Best Vitamins for the Skin

Feed Your Skin

The foods we eat contain vitamins, minerals, and proteins that build our bodies and keep them moving. Naturally, what we eat shows up in different ways on the skin. When we get enough of the range of vitamins we need, our skin can look and feel its best.

What Are Vitamins?

Vitamins are organic compounds found in foods that help our bodies perform vital functions like make blood and DNA, transform and store energy, and grow the skin, as well as the rest of the human body. We can’t make these vitamins ourselves, so we have to consume them on a regular basis in the form of a varied and balanced diet.

Together with minerals like sodium, calcium, potassium, iron, and zinc, as well as water, proteins, acids, and other compounds found in foods, vitamins catalyze the many small functions that add up to the unconscious way that our bodies keep us alive, like healing wounds and breaking down food. The conscious act of eating, however, allows us to make sure we’re getting the vitamins necessary for all these things to happen.

When everything goes right, our skin benefits by receiving enough nutrients to turn over normally, showing healthy, radiant skin. Different vitamins support different functions that contribute to healthy skin. When food is broken down, vitamins, minerals, and proteins are carried throughout the body by the bloodstream, delivering nutrients and hydration to cells. The skin receives these in the dermal layer, below the epidermis.

There Are 13 Vitamins

• Vitamin A: Also known as beta carotene, vitamin A helps create red blood cells, bone, and skin itself by supporting cell reproduction and the immune system
• Vitamin B: This group of essential vitamins supports the body’s nervous system, energy storage, metabolism, hormone production, cell growth, and red blood cell production. They include vitamin B1, Thiamin; B2, Riboflavin; B3, Niacin; B5, Pantothenic Acid; B6, Pyridoxine; B7, Folic Acid; and B12, Cyanocobalamin, Hydroxocobalamin, and Methylcobalamin)
• Vitamin C: An antioxidant, it also supports collagen and connective tissue production, the immune system, and healing wounds
• Vitamin D: This vitamin is key for calcium balancing, bone development, hormone production, the immune system, and nervous function.
• Vitamin E: Another antioxidant, vitamin E helps build blood vessels and supports the immune system
• Vitamin K: Helps with calcium regulation and bone development, as well as regulating blood clots

Whole-Body Health for Skin

The skin, as well as the rest of the body, is supported by a healthy blood supply rich in water, vitamins, and other nutrients. A well-regulated immune system can help manage skin conditions like eczema, hives, and psoriasis, which can be exacerbated by weak immune systems.

Getting enough vitamin D is important for skin health because it supports bone health, where blood is made that feeds the skin internally. Even though the sun is the main source of vitamin D, it poses some risks for sun damage to skin. Vitamin D can also be taken in supplement form to reduce that risk. Antioxidants like vitamins C and E help reduce the damage to cells by sunlight, pollutants, or toxins that we’re exposed to on an everyday basis.

Vitamins C and the Bs are all water soluble, which means that the body doesn’t store them; we need a regular supply of them. They can be found in a range of fruits and vegetables. The other vitamins (A, D, E, and K) are stored in our body’s fat cells, and we can go some days without a new supply, but it doesn’t hurt to keep sources as regular components of your everyday diet.

Vitamin Sources

We can get the range of necessary vitamins through our diets by incorporating lots of different fruits, vegetables, and protein sources. It’s important to maintain a diverse diet to get vitamins from different sources. Remember to drink lots of water to get them moving through your body and stay hydrated!

Some people choose to take a supplement to get more of one vitamin or a multivitamin to try to cover all bases. Cosmetic products are also sources of supplementary nutrients that can target specific skin needs. Retinols are derived from vitamin A and are a popular product for skin rejuvenation to diminish lines and wrinkles, even tone, and stimulate cell growth. Other moisturizers and anti-aging creams may deliver vitamin C or E to boost your skin’s health.

Your dermatologist is able to perform facial treatments that deliver vitamins and nutrients to your skin directly, targeting your specific needs. They can also discuss your skin’s type and chemistry and make connections between your diet and your skin’s condition. Schedule an appointment today to set up a consultation with one of our qualified dermatologists.