good for your skin. Some help retain elasticity, others promote skin healing, and many have certain antioxidant properties to prevent the signs of aging. All of these vitamins are good if you want better, healthier-looking skin over a long period, and can also improve other health benefits outside of skin health. Many vitamins come from letter vitamins, or vitamins A, B, C, D, E, F, and K.
Vitamin A
Vitamin A is essential for healthy skin and has many benefits. There are two types of vitamin A for skin - retinoids and carotenoids. Both are transformed into retinol by the liver. It’s the retinol that’s high in antioxidants and may stimulate the production of new cells, keeping away dryness. Antioxidants can especially benefit the skin, as they have been documented to have anti-aging properties. Retinoids can be found in animal products like salmon, eggs, and cod liver oil, while carotenoids are found in plant products such as carrots, sweet potatoes, and certain fruits such as papayas and pumpkins.
Another way of ensuring you meet your daily requirement of vitamin A is by taking a nutritional supplement. The benefits of vitamin A supplements for the skin are many. Some supplements combine both retinoids and carotenoids, while others are either made only of retinoids or carotenoids. Find out which one is the best for you. Many multivitamins have vitamin A as an ingredient, and this too may be good for your skin.
Vitamin B-Complex
Vitamin B-complex for skin is actually an entire group of B vitamins that have different benefits. There are eight of them that help benefit skin health in different ways! Altogether, they’re called B-complex, but it isn’t that complicated learning what they can do for your skin.
B1 (Thiamine): Helps prevent stress-related breakouts.
B2 (Riboflavin): Promotes cell turnover, collagen maintenance, reduces swelling, and promotes healing. It may also help in preventing acne breakouts by preventing skin dryness and promotes the absorption of zinc.
B3 (Niacin): Vitamin B3 has many skin benefits. It may treat many skin irritations and conditions and is considered a good anti-aging element in skincare products.
B4 (Pantothenic Acid): Helps in preserving the moisture in the skin, which leads to younger-looking skin. It may also help prevent acne.
B6 (Pyridoxine): Vitamin B6 can help manage stress and sleep, which keeps away skin inflammation, increases cell regeneration, and more. It could also help in avoiding premature aging and acne.
B7 (Biotin): Vitamin B7 may help protect cells from water loss and damage. The benefit of this is that it could keep your skin plump, moist, and youthful. It may also combat inflammation and skin infections.
B9 (Folic Acid): Vitamin B9 has properties similar to an antioxidant. It promotes cell turnover and fights damage caused by free radicals. Some studies show that it has anti-aging benefits when applied topically.
B12 (Cobalamin): Vitamin B12 helps in cell reproduction and may be used to deal with certain skin conditions.
Vitamin B-Complex supplements usually contain all or most of these B vitamins, thus creating quite a healthful cocktail for your skin.
Vitamin C
Wondering what vitamin C does for your skin? It has many benefits. It may help promote anti-aging, heal wounds, and even reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. It could also aid the production of collagen. It’s found in high concentrations in both the outer and the inner layers of the skin. Taking this vitamin orally may also help enhance the effectiveness of sunscreen and help boost your immune system! This nutrient is found in citrus fruits, such as oranges and lemons. Other sources include strawberries, broccoli, and various juices. If you’d prefer the quick convenience of a supplement, vitamin C supplements are just as good for the skin and can help you stay healthy.
Vitamin D
Also called the ‘sunshine vitamin,’ vitamin D is good for your skin in many ways. It helps create healthy cells throughout your body, including on your skin. Healthier cells can more effectively keep acne away and could even aid in the treatment of skin conditions like psoriasis. Studies have also found that Vitamin D may protect against sun damage, which is important since a major source of Vitamin D is through absorption of the sun’s rays.
Vitamin D may also help heal the wounds. It’s broken down into other D - vitamins, such as D1, D2, and D3.
Vitamin D2: This comes from mushrooms, fortified food, and supplements.
Vitamin D3: D3 is found in oily fish, fish oil, liver, butter, egg yolk, and dietary supplements.
Most vitamin D supplements will contain these and are beneficial to the skin.
Vitamin E
Vitamin E is an essential nutrient with anti-inflammatory properties that benefit the skin. It promotes cell function and skin health. It’s essentially an antioxidant, so it can fight the effects of free radicals. Another reason why vitamin E is good for the skin is that it may be useful in reducing any external damage caused by UV rays. It may also hydrate the skin, reduce itchiness, and minimize the appearance of scars, fine lines, and wrinkles. Is a vitamin E supplement good for skin health? Yes, it is, although most people can get their required dosage from a carefully balanced meal.
Vitamin F
Vitamin F has many potential benefits for the skin, such as hydrating and replenishing it. It’s high in antioxidants, too, and that helps to prevent skin damage. It also has certain anti-inflammatory properties that may help fight acne, block skin irritants, and create a lovely, youthful glow. Vitamin F is more of a combination of two fatty acids rather than a vitamin. That being said, you can take vitamin F supplements and enjoy their potential benefits for your skin.
Vitamin K
Vitamin K, although not as well-known as the others, has a surprising number of potential health benefits for your skin. It can be broken down into three parts:
K1: This is found in green leafy vegetables, dairy, and vegetable oil.
K2: Also called menaquinone, this is synthesized by gut flora.
K3: This is a synthetic and water-soluble form.
Vitamin K promotes wound healing and may increase skin elasticity. It also helps fade dark under-eye circles, scars, stretch marks, and dark spots. It also has certain antioxidant properties, which help the skin detoxify when exposed to UV rays and pollution. Vitamin K supplements may similarly benefit the skin.
There you have it - an entire range of vitamins for healthy skin that will help your skin feel and look incredible. From improved elasticity to a brighter glow, supplements can help your body and skin have wellness from the inside out. Be sure to add these vitamins for skin health to your daily skincare routine to feel truly radiant!
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