Topical Vitamin C skin treatment - Vitamin C skin products

Vitamin C benefits > Skin discoloration pictures > Topical vitamin C skin products

Why topical vitamin C skin products are effective?

Topical vitamin C skin products are the most popular and sought after anti aging treatments.

With proven efficacy these cosmeceutical products exert their benefits by neutralizing the damaging free radicals produced during the metabolic activities in the organ systems including dermal layers.
Free radicals are also produced on exposure to ultraviolet rays in the sunlight.
The effects of free radicals leads to skin aging, formation of fine lines and wrinkles, loss of elasticity and firmness, photo-aging and also hyperpigmentation.
Treatment with topical vitamin C products has been found to rejuvenate and bring back the radiance, softness and glow of skin by promoting collagen synthesis, lightening hyperpigmentation and reducing the effects of ultraviolet A and B radiation from sunlight.
By correcting the structural and functional losses associated with photo aging and skin aging, these cosmeceuticals show important anti-aging effects during treatment.
Latest research studies have shown that topical vitamin C with regular treatment can decrease the  development of melanin pigment.
Melanin is the pigment contributing to darkening and any decrease in its production can give fairer and whiter skin.

L-ascorbic acid form of vitamin C

L-ascorbic acid is the common form of vitamin C available in nutrient supplements.
However this water soluble form lacks stability and is highly degradable in the presence of air, light and moisture; hence its storage life is very short.
When exposed to air, L-ascorbic acid undergoes oxidative changes and becomes useless for skin whitening or anti-aging.
In fact it becomes an oxidative agent and contributes to the increased formation of harmful free radicals.
Moreover L-ascorbic acid is highly acidic in nature and may irritate skin at higher concentration.
Its acidic chemical quality makes it an excellent exfoliating agent.
So it becomes impracticable to use this form in topical products meant for anti aging treatment or skin lightening.
Much research work is been done by cosmeceutical manufacturers and a number of useful stabilized vitamin C derivatives and storage methods are being discovered.
However many of the products are expensive and many do not contain sufficient concentrations to be effective in treatment.

Ascorbyl palmitate

The ester formed from ascorbic acid and palmitic acid is ascorbyl palmitate, a fat-soluble form of vitamin C.
As an antioxidant its primary use was as a food additive.
When taken orally it is broken down into its component acids and its efficacy as vitamin C goes down.
But cosmeceutical manufacturers have utilized its longer stability to make topical serum, gel or cream to formulate more stable skin whitener and anti aging products.
Topical Whitener, for effective treatment results, is incorporated with higher percentage of ascorbyl palmitate.

Magnesium ascorbyl phosphate

Similar to Ascorbyl palmitate, this derivative of vitamin C is less acidic and is gaining popularity and use in anti aging topical products.
It is found to be effective in lower concentrations and also helps in exfoliation.

Tetra substituted lipophilic ascorbates:

Tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate is also found to have good anti aging  effects and is being increasingly used in topical formulations and products for collagen production.

Quality of topical vitamin C skin products

Though many of the new generation topical products are more stable than ascorbic acid form of vitamin C, they also gradually degrade over a length of time.
Hence we have to check for freshness and proper storage of the products.
Most of the vitamin C topical products slowly turn yellow as they degrade; do not buy preparations which have turned yellow.
On oxidation vitamin C acquires yellowish tint, indicating advanced stage of oxidation.
Please also note that the change in color is apparent when the degradation is fairly high.
There is a chance that the serum appearing white has already started to grade by the time it is bought.
Some manufacturers, color the preparations and this may camouflage degradation.
Pick a trustworthy brand at a trustworthy source and take care to pick a topical preparation which is recently manufactured.
Also look for sufficient (about 10%) concentrations of vitamin C for beneficial results.
It is also possible make topical vitamin c skin products (gel or serum) at home with ingredients available locally.

Related topics:
Benefits of vitamin C for dermal care
Homemade vitamin C serum
Bluish skin discoloration
Current topic: Topical vitamin C skin care products and treatments

• Home
• Index

Vitamin C skin care - Vitamin C skin benefits

Skin lightening > Skin care and moisturizers > Vitamin C and skin care

Skin care with vitamin C is one of the very important secrets in keeping it youthful, shining and glowing.
Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) benefits skin by strengthening and increasing elasticity of collagen tissue and preventing wrinkles and photoaging.

Very reliable scientific research evidence has now proved benefits and effectiveness of vitamin C in skin care in whitening and in removing blemishes and hyperpigmentation.
However the latest trends and changing ingredients have made it difficult for us to choose effective vitamin C skincare products.

What are vitamin C skin benefits?

Ascorbic acid helps in skin whitening by exfoliation, cleansing and also by slowing down melanin skin pigment production, premature aging and age spots.
This also helps in softening and toning up dermal layers.
Its benefits also include stimulation of collagen growth, which is the basic matrix of dermal layers.
This has anti-aging effects and benefits in slowing down skin aging by firming it up and removing wrinkles and fine lines.

Antioxidant benefits of vitamin C for skin care

Ascorbic acid is a potent antioxidant, which care and protect our body cells from  destruction by free-radicals formed during our body's metabolic processes.
Ascorbic acid actively neutralises free radicals. It is also found to reverse the DNA damage.
Free-radicals are also produced in the dermal layer, when it is exposed to ultra violet rays present in the sunlight.
Ascorbic acid also takes care of our dermal cells from negative impact of sun when applied topically by neutralizing free radicals.
However it is to be noted that, ascorbic acid application does not have sun screening effect and does not block sun rays.
Its action is only in protective care by neutralizing the free radicals produced during sun exposure.
Hence sunscreen, especially broad-spectrum sunscreen, with effective sun protection factor (SPF), also has to be used to block the sunlight for required care from darkening, sunburn, photodermatitis and cancers like  squamous cell carcinoma, basal cell carcinoma and melanoma.

Vitamin C skin care benefits in exfoliation

One of the benefits of vitamin C is that in its common acidic form (ascorbic acid) exfoliates the epidermis layer effectively.
The top dead epidermis layer is shed off continuously by the natural process called desquamation.
In some individuals the process may be slower and more dead cells remain back giving the epidermis a dull appearance.
Exfoliating periodically makes the skin to bounce back with youth, vibrancy, freshness,clarity, radiance, shine and glow.

Collagen production for skin care with vitamin C

Collagen is the basic structural protein of the dermal layers and its synthesis depends on ascorbic acid.
The components of the skin are held together by the collagen fibres.
The benefits of collagen fibers are many and their benefits for dermal layers lies in holding together dermal components.
Insufficient and inefficient collagen fibers lead to dull, sagging and wrinkled epidermal structure.
For having wrinkle free look with firm texture, collagen synthesis at the epidermis and dermis levels must go on at optimum pace.
High levels of oral ascorbic acid, though have many effective benefits for other organ systems, do not target dermal layers effectively.
However ascorbic acid can be infused into the epidermis and dermis by topical applications.
In its ascorbic acid form it gets oxidised and denatured on exposure to water and light and loses efficacy.
Vitamin C skin care products have been developed with its different stable derivative forms,which are very effective and give immense benefits.

Related topics:
Benefits of vitamin C skin care products
Discoloration pictures
Current topic: Benefits of vitamin C for skin care

• Home
• Index

Vitamin C is helpful in healing skin scars.

Vitamin C is a water soluble vitamin and it is also known as Ascorbic acid.
Except humans most of the mammals can synthesize vitamin C in their body.
Humans, therefore have to obtain their supplies from their diet.
 Vitamin C is a very essential nutrient and its deficiency may cause disease Scurvy.
Vitamin C is essential for healing of wounds. It is very important for the formation of collagen.
Collagen is an important protein and is found in the scar tissues, blood vessels, skin and ligaments.
Vitamin C is an antioxidant and stops the damage caused by free radicals.
 The action of free radicals over a long time causes aging.
Vitamin C protects us from cancer, heart disease and arthritis by binding to free radicals, slowing the aging process.
It is believed that vitamin C regenerate oxidants like vitamin E.
 Vitamin C is observed to reduce the symptoms of autism.
Vitamin C has been found to increase the fertility in men.
Increasing the immune function and slowing down the aging process are its other beneficial effects. Vitamin C intake also lowers the blood pressure.

Vitamin C deficiency causes: Scurvy, a potential fatal disease is caused by severe vitamin C deficiency.
 Scurvy causes hair loss, tooth loss, bleeding, joint pain and swelling.
Scurvy when untreated is fatal. However with the advance in medical knowledge it can be treated completely with vitamin C supplements.

Benefits of Vitamin C in skin care and skin health:

In the synthesis of collagen, a critical skin protein essential for skin tone and wound healing, vitamin C plays an very important role.

Clinical studies have proved that oral intake of vitamin C helps in the healing of skin injuries and wounds.It has been also proved that vitamin C is effective in healing skin scars.

In topical application of vitamin C formulations the skin scars respond well and fade and disappear.

Toxicity of vitamin C:
Large doses of vitamin C can cause indigestion and diarrhea.
  Food sources of vitamin C:
The human body does not manufacture vitamin C and cannot store it.
So it is very important to add vitamin C in our diet daily.
The rich natural sources of this vitamin are, fruits and vegetables, liver, citrus fruits, leafy greens and green peppers.

Visit for further information http://www.thedynamicnature.com/vitamins/vitamin%20C.html.