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Vitamin C: Skin’s Potent and Persistent Hero
For decades dermatologists have been advising anyone who is serious about taking care of their skin to include topical vitamin C in their regimen.
The following represents some key reasons why this potent antioxidant has consistently been prescribed to treat and prevent changes associated with both internal and external ageing.
It is not easy to penetrate the skin’s surface.
While it seems an ever-increasing number of topicals make claims to perform miracles on our skin, very few molecules can penetrate the skin deeply enough to effect change. Vitamin C is one of the rare molecules.
Vitamin C is a naturally occurring element in our body with particularly high concentrations in our skin. It is easily tolerated by most users and has an excellent safety profile.
As its list of attributes expands and becomes even better understood, studies on vitamin C’s role in the production of collagen, as well as in the scavenging of free radicals continues to increase. Free radical activity and fluctuations in collagen production both heavily influence the appearance of our skin.
In addition to its above role as an anti-ageing hero, Vitamin C is playing a bigger and bigger part in the treatment of inflammation, tissue repair, hyperpigmentation, and photo-ageing.
Not all formulas are created equally.
There are a variety of Vitamin C derivatives on the market. Don’t be fooled by hype. Some do not deliver enough vitamin C to be effective. Others do not convert to the biologically active form of Vitamin C in the skin.
Products that are encapsulated can deliver vitamin C into the skin faster and much more efficiently. Just as importantly, they allow the vitamin C that is delivered to stay in the body longer to be absorbed and efficiently used by our cells.
Encapsulation also ensures a bigger bang for your buck. It helps ensure that complimentary ingredients like collagen and elastin reach deeper into the skin and perform more effectively.
Micro-encapsulated products like DERMA-TEX Vitamin C Serum 20% are very stable and can penetrate deep into skin tissue without destabilizing. DERMA-TEX’s patented technology delivers vitamin C that is hydrolyzed and delivered into the cells in its most active form.
Vitamin C products that are not stabilized cannot deliver the same results. They have minimal penetration levels, do not have the ability to fully enhance complimentary ingredients, and do not stay in the body as long. Using the wrong product can cause oxidative damage to the skin.
Since vitamin C plays a key role in the synthesis of collagen, the basic building block of healthy skin, having proper levels of vitamin C is vital to our skin’s overall structural integrity.
Vitamin C depletes as we age.
As we age, our vitamin C levels naturally start to decline and fine lines and wrinkles start to form. Our body is incapable of producing its own vitamin C. Eating a diet that includes vitamin C rich foods, and using a well formulated vitamin C product, helps to replenish our reservoirs. Fortunately for us all, clinical studies have revealed that the use of topical vitamin C increases collagen production in people of all ages.
Conclusion:
Despite its longevity as a vital tool in the skincare professional’s anti-ageing toolbox, it seems that Vitamin C will continue its rule as one of the most potent skincare products on the market for some time.
References:
http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/the-benefits-of-vitamin-c#2
http://vitamin-c.wellwise.org/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3673383/#ref3
