#AskTheDoc: Youth-Preserving: The Importance of Vitamins A, C & E in Your Routine.
A.K.A: The Alphabet of Skincare.
Nowadays, it seems as though there is a skin serum or cream touting the importance of their featured ingredient, Vitamin “A-Z”. It’s tricky… especially for those who are just embarking on their skincare journey, or who just want to keep their routine as simple as possible.
As the leading skincare brand from Tokyo, and now breaking across the U.S., b.glen strives to educate and simplify beauty for all women and men. Their formulas contain only the purest, and most effective form(s) of actives and botanicals, with an extra-emphasis on Vitamins A, C & E.
That’s right… the A.C.E. method, as they call it! And once again, we had a chat with b.glen Chief Scientific Officer and lead Pharmacologist, Dr. Brian Keller on why these three actives are changing lives for good.
Dr. Keller, what is the primary importance and purpose of having Vitamins A, C & E in your anti-aging skincare routine?
Dr. Keller: Vitamin A (retinol) is a member of the retinoid family that comprises (retinol) and its natural derivatives such as retinaldehyde, retinoic acid, and retinyl palmitate. It is the most important class of ingredients in skincare. Vitamin A cannot be synthesized by the body; hence it needs to be supplied to the body. It exists as naturally as retinyl and beta-carotene.
Our skin cells have specific retinoid receptors that are activated by retinoids which cause them to be effective by mediating a variety of cellular processes in the skin, such as cell growth, cell membrane strength, and overall skin cell functional health.
The top two uses of retinoids include:
1. Improving the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles due to aging )both intrinsic and photoaging).
2. Reducing the appearance of acne. Retinoids improve the appearance of acne by increasing skin cell growth which leads to skin thickening, biosynthesis and deposition of the glycosoaminoglycans (GAG’s).
Skin aging is influenced by several factors including genetics, environmental exposure (UV radiation, and mechanical stress), hormonal changes and metabolic processes (generation of reactive chemical compounds such as activated oxygen species, sugars and aldehydes). All factors together act on the alterations of skin structure, function, and appearance. Skin aging can be classified as intrinsic/chronological aging and photoaging. While intrinsic aging is characterized by a thinned epidermis and fine wrinkles caused by advancing age, photoaging is characterized by deep wrinkles, skin laxity, and appearance of dark spots (age spots) and is mainly caused by chronic sun exposure.
Vitamin A (retinol) has been used in skincare for the last 60 years to treat many types of skin conditions and is included in many anti aging products. Because of its proven efficacy in combating both types of aging it is considered the premier anti aging ingredient.
Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) is a water-soluble vitamin that is well known worldwide and ubiquitous in nature. Humans cannot make their own Vitamin C, unlike most animals, so we require supplemental sources. It has very important actions on the skin, and in fact there are two “delivery proteins” found in the skin that can assist with Vitamin C skin penetration, SVC1 & SVC2.
The benefits of Vitamin C in a skincare regimen include:
- Promotion of Collagen Formation
Vitamin C is an important factor for the synthesis of key amino acids that make up collagen and promotes collagen formation. The dermis layer of skin is 75% collagen fibers which provide the foundation of the upper layers. When collagen is depleted through aging, UV damage and poor nutrition, the collagen-layer becomes less dense and loses firmness, which reflects on the surface of the skin as wrinkles, lines and sagging.
2. The Ability to Scavenge Free Radicals and Dispose of Toxic Oxidants
Vitamin C is a potent antioxidant that can neutralize and remove oxidants, also known as free-radicals, that are found in environmental pollutants and after exposure to ultraviolet radiation. This activity appears to be of particular importance in the epidermis, where vitamin C can be concentrated in the skin.
Vitamin C is particularly effective at reducing oxidative-stress in the skin when it is used in conjunction with vitamin E and vitamin A.
Inhibition of Melanogenesis
During the course of a normal lifetime, the skin is exposed to a number of insults that can affect structure, function and appearance, including:
- Deterioration due to normal aging, contributing to loss of elasticity and wrinkle formation.
- Exposure to the elements, leading to discoloration, dryness and accelerated wrinkling.
- Chemical insults including exposure to oxidising beauty and cleansing products (hair dyes, soaps,detergents, bleaches).
- Direct injury, as in wounding and burning.
Vitamin C can provide significant protection against these changes and regeneration of healthy skin following insult and aging, which is a goal for most of us.
Of course, Vitamin C delivery through topical application into the skin is commercially common, the delivery vehicle, i.e.the product formulation, is the most influential element in getting Vitamin C into the skin. This is because the stratum corneum (the outer layer of skin) is designed to prevent most ingredients from passing into deeper layers.
Are there any benefits for brightening dark spots after acne has healed? How does Vitamin C reach deep enough into the skin to make these changes?
Dr. Keller: Although some uncharged and lipid-soluble molecules can pass through the surface layer, it is unlikely that nutrients delivered via topical application would easily penetrate into the lower layers of the dermis.
Skin Lightening, skin brightening
Vitamin C decreases melanin synthesis. Melanin is the pigment that causes skin to be lighter or darker depending on the melanin concentration in melanocytes or cells that produce melanin. Vitamin C interferes with the action of tyrosinase, an enzyme responsible for melanin production. And, melanin inside these specialized cells is reduced. Vitamin C is used successfully in reducing age spots and melasma, a condition that causes patches of dark discoloration, usually on the face.
Skin metabolism and function
During the course of a normal lifetime, the skin is exposed to a number of challenges that can
affect structure, function and appearance, including:
- Deterioration due to normal aging, contributing to loss of elasticity and wrinkle formation.
- Exposure to the elements, leading to discolouration, dryness and accelerated wrinkling.
- Chemical insults including exposure to oxidising beauty and cleansing products (hair dyes, soaps, detergents, bleaches).
- Direct injury, as in wounding and burning.
And what role exactly does Vitamin E serve for the skin?
Dr. Keller: Naturally occurring vitamin E exists in eight chemical forms that have varying levels of biological activity [1]. Alpha- (or α-) tocopherol is the only form that our bodies can recognize and use. And it is alpha-tocopherol that we use as an ingredient for improving skin health.
Vitamin E is an important fat-soluble antioxidant and has been in use for more than 60 years in skincare. It is an important ingredient in many cosmetic products because it protects the skin from various harmful effects by acting as a free-radical scavenger.
We have established that vitamin E is one of the highly efficient antioxidants, and is used to decrease the frequency and severity of many problems that affect the skin such as photodamaged skin from over exposure to UV radiation and sunburn.
The best use of Vitamin E is in combination with Vitamin C and/or Vitamin A for treating a variety of conditions including acne, atopic dermatitis, skin discoloration, reducing dark under-eye circles, skin aging, and scars.
Although many cosmeceuticals contain vitamins C and E, very few are actually effective in topical application because the stability is compromised as soon as the product is opened and exposed to air and light. However, when a stable formulation delivers a high concentration of Vitamin E it will help mend and treat many skin conditions.
Conclusion
While it is important to include Vitamins A, C & E in your skin regime, this does not necessarily mean you must break the bank in doing so, or that you should buy just any old product found on the internet or in your Esthetician’s office.
As stated by Dr. Keller, having products which prioritize drug delivery is equally, if not more important than just having products which contain these Vitamins themselves.
Learn more about QuSome skin-technology, and shop b.glen’s top-rated skin treatments here.
