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The ABC's of Vitamin Enhanced Skin Care

Below is a simple guide to aid you through the sometimes daunting maze of vitamin-enriched products, while making sure your skin get its recommended daily allowance of beauty.

VITAMIN A

Greatest skin benefits: Helps with fine lines and wrinkles.

As some have learned the hard way, attempting to hide fine lines and wrinkles behind layers of make up is a losing battle. Better to improve the condition of your skin with products containing retinoids (a class of Vitamin-A derivatives).

Prescription products like Retin-A and Renova utilize Vitamin A derivatives to great effect, but some people's skin may react with uncomfortable stinging, redness or scaling. Fortunately, "Retinol," a non-prescription Vitamin-A derivative contained in many over-the-counter products can provide much of the same benefits with less risk of irritation and sun sensitivity. However, due to the lower levels of retinoids in some consumer products, it may take a bit longer to see the desired result.

Look for Vitamin-A derivatives in products like Glytone's Retinol 8 and BioMedic's Retinol Cream 15, both which are carried by Dermstore.com.

VITAMIN B's

Greatest skin benefits: A healthy glow, moisture retention.

Vitamins B-3 (niacin) and B-5 (pantothenic acid) have become popular additions to skin-care products because of their ability to assist in retaining moisture.

B-3 is a relatively new ingredient on the marketplace but has demonstrated great promise, offering a milder alternative to acidic exfoliators like glycolic and salicylic acid, which some feel is too harsh for their complexions.

B-5 is a more common skin-care additive, and is widely recognized for its (along with Vitamin E) moisturizing ability. It's also good for those with sensitive skin, as some creams made with Vitamin-E have been known to cause irritation.

"Hydrating B5 Gel by SkinCeuticals" is a popular moisturizing gel enriched with Vitamin-B5 that you'll find at Dermstore.com.

VITAMIN C

Greatest skin benefits: Repairs sun damage.

Vitamin C (L-ascorbic acid) has been one of skin-care's hot sellers for the past several years due to its proven effectiveness as an antioxidant. Antioxidants are a critical natural defense against "free radicals," unstable molecules that age the skin as a result of pollution, smoking and sun exposure.

Topical Vitamin C can protect the skin from UV damage caused by prolonged sun exposure by reducing the amount of free radical formation. However, while it can help safeguard against skin damage and reduce discoloration, it should be used in conjunction with, not in place of, a good sunscreen.

Yet another benefit of Vitamin C is its ability to enhance the synthesis of collagen: a critically important skin protein that strengthens structural support and resilience of the skin.

Dermstore carries many products containing topical Vitamin-C, including Murad's "Vitamin C Infusion System," and "Vitamin C Complex" by Skin Medica.

VITAMIN E

Greatest skin benefits: Repairs dry, rough skin.

Vitamin-E (alpha tocopherol) is another powerful antioxidant that is commonly used in lotions and creams for its moisturizing ability. Though some of the "miraculous" healing claims of Vitamin-E supporters have been exaggerated over the years, it is still widely recognized for its proven ability to help retain moisture in the skin.

A popular Vitamin-E enriched product at Dermstore.com is "Vitec Vitamin E Lotion" by Pharmaceutical Specialties.

VITAMIN K

Greatest skin benefits: Repairs dark, under-eye circles.

Dark circles under your eyes can make you look old beyond your years. And while getting a good night's sleep is always recommended, topical Vitamin-K is a good additional defense against discoloration under the eyes.

Often used as a treatment for spider veins, topical Vitamin K enters through the pores all the way to the damaged capillary or artery and helps to clot the blood, thus stopping any seepage (often the cause of dark circles) and allowing the tissue to heal itself.

In addition to K, Vitamin-C is also known for its ability to diminish dark circles, and using a product (or products) containing both vitamins is a good bet.

Dermstore.com carries many skin-care products that contain Vitamin-K, C or both, including "Hydrating Eye Cream" by Gly Derm and the "Circle/Delete" line by Jane Iredale.

Though a balanced diet, adequate rest and nutritional supplements will greatly benefit your complexion, topical vitamins are an excellent addition to your skin-care regimen. Hopefully, this simple guide will aid you in choosing the right skin-care products for your specific concerns. However, it is always recommended to see your dermatologist when looking for answers to a problem area and to select the best products for your specific skin type.

Article posted 11/22/2003.

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Retinol Cream 15 by Biomedic $47.00 Order »

Vitamin C Infusion System by Murad $70.00

Vitamin C Complex by SkinMedica $82.88