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Looking Good -- From the Inside Out
Once upon a time there was your skin and cold cream. And that was pretty much it. Today, the number of options are overwhelming -- with the number of available lotions, potions, and serums seeming to multiply almost daily.
But if, like many folks, you've still not found a dream cream to smooth that wrinkled brow or firm those jiggly jowls then you might be ready for the latest boom in beauty care -- treating your skin from the inside out. Experts call them "nutraceuticals," a rapidly expanding group of vitamins, minerals, and other natural ingredients that you take internally to change the way you look on the outside.
"In many ways, you can accomplish a lot more with supplements than you can with creams," says Zoe Diana Draelos, MD, an associate professor of dermatology at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, N.C., and a member of the American Academy of Dermatology.
Indeed, while topical products can help says Draelos, what you put on your face could never fully replace what is needed internally by your body to keep your skin healthy and looking great. And that's where supplements can play an important role.
"Creams cannot replace a faulty diet -- so if you are not consuming enough vitamin C, for example, there is no way you can achieve vitamin C levels systemically by putting creams on your skin," says Draelos.
While much of the buzz surrounding beauty nutrients was generated from the popularity of the skin care regimen of Nicholas Perricone, MD, who combines both topical and internal nutrients, it wasn't long before traditional skin care and cosmetic companies began to follow suit. This includes corporate beauty giants such as Olay, Avon, and L'Oreal -- all of whom now have a line of "boudoir packaged" supplements designed specifically to meet skin care needs. Traditional vitamin companies such as GNC are getting in on the trend as well, with many offering their own version of skin nutrients.
What Makes Beauty Vitamins Work
Common to many of these "beauty-vitamin" formulations is a powerful blend of antioxidants, including higher-than-average levels of vitamins A, C, and E, as well as other antioxidants such as lycopene -- the red plant pigment in tomatoes and other fruits, and pycnogenols. Not coincidentally, these are many of the same ingredients that have popped up in topical products during the last several years.
The most popular theory behind their use, say experts, involves the ability of antioxidants to beat down free radicals. These are unstable molecules that form from sun exposure, pollution, or sometimes even the foods we eat, and work to destroy collagen -- the fibers which form the basic support structure for our skin. When this breakdown does occur, the skin shows signs of premature aging -- including wrinkles, droops, and sags. Topical application of antioxidants is thought to block some of the free radical damage, and in this way preserve the integrity of our skin. But now experts say taking high levels internally can do even more.
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