If you follow good eating habits you may wonder if topical skin treatments are necessary for good skin. It can’t be argued that a nutritious diet is important to good health, but when it comes to skin, what you eat can only do so much.
Foods rich in essential fatty acids, antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, protein and fiber contribute to our well-being. These components, rich in a diet filled with lean protein, healthy fats and colorful vegetables, make us look and feel better. Food that we eat is broken down by our digestive system into various elements, which are then used by the body to keep our heart pumping, our brain whirring and our body moving. Some of these elements reach the skin, but when it comes to treating specific conditions or optimizing the health of the skin, topical treatments are a must.
Topical treatments get to the skin in concentrations high enough to make a difference. For example, vitamin c is a potent antioxidant with the ability to fight free radicals. It will exert an antioxidant action at any dose. However, at higher concentrations (generally 5-10%+), topical vitamin c can lighten and brighten skin, it can increase its hydration and boost collagen production. The same may be said of other skin beneficial ingredients including vitamins a and e, green tea and niacinamide (Vitamin B3).
In order to get significant quantities of any beneficial ingredient to the skin itself, you’d need to take extremely high doses. Whenever high doses are involved, the potential for side effects increases as well. Nutrient absorption can vary greatly between individuals depending on their health, other foods that have been consumed or their genetic make-up. Topical treatments on the other hand, provide the same dose to the same area, regardless of individual variation. While absorption into the skin may be affected by overall health, climatic conditions or skin health, the variability is reduced greatly compared to oral consumption.
Yes – go ahead and indulge in your daily green salad, protein smoothie and fish course – your body will thank you. Don’t forget to feed your skin as well, with topical treatments that boast ingredients backed by clinical science. You’ll be rewarded with skin that glows from the inside out.
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