Why use supplements for your skin?

AUTHOR - DR. DAVID JACK

While we all seek out the best skincare products to give us that healthy glow, sometimes the only way to fix the complexion is by working from the inside out. This can be achieved by taking skin supplements, which work to complement creams and potions. Use these alongside your topical beauty regime, and the results will be healthy, soft and radiant.

While there is a long list of vitamins and minerals the skin needs to stay healthy – and we might wonder how on earth we’re going to get them all - Integrative Beauty has developed a range of supplements to do just that. So check them out.

Some are in capsule form, others in powder or as part of a tea.

Even the most nutritious diet will not provide the body with everything it needs – which is why supplements top us up with vitamins and minerals. And this is true for the health of the skin, as well as the rest of the body.

By our late 20s, the body starts to slow down and doesn’t make collagen and elastin as efficiently.

The result? Fine lines and sagging become apparent and the damage from free radicals result in pigmentation and dark marks, ageing the appearance.

Diet has a huge impact on skin and its health because topical skincare products address only 20% of the skin on its surface. The other 80% is affected by what you eat and drink, including dietary skin supplements.

For example, fatty acids are essential to a good complexion. As a natural anti-inflammatory, Omega-3 can calm particularly angry skin that’s prone to breakouts, as well as being an anti-ageing substance.

GLA oils, or gamma-Linolenic acid oils, are Omega-6 fatty acids. Like their cousin, the Omega-3 fatty acids, Omega-6s also help to keep skin healthy and beautiful. And while they’re essential for your skin’s health, your body doesn’t produce them. It’s also believed there’s a link between acne and zinc deficiency.

Glucosamine helps create the ideal environment for skin to be healthy and allows it to effectively build collagen and elastin.

Topical Vitamin C and internal Vitamin C is essential for vibrant, younger-looking skin and strong joints. Vitamin C helps the body make new collagen. Taking a supplement will also protect skin from too much UVA and UVB exposure and will help to improve a laundry list of inflammatory skin diseases.

Its antioxidant properties also protect skin from normal oxidative stress and free radicals from pollution and mental stress.

Vitamins A and E are also very important. Vitamin A increases cell reproduction and stimulates collagen production. And Vitamin E is an antioxidant that protects skin cells and helps maintain moisture.

Phytonutrients are antioxidants found in fruit, vegetables, and nuts. There are a number of different phytonutrients, including Lycopene, Ellagic Acid, and Resveratrol. Phytonutrients expel toxins and harmful chemicals from your skin cells. This allows for healthy cell regeneration and maximum collagen production.