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In just a few recent years there has been an explosion in the number of skin rejuvenation / anti-wrinkle products with vitamin C. Do their claims have any substance? Do these products work? The situation is a little complicated. On one hand, vitamin C does possess definite merits for wrinkle reduction and skin rejuvenation. On the other hand, most vitamin C products don't work. Potentially, vitamin C can benefit skin in two important ways. Firstly, vitamin C is essential for the synthesis of collagen , a key structural protein of the skin. Adding vitamin C to a culture of skin cells (fibroblasts) dramatically increases the synthesis of collagen. Secondly, vitamin C is an antioxidant and can help reduce skin damage caused by free radicals. So, when vitamin C is properly delivered to skin cells, there is a good chance to reduce wrinkles and improve skin texture. There are, however, some complicating circumstances often disregarded by manufacturers. Most importantly, vitamin C is relatively unstable (unless it is in a dry form). In the presence of air or other oxidizing agents, vitamin C is easily converted to an oxidized form which not only is of no benefit for collagen synthesis or free radical scavenging but actually promotes free radical formation causing damage to collagen, DNA and other vital structures. In poorly prepared or poorly stored skin care products, vitamin C may already be oxidized by the time you apply it to your skin. Even when you apply "good" vitamin C to your skin, it may become oxidized while on your skin. Both problems can be solved if vitamin C is (1) properly preserved by sufficient amounts of protective substances; (2) quickly absorbed by the skin so that it has a chance to work while intact; and (3) vitamin C concentration in a product is high enough to create a substantial increase in vitamin C levels in skin cells. Detailed information of how to make sure that these requirements are met is provided in the Skin Rejuvenation Infopack . Even with proper use, not everyone will respond to vitamin C treatments. About 50% of people show noticeable benefits. The chances are improved when vitamin C is used as a part of the regimen to rebuild collagen in your skin. Please keep in mind that taking large amounts of vitamin C orally is of little benefit for reducing wrinkles because you cannot obtain high enough concentration of vitamin C in the skin to notably increase collagen production. |
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