Healthy skin does not just ‘happen’ for most people. When you are a young woman or man, it is much easier to have healthy, beautiful skin because you have the benefit of youth on your side. As you start to age, certain properties of the skin change and the proteins in the skin break down. Two elements that make up the skin’s youthfulness – collagen and elastin – are broken down more with each passing year and this causes sagginess, wrinkles, and even fine lines to appear. So what can you do to keep your skin young and healthy?
Your skin is the largest organ in your body. Many people do not even know it is an organ, but it is as much an organ as your heart or your kidneys. It covers such a greater area, too, that it is extremely important to care for it as you would any other organ. It is not just something to wash free from dirt every day.
Fortunately, there are many solutions available that can help keep your skin in great condition. There are several supplements which can assist in the treatment of dry or damaged skin. Supplements for good skin are generally ones which contain antioxidants. Vitamins such as Vitamin A, Vitamin E and Vitamin C are especially potent antioxidants that can assist in improving skincare.
Vitamin A derivatives are used in a very powerful drug called Retin-A, which is available only by prescription. Retin-A is quite strong and it used to be recommended for treatment of severe acne. However, due to its popularity it has been known to be a wonderful treatment for wrinkles and fine lines as well. There are natural forms of vitamin A as well as many natural supplement forms of beta carotene and other “A” derivatives that will help you to have glowing, healthy skin.
Vitamin C has also become a popular skin treatment. It has been shown to be effective for wrinkles and fine lines, as well as skin brightening and moisture retention. The problem comes with choosing your vitamin C cream, gel, or liquid. Unfortunately, there is no way to tell which supplements sink into your skin and really penetrate and which do not. The best way to measure it is by the level or percentage of ascorbic acid noted on the package. The higher the concentration, the more likely it will penetrate through the barrier of your skin. Of course, you can always nourish from the inside out as well! Be sure to eat plenty of fruits and vegetables high in vitamin C, and supplement with a capsule or pill as well as a topical solution.
If you do opt for a topical solution, be sure to choose one that is tightly sealed and can be tightly re-sealed after each and every use. Vitamin C quickly degrades, and upon repeated exposure to air it will become less and less pure and effective as time passes. The best vitamin C preparations are usually tinctures, and these solutions come in a dark bottle that light and air cannot penetrate. These tinctures can be pricy, but this is one area where the extra expense is probably worth it. A small bottle of 15% vitamin C will be potent enough to do the trick for your healthy and beautiful skin, but small enough that it will not break the bank. While it may seem very expensive upon purchase, you should know that a tiny bottle will last a very long time. Just a few drops of this formula on your face will do the trick.
Much talk is made of healthy skin for the face, but really you should care for your entire body. Exfoliating helps to create new skin layers, and turnover of these new cells keeps the skin young and fresh. Make sure you get regular exercise to help rid the skin of its toxins, undertake an exfoliation routine to increase cell turnover and eat a good, healthy diet full of fresh fruits and vegetables. On top of this, take a supplement that combines vitamin C, vitamin E and vitamin A. You can also find supplements that specifically indicate on the bottle that they are for “Hair, Skin and Nails”, and you may prefer to take this type instead. These usually contain a mixture of vitamins C, E and A but also some herbal supplements such as horsetail to strengthen the skin.
Skin is how you first show your health to the rest of the world; you wear it on the outside! Show the world your healthiest glow possible by taking care and taking these supplements for healthy skin.
Megan Hazel is a freelance writer and blogger who writes about health and fitness, often focusing on specific products such as
vitamins.
