Dr. Laura Miguel.

 

Patients often come to the clinic asking which rejuvenating cream is best or which products they should use to look after their skin better, when I tell them that vitamin C is one of the best things they look surprised; we’ve all heard that vitamin C is good for colds, but… for the skin?

 

What is vitamin C?

 

Vitamin C is an essential nutrient that is found in several foods (citrus fruit, vegetables, etc.) and is very important for the body as it helps the absorption of iron and calcium, it is involved in the production of collagen and it is a powerful antioxidant agent. It is important to include food containing this vitamin in your diet as they body cannot produce it.

 

What are the benefits to the skin?

 

Because it is involved in the regeneration of the collagen fibres, the benefits it provides include an increase in the elasticity and hydration of the skin, giving a great anti-aging effect and making the skin look firmer and brighter, and thanks to its antioxidant effect, it helps to prevent cell damage caused by free radicals and radiation from the sun, thereby reducing the appearance of sun spots.

 

Apart from through diet, how can we provide our skin with more vitamin C?

 

There are products that contain pure vitamin C in different percentages:

 

- 5.5% in vials designed for daily use to provide antioxidants against skin aging, and flash effect vials to give an instant tightening and firming effect.

 

- 10% that is very concentrated to provide a more powerful effect against the appearance of blemishes and to combat wrinkles.

 

At what age should we start to apply vitamin C?

 

Because its effects are so beneficial, it is suitable for use on young skin as well as mature skin. On young skin the 5.5% daily vials can be used to maintain the good level of skin hydration and on mature skins the concentrated vials would be the ideal option to achieve a rejuvenating effect. The flash effect vials can be a secret weapon at times when you need to achieve a tightening, brightening effect.

 

At what time of day is it best to apply vitamin C?

 

The initial recommended treatment is 2 vials a day (one in the morning and one at night) for the first few weeks and then 1 vial a day (at any time of day) for maintenance.

 

Which is the best season of the year to apply it?

 

Vitamin C can be applied throughout the entire year, in fact, if you use it continuously you’ll get long-lasting results.

 

In short…

 

Although over time the skin loses its firmness, there are products available that help to provide the hydrated, brighter appearance that our skin deserves, so we should start to take care of our skin even before the first signs of aging appear.