How vitamins are the new beauty booster

We all know about the importance of a balanced diet and the positive role that diet, gentle exercise and the right nutritional supplements can play in maintaining a healthy body, but what about the role of vitamins in keeping your skin looking great?

New research on the protective barrier function of skin has resulted in significant advances. Previously seen as just a barrier to the daily attack by sunlight, pollution and other chemicals, its biophysical characteristics have now been explored further, revealing new levels of advantages from vitamin therapy. As your skin is your largest single living organ, it is equally important to look after it on the inside as well as the outside, which is where vitamins can play a vital role. You can now actively influence not just your skin's health, but also how it looks.

When we look at ourselves, especially our faces, too often we concentrate on the negatives such as the texture being too rough, coarse or uneven, loss of elasticity, or skin pigment looking muddy, dull, lacking lustre or blotchy. You may feel a lot of this cannot be improved or is too big a task; so many people don't make the journey into positive skin health.

As a dermatologist I want to share with you the process of skin enhancement and encourage you to take control of your skin's health through simple use of active skincare with vitamins.

Of all the vitamins useful for skin therapy, vitamin A (also known as retinol) is one of the most powerful. It has a small enough molecular structure to penetrate the outer layers of the skin and get to work deep enough in the skin's structure to help repair the collagen and elastin producing layers. Over time, when used correctly, retinol can deliver visible results, but it's not for everyone, especially those with more sensitive skin. In this case, good regular moisturisation & the right skin nourishment can in combination also deliver powerful results.

Vitamin C & E are also excellent skin boosters, which can help neutralise the ageing effects of free radicals. They can particularly help in the fight against skin ageing, when combined in the right carrier and delivered - at significant enough levels - deeply into the skin.

All of these elements, coupled with other key ingredients such as grape seed oil, will optimally enhance your skin's ability to rejuvenate and begin active skin management.

To do this, you need a sophisticated delivery system, such as the micro-fusion technique, which Healthspan have developed to entrap vitamins and keep them protected from light and air until they are applied to the skin. What's more, if these are combined with an oral supplement for the skin also delivering these key ingredients, the results can be even greater. These products are sometimes referred to as 'cosmeceuticals'? or 'derma-cosmetics'?, i.e. products that cross the line between cosmetics and pharmaceuticals.

Whilst there is not yet a 'cure' for ageing, we know that damage built up in the deeper layers of your skin over time, benefits more significantly by working on from both sides.

To effect a difference, I recommend you consider the benefits of active
vitamin skincare and try this exciting new approach.

Most important is to always use an effective sun protection product of above SPF 15 and avoid cigarette smoke, as sun exposure and smoking are the two principle causes of photoageing.