Compiled & medically reviewed by 
Dr. Sanjana .V.B .Bhms , DBRM, Cdn.

Vitamin C for your skin and hair

      Vitamins have vital role in maintaining skin health and beauty. The skin has two layers, the epidermal outer layer which provides the barrier function, and the inner dermal layer which provides strength, elasticity and nutritional support to the epidermis.

     Vitamins function as antioxidants against oxidative stress to your skin from UV rays of sun and other free radicals. Your skin contains high concentrations of vitamin C, which supports skin integrity, stimulating collagen synthesis and works as antioxidant protecting your skin against UV-induced damage.

      Epidermis or outer layer of skin lacks blood vessels that can provide nutrients to cells. Nutrients reach epidermis after diffusion from the blood vessels that supply dermis, the inner layer of skin. So nutrient intake is very much essential for skin health and beauty.

   Nutritional status is vital for maintaining normal functioning of the skin during collagen synthesis and keratinocyte differentiation. processes. Vitamin C has crucial role in this process. 

    Skin protects your body against ultraviolet (UV) irradiation and various other harmful effects of chemical and mechanical stress. Skin also protects from microbial infection. Nutrition is one of the main factors required for the maintenance of overall skin health. Nutritional deficiencies may alter the structural integrity and biological function of skin, resulting in an abnormal skin barrier.

   The stratum corneum, outer most layer of epidermis functions as an effective aqueous barrier and prevents the passage of many substances. Only a few uncharged and fat-soluble molecules can pass through the surface layer of epidermis. Therefore nutrients delivered via topical application would not easily penetrate into the lower layers of the dermis. The dermis should get nutrients through bloodstream from the food you consume.

Skin ageing and role of vitamin C

    Skin ageing happens from intrinsic factors [such as genes] of your body and extrinsic or environmental factors such as sun induced damage, chemical exposure, stress etc. Nutrients have great role in delaying, preventing and managing skin ageing process.

     Intrinsic aging is a slow process and, changes do not become evident or visible until advanced age, if no extrinsic causes like UV rays cause damage to skin. That is normal or chronological ageing over the years.

    Skin ageing from intrinsic causes is characterized by reduction in the thickness of the dermal layer of your skin, along with fewer fibroblasts and mast cells. Collagen production and blood vessel formation for skin oxygenation and nutrition are also reduced.

Specifically, during intrinsic aging there is gradual degradation of elastin and collagen.

Dryness of skin is very common in ageing people, chiefly due to a loss of glycosaminoglycans and the reduced ability to maintain moisture levels

The age-related changes are more prominent on dermis than the epidermis. However, the ageing epidermis shows a deteriorating barrier function and also reduced repairing potential, antioxidant potential, immune function. Melanin production may also be impaired in aged skin.

Intrinsic aging is an unavoidable phenomenon as it is determined by genetic background and other factors. However the added effect of extrinsic factors on intrinsic ageing skin may lead to premature ageing.

It can be modified by reducing exposure to environmental risk factors such as smoking, chronic exposure to sunlight, which cause premature skin aging. Poor nutrition is yet another intrinsic skin ageing accelerating factor.

Using treatments to potentially reverse skin damage, including topical or systemic treatments that help regenerate the elastic fiber system and collagen. A high intake of fruit and vegetables is recommended.

Extrinsic ageing happens from sun damage, smoking and poor nutrition. Chronic exposure to U V rays of sun induced damage is called photo ageing.  Another ageing accelerating cause is smoking.

Acute exposure of skin to UV radiation can cause sunburn, resulting in a large inflammatory response causing redness, swelling and heat.

Chronic long-term exposure to UV radiation causes premature aging of the skin, with marked disruption to skin structure, and may lead to the development of skin cancer or photo-aging. The prominent features are wrinkles, hyperpigmentation and significant changes in skin elasticity that cause skin sagging, with the skin also becoming sallow and rougher with age.

Both the epidermal and dermal layers of skin are susceptible to chronic UV exposure from sun; however, the most detrimental impact is on dermis. Changes include a significant loss of collagen fibrils within the dermis.

Solutions to protect the ageing skin

  Preventing exposure to UV radiation is the best means of protecting the skin from the detrimental effects of photo-aging. However, avoidance is not always possible and sun screen lotions above SPF30 may help to protect the skin.

You may have to protect your skin with antioxidant vitamins from inside ; include vitamin and mineral rich foods in your diet. Vitamin C and vitamin E, with the combination being particularly effective.

 A few study results indicate the need for complete oxidant scavenging by antioxidant helps to remove oxidative damage from acute sun exposure. Intake of nutrients may be more effective than topical application in preventing free radical damage or oxidative stress.

Reversal of previous chronic sun damage to skin is a little difficult. Although there are a number of studies that claim a significant benefit from an antioxidant supplement or topical cream. The interpretation of these results achieved by the topical agents are confounding as the agents used are mostly cocktail of compounds and moisturizing agents. So it is difficult to understand the effects of antioxidants alone.

Normal human skin contains high concentrations of vitamin C. It is  reaching the skin cells from the blood vessels present in the dermal layer. Several studies have shown that vitamin C levels are lower in both epidermis (69% and 61%) and dermis (63% and 70%) of photoaged or sun damaged skin and naturally aged skin.

The concentration of alpha-tocopherol or vitamin E also is lower in the epidermis of photoaged (56% of young skin level) and aged (61%) skin but not in dermis.

Vitamin C is also  a vital nutrient for skin health.  Vitamin C intake may improve skin hydration, stimulate collagen production, and protect against wrinkle development and premature aging due to sun induced damage[ photo ageing].

Both  topical application and internal intake of supplements of vitamin C[ from natural sources ] are essential for managing the ageing process. Although many face creams contain vitamins known as antioxidants, very few are actually effective in preventing or reversing skin damage.

Vitamin C as topical application in the form of creams:

Vitamin C, is a water-soluble and charged molecule, and it is repelled by the physical barrier of the skin which permits only fat  soluble molecules. It is only when pH levels are below 4 and vitamin C is present as ascorbic acid that some penetration occurs.

Ascorbic acid derivatives of vitamin C as topical application need to ensure stabilization of the molecule from oxidation and also overcome the great challenge of skin penetration. So the efficacy of a vitamin C topical application meeting all these challenges is still not fully understood.

Vitamin C helps in collagen formation and antioxidant protection.

 In the skin, collagen formation is carried out mostly by the fibroblasts in the dermis, resulting in the generation of the basement membrane and dermal collagen matrix. Vitamin C acts as a co-factor for the amino acids proline and lysine hydroxylases in collagen formation process.

 In addition to stabilizing the collagen molecule by hydroxylation, vitamin C also stimulates collagen mRNA production by fibroblasts.

Vitamin C is a potent antioxidant that can neutralize and remove oxidative stress induced by environmental pollutants and ultraviolet radiation. This activity seems to be more prominent in the epidermis or outer layer of skin where vitamin C is concentrated.

Vitamin C is very effective in reducing oxidative damage to the skin when it is used in conjunction with vitamin E. Vitamin C is a regenerator of oxidized vitamin E, thereby effectively recycling vitamin E.

Vitamin C derivatives, including the magnesium phosophate ascorbyl derivative, have been shown to decrease melanin synthesis  by reducing the ortho-quinones generated by tyrosinase.

Lessening of wrinkle depth following vitamin C supplementation. Increased collagen formation by fibroblasts in cell culture.

Improved skin tightness  has been found in individuals with higher fruit and vegetable intake.

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     Vitamin C for your hair

Vitamin C  helps hair growth in multiple ways.

·       Vitamin C intake is important for managing and preventing hair loss associated with iron deficiency.

 Vitamin C plays a crucial role in the intestinal absorption of iron. [Vitamin C  helps iron absorption due to its chelating and reducing effect].

·       Vitamin C also acts as a reducing mediator necessary for collagen formation in the body through hydroxylation of lysine and proline amino acids. Collagen promotes healthy strong hair.

 Collagen is primarily made up of 3 nonessential amino acids: proline, glycine, and hydroxyproline. Proline is also the main component of keratin, the major hair protein. Thus collagen helps hair growth and strength.

·       Collagen also functions as an antioxidant against free radicals causing damage to hair follicles.

Citrus fruits, potatoes, tomatoes, green peppers, and cabbages have particularly high concentrations of vitamin C

Read more Vitamin C

References

1.    https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25995818/

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3.    https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21146730/

4.    1. Weller R.H., John A., Savin J., Dahl M. The Function and Structure of Skin. 5th ed. Wiley-Blackwell; Massachusetts, MA, USA: 2008. [Google Scholar]

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6.    https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12522365/

7.    https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20572890/

8.    https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12522365/

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13.                       https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28266664/