Almighty vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid is an essential substance that cannot be produced by the human body. Instead, we take it in the diet from different sources, including citrus fruits.
You have probably heard about vitamin C as an immune-booster. It is also an excellent antioxidant, and may even reduce your blood pressure levels. But, why is it so popular in creams and skin treatments?
Actually, vitamin C can be very helpful at promoting skin repair, especially from sun damage.
Why is Vitamin C so good for repairing sun damage?
One of the main reasons is that vitamin C speeds up collagen creation. This is an important fiber that makes up and strengthens the deep layers of the skin. Thus, vitamin C can thicken the dermis after it was affected by direct sunlight.
On top of that, vitamin C is a cancer prevention agent, which means it shields your skin cells from harming free radicals brought about by UV rays. These free radicals would go around reacting against our healthy tissues and creating damage. Instead, they react against vitamin C, and this antioxidant substance neutralizes their harmful effects. Free radical protection conferred by vitamin C prevents or delays certain malignant growths and coronary illnesses.
For this reason, vitamin C contributes to regenerate wounds and keep your bones, teeth, skin, and ligaments strong and resistant. That’s why it also lessens the risk of ligament with osteoarthritis and other degenerative diseases.
In short, vitamin C is great for repairing sunlight damage because:
- It stimulates collagen production and strengthens the deep layers of the skin
- It works as an antioxidant against free radicals induced by sunlight exposure
Vitamin C in creams and skin treatments
With so many applications, it is not surprising to find vitamin C as an important agent in creams and skin treatments.
This nutrient can help you keeping your skin firmness and maintaining its flexibility. It has a powerful skin restoration potential that makes it an important agent in beauty creams and anti-aging treatments.
It’s an acidic nutrient, and its absorption in creams depend on the acidity levels of your skin, which are measured by something called pH. To make it simple, a normal skin will absorb vitamin C from creams with a pH of 3.5 (this is slightly acidic). But if your skin is very sensitive, you might need a cream formula with a more neutral pH of 5 or 6.
Another interesting property of vitamin C in creams is that it modulates the creation of melanin. This substance is a natural pigment in the skin, and it is usually associated to hyperpigmentation, colored spots, and uneven skin tone. Thus, vitamin C can help battle off these imperfections and make your skin look more radiant and juvenile.
Given all of these beneficial effects on your skin, it is clear why we want to use vitamin C in beauty products. It is not only beneficial to repair sun damage but also to maintain a firm, flexible, and bright skin regardless of our age.
References:
Pullar, J. M., Carr, A. C., & Vissers, M. (2017). The roles of vitamin C in skin health. Nutrients, 9(8), 866.
Al-Niaimi, F., & Chiang, N. Y. Z. (2017). Topical vitamin C and the skin: mechanisms of action and clinical applications. The Journal of clinical and aesthetic dermatology, 10(7), 14.