Issue link: https://www.ascpskindeepdigital.com/i/191415
More than 70 percent of the skin's mass is made up of collagen, and collagen cannot be created without vitamin C . All fruits and vegetables contain vitamin C, with the highest quantities found in fresh, uncooked produce. The exact amount of vitamin C needed daily is controversial. The minimum amount needed to avoid vitamin C deficiency disorders is known (30 milligrams a day), but there are different opinions about the amount needed for optimal health. While many believe the optimal daily levels of vitamin C can be supplied from fresh food alone, or from a low-dose vitamin C supplement, it has also been suggested that we need much more. Linus Pauling, one of the most influential biochemists of the 20th century and winner of two Nobel Prizes, suggested that the intake of vitamin C should be approximately 2.3 grams a day to maintain health, and up to 10 grams a day to combat infectious diseases. Pauling's concept of megadosing is still debated today. The Collagen Connection A huge amount of our daily dietary intake of vitamin C goes toward skin health, maintenance, and repair. More than 70 percent of the skin's mass is made up of collagen, and collagen cannot be created without vitamin C, which triggers necessary reactions at every step of the process. A client who is deficient in vitamin C will have a hampered ability to manufacture the combination of substances that makes up the "intercellular cement": collagen, dentine, and osteoid. While there are more than a dozen types of collagen, types I and III make up more than 90 percent of the body's total collagen content. Estheticians will primarily observe the effects of vitamin C on collagen through increased skin strength and pliability. Skin that has been treated correctly with products containing effective levels of vitamin C will show improvement over time when observed with a hydrometer, skin scope, Woods lamp, and other typical skin analysis tools. Keep records of your clients' progress before and after the addition of vitamin C products to the treatment regimen. There should be observable improvement in firmness and skin texture, and a diminishing of fine lines and wrinkles. When used effectively in topical skin care products, vitamin C diminishes dark circles, eye puffiness, fine lines and wrinkles, and hyperpigmentation. In the proper form and concentration, it also strengthens capillary walls and breaks down histamines, minimizing allergic reactions and reducing the appearance of broken capillaries. Increased intake of dietary vitamin C has also been correlated with a decreased risk of dry skin, and may slow down transepidermal water loss. Because vitamin C is necessary for our very survival, not just the health of our skin, skin benefits will only come from vitamin C if the body is already receiving enough daily intake of the nutrient to meet its other needs. Our bodies are beautifully designed to send incoming nutrients wherever they will have the greatest impact on health. If the body does not have enough vitamin C to maintain and strengthen internal organs, connective tissue, and blood vessels, it will not allocate the vitamin to less essential functions—with the result that any deficiency in vitamin C will begin to manifest outwardly in the skin. We need a constant, daily, extensive flow of dietary vitamin C. The Ingredient Label Not all vitamin C is created equal. One of the most important considerations in skin care is whether you are using a water-soluble or lipidsoluble form. The natural form of vitamin C, Get connected to your peers @ www.skincareprofessionals.com 27