Eating foods found in all three basic food groups-fats, carbohydrates, and proteins-is the best way to support the health of the skin.
Applications of vitamins have also been found to be useful in nourishing the skin.
Vitamin A supports the overall health of the skin. This vitamin aids in the health, function, and repair of skin cells. Vitamin A is an antioxidant that can help prevent certain types of cancer, including skin cancer, and has been shown to improve the skin’s elasticity and thickness. In its topical acid form as the prescription cream called retinoic acid or Retin A, vitamin A can be used to treat many different types of acne.
Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid, is an important element needed for proper repair of the skin and various tissues. This vitamin aids in, and even speeds up. the healing processes of the body. Vitamin C is also vitally important in fighting the aging process and promotes the production of collagen in the skin’s dermal tissues, keeping the skin healthy and firm.
Vitamin D promotes the healthy and rapid healing of the skin. The best source of this vitamin is sunlight(in limited amounts). Because vitamin D helps to support the bone structure of the body, it has been made readily available in many fortified foods and dietary supplements.
Vitamin E, or tocopherol, used in conjunction with vitamin A, helps fight against, and protect the skin from, the harmful effects of the sun’s rays. Vitamin E also helps to heal damage to the skin’s tissues when used both internally and externally. When used externally in topical lotions or creams, vitamin E can help heal structural damage on the skin including severe burns and stretch marks.
If a person’s daily food consumption is lacking in nutrients, an effective way to provide them is to take vitamins and mineral supplements.