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Experts Answer: Is Vitamin C Actually Good for Your Skin?

January 7, 2019

Vitamin C is one of the most well-known vitamins. It’s one of the first things people grab when they aren’t feeling well, or when they need a general health boost. Most people only consider taking it for its health benefits, but it can actually work wonders on your skin for many of the same reasons it works for your immune system: it has antioxidants.

By: Kaitlyn, NP

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The fight against free radicals

Antioxidants protect your body and skin from free radicals, which are unstable molecules that cause damage and speed up the signs of aging. In the case of your skin, overexposure to environmental pollutants like cigarette smoke and UV radiation can both cause free radicals to wreak havoc on your skin.

Let’s look at an example. Say we take an apple, cut it into two slices, and leave it on the counter. Everyone knows that it will start to turn brown as time passes. This process happens because free radicals are damaging the exposed tissues.

This same aging process happens with our skin when we’re exposed to cigarette smoke or UV rays without protection. Only instead of turning brown (which your skin still can – these are called sunspots or age spots), the most common form of damage will be fine lines and wrinkles.

If you look at an older aunt, uncle, or grandparent, you can see that the quality of their skin is far from that of a baby or even young teenager. Vitamin C can help slow this process and protect your skin.

Incorporating vitamin C into your routine

You have two options when it comes to adding vitamin C into your skincare routine. You can either buy a product that is purely vitamin C, or you can buy another product that has vitamin C added to it.

I personally have two favorite products:

  • Alto Defense Serum by SkinBetter – includes vitamin C and 18 additional antioxidants
  • Vitamin C Serum by Revision Skincare – comes in both 15% and 30% (one of the strongest concentrations on the market)

I encourage every single one of my patients to use vitamin C. It’s beneficial for almost every skin type, and helps skin keep its radiant glow. If you have any questions about what you should add to your own skincare routine, please don’t hesitate to call us at 513-791-9474 to set up a free skincare consultation.