Pablo has rightly said, “Always Remember to take your Vitamins: Take your Vitamin A for Action, Vitamin B for Belief, Vitamin C for Confidence, Vitamin D for Discipline, Vitamin E for Enthusiasm!!”
The cool and crisp winter air is gradually giving way to the bright and blazing sun and we all know, how this transition fetches a variety of skin woes! Not only the adults, but even the teenagers go through a trying time figuring out the best treatment. For the latter when all of a sudden, their flawless skin of the pre-teens takes a turn for the inexplicable issues, it’s time to look for the best solutions, close at hand.
Vitamin A
- Normalises blood flow and helps to reduce the symptoms of rosacea
- Increases the rate of wound healing
- Exfoliates – making skin smooth and even-toned
- Repairs the cellular structure of the epidermis – optimising your UV protection
- Decreases clustering of melanin granules – so reducing brown spots or pigmentation
- Decreases sebum production and thus treats acne brilliantly
- Promotes a healthy cellular membrane
- Helps in the eradication of pre-cancerous skin lesions
- Improves hydration both in and around the cell by doing all of the above
[Source- https://www.theskincareclinic.com.au/science/vitamin-a/]
What does it do in the skin?
- Vitamin A thickens and stimulates the dermis – where your collagen, elastin and blood vessels are – so it reduces wrinkles and increases blood flow to the surface of the skin.
- Vitamin A actually increases the deposition of collagen; therefore, it slows the normal aging breakdown of your collagen and elastin.
- Vitamin A works by normalising skin functions so it corrects all skin conditions.
- There are different forms and you may have heard of Renova, Retin A or Tretinoin just to name three.
- Initially, these products (and other Vitamin A types) were used for acne and as anti-aging agents. However, there were some side effects including sun sensitivity, irritation, redness and a drying of the skin, so people stopped using them.
- Vitamin A taken orally and applied topically looks promising in preventing and possibly even treating skin cancers. It may be helpful, too, in lightening liver spots, those dark spots that often appear on aging skin.
- Topical application used in one study significantly lightened liver spots within one month.
A Word of Caution!!
In case, you wish to have the supplements, please note the following:
Fat soluble vitamin, A:
- As mentioned in my earlier blogs, do get your fat-soluble vitamins checked, before starting with supplements.
- These fat-soluble vitamins (ADEK), if taken in excess get stored in the liver, which will have toxic effects on our system.
- Getting them prescribed, post the tests by a registered physician would be the best option.
- You need to consume good amount of water as it aids absorption and metabolism.
- Fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K require fats (healthy fats, will be tackled in the upcoming blogs), in order to be absorbed by our digestive system.
- If you follow a low-fat diet for health reasons or have trouble digesting fats, your absorption of these vitamins may decline.