The ABC's Of Skincare (What Different Vitamins Actually Do)

Medical professionals alike often cite the importance of having a good supply of each vitamin for our body's overall health, and skincare companies often put vitamins and vitamin-rich ingredients into their products in an effort to boost the vitality of the skin itself. Whether you are looking at a product or a supplement, however, it can be tricky to know what each vitamin does for us or does for the skin specifically. Today, I am going to break down 5 of the basic "letter" vitamins, how they contribute to skin health, and some misconceptions about them.

Vitamin A: Vitamin A, or retinol, is primarily recognized in the skincare world for its ability to speed up cell turnover and essentially exfoliate and regenerate the skin from the inside out by pushing newer skin cells more readily up to the surface. Often, when you hear the word "retinol" being used in skincare, it will refer to a lab-created, synthetic version of the vitamin, but from a scientific perspective, all forms of Vitamin A, including natural ones, are known as retinol. Because of its ability to speed up skin renewal, Vitamin A has become a staple in the anti-aging market as well as being in products recommended for those who deal with acne or anyone who may struggle with scarring. This, however, does not account for what is perhaps Vitamin A's most pivotal role in skin health, which is moisturizing and preventing dry skin. This may seem ironic when you consider that often when people start using a topical retinol product of any kind, their skin goes through a stage of flaking and peeling. On an internal level, though (especially when sourced from natural, direct, and active forms of Vitamin A such as meat, eggs, and seafood), Vitamin A is useful for the skin because it is a fat soluable vitamin, which it means it can ultimately change and improve how the skin behave and is able to fuel itself on a cellular level, encouraging more hydration and other essential nutrients to be a part of the skin as well as shedding older, dead skin that inevitably weakens and loses luster over time to make way for smoother and more vibrant skin to come through.

Vitamin B: There are several types of B vitamins that each do slightly different things for skin function. But to put it a catch-all statement, B vitamins are largely helpful when it comes to curbing skin redness and irritation reactions. This means an adequate dose of B vitamins are vital for the treating and prevention of acne and acne-scarring as well as help minimizing the external appearance of rosecea and healing rashes. Vitamin B3 (niacin or niacinimide) also helps to protect DNA in the skin and elsewhere in the body, helping it to age well and be resilient against infections and pathogens. Other B vitamins like B5 (pathenol) and B6 (biotin) help foster skin smoothness.

Vitamin C: Vitamin C (l-ascorbic acid) is touted in skincare as being the glow giver of the vitamin bunch and is also protective anti-ager and damage reverser through its antioxidant properties. Yet all of these benefits are also largely due to Vitamin C's ability to rev up collagen production. Collagen is the connective tissues in our skin that make it hearty and firm. Collagen also enables the skin to protect itself and heal from environmental damage such as pollution and long-term, excessive sun exposure (though we will be talking more about the sun and skin in a moment) , and a timely collagen production is also what contributes to the Vitamin C's ability to lighten spots of discoloration in the skin and look fresher and brighter over the long term.

Vitamin D: Little talked about comparatively speaking in skincare is Vitamin D. Certainly, I have never seen any topical product claim to use any source of Vitamin D, but its importance to skin function and beauty are immense. Unlike the other vitamins on this list, Vitamin D is not actually a vitamin but, rather, a hormone, and for the skin, ample doses of Vitamin D are critical preventing excessive dryness, peeling, and most of all itching and other allergic-based responses that may crop up. More and more research is being done on the importance of Vitamin D for the immune system in general, but it is important to note that many, many immune defense responses manifest as skin conditions, even chronic ones like eczema. So taking Vitamin D in a supplement can truly, truly help if you deal with any level of these symptoms or conditions. However, the most effective source for getting your Vitamin D is far and away is sunlight, and sunlight is best absorbed through skin exposure This does not mean you should go out in the hottest, brightest parts in the day and lay out in the sun directly without SPF, but a lovely walk on a mild sunny day, or a partly cloudy one, for just 15- 20 minutes can really start to help your skin as well as provide other benefits such as improving your oxygenation, mood, and sleep pattern.

Vitamin E: Vitamin E (or tocopherol) is a vitamin most typically associated both medically and cosmetically with treating dry skin. However, it is important to note that Vitamin E does little, if anything, to actually moisturize (add lipids or oil to) or to hydrate (add water to) the skin. Instead, Vitamin E more or less as a safeguard to skin cells, protecting the water and nutrient content that is already inside a skin cell. That said, those with skin especially prone to being dry and/or dehydration need extra Vitamin E to trap in all the moisture they can and to keep skin from shedding and help it stay comfortable. It also should be noted that Vitamin E can be harder to find in food sources but is in many oils and greens in small amounts, but it is a particularly good thing to look for in your topical skincare.

These five vitamins are critically important for the health and vitality of skin, and particularly for how it behaves and ages in the long run. Though there are many other vitamins and minerals that also enhance our skin's function, it is always good to start knowing your ABC's!