As the largest organ in your body, skin serves many purposes—like protecting you from UV light, pollution, and dehydration—and requires proper nourishment and care to stay healthy. Everything you eat, drink, or come in contact with affects your skin, and vitamin C is no exception. Evidence shows that a lack of vitamin C impacts everything from your body’s ability to fight infection to undermining your skin’s structure and health.
The Collagen Connection
Even if you don’t know what collagen is, you’ve certainly been told that you need it. After all, skincare manufacturers often make claims related to collagen, and collagen drinks and oral supplements can be found on store shelves from coast to coast. When it comes to your skin, collagen is essential because it has a structural function. It literally helps hold your tissue together. What’s the connection between collagen and vitamin C, you ask? You may not remember much of the history lessons you learned in school, but you probably remember the term “scurvy.” Bleeding gums, joint pain, and wounds that wouldn’t heal were all part of the disorder, which was caused by a diet that lacked adequate vitamin C. Sailors who were at sea for a prolonged period of time didn’t have access to fresh fruits and produce, which ultimately caused their vitamin C levels to plummet and their collagen production to decline. Luckily, modern day scurvy is very rare because people have a ready supply of citrus and leafy green vegetables from which to get their allotted daily requirement of vitamin C.
Lack of C = Laxity
For sailors with scurvy, or anyone whose vitamin C levels are less than optimal, inadequate collagen is often visible in the face. Where skin was once plump and taut, it can sag and look thin. Dermatologists call this skin laxity, and since no one wants saggy skin, many people often resort to dermal fillers to achieve what’s been lost over time. While you can’t stop the clock on aging, you can boost your vitamin C levels with supplements. These benefit the body as a whole and have some impact on the skin, but adding a properly formulated topical vitamin C serum to your skincare regimen will fight off further damage due to free radicals. As a known antioxidant, vitamin C neutralizes free radicals and stops cellular damage in its tracks. You can learn more about antioxidants here.
Hyperpigmentation
Of all the things in your day to day life that cause skin aging, sun exposure continues to top the list as the biggest offender. That golden bronze tan is actually a sign that your skin’s defense system is producing pigment, also known as melanin, to fight off the sun. The extra melanin may seem cute when you’re young if it only results in a few freckles. But over time, larger dark spots can surface, which is why many people refer to them as “age spots.” On the upside, if you’ve overindulged in sunbathing in the past, medical grade vitamin C serums can break up excess melanin and greatly improve the appearance of your skin.
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Given all the benefits vitamin C offers, both inside and out, it’s worth the time and effort to keep it in your diet as well as your skincare routine. It’s water-soluble and in constant need of replenishing, so start your day with some OJ and Reflect CEF Serum.
To your skin health,
Team Reflect
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