Getting the basics of skin can down can take your skin to the next level of beauty, however if you already exfoliate regularly, and are getting enough vitamins for skin from a healthy diet then maybe some alternative skin care treatments, such as Chinese medicinal herbs can give your skin the added boost of vitality.

Chinese herbs, used in conjunction with acupuncture is part of the ancient of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) that is still relevant today and treats all of the body’s ailments, including less than par skin conditions. Taking Chinese herbs for skin can help different skin problems ranging from pimples, hyperpigmentation, redness, swelling and wrinkles.

Going to a Chinese Medical Doctor or Chinese herbal practitioner with significant training can best help identify which herbs are right for you, and how to prepare them. If you are the type to try things out on your own first, here is a short overview of traditional Chinese herbs used to treat a variety of skin conditions.  Ideal preparation for the herb may range from making a tincture or tea, or pill.

Facial Redness

If you have redness in your face, TCM recommends a heat-clearing herbs such as gardenia and cassia seeds.

Blackheads, Papules and Congestion

If you face has congestion, but lack inflammation then damp-draining herbs are believed to boost a slow metabolism that can improve the skin. A few types of these herbs are poria, black atractylodes and cardamon.

Pale, Stressed and Tired Looking Skin

For pale, sallow and tired skin, try “qi” tonifying herbs such as Chinese yams, astralagus and Korean ginseng.

Wrinkles or/and a Gaunt Complexion

According to TCM if your body is lacking in Yin, then wrinkles and a gaunt complexion can result. To counter this, try a Yin boosting treatment with American ginseng and the lily bulb.

Using particular herbs for the skin, in conjunction with a full diagnosis from a Chinese practioner may be able to give you unexpected results that a dermatologist or doctor could not for both your skin and overall health.

For a greater knowledge on how Traditional Chinese Medicine affects and can improve your skin, read the book, “Nourish Your Skin” and Body by Michelle O’Shaughnessy, DOM

Almost all skin supplements contain vitamins and minerals that have been proven vital to anti-aging and the production of clear and healthy skin. The base of vitamins and minerals vary from formula to formula, but many of them contain vitamins (A, C, E), minerals (such as Zn and Cr), various antioxidants, fish oils and protein building blocks. All of these vitamins for skin have been proven to be important building blocks in the production of a healthy skin complexion.

Though most of the anti-aging supplements approach the problems associated with skin aging in similar ways, that is, from the inside of the body to the out using vitamins and minerals, there are also some variants that focus on revitalizing the skin by working from the outside of the body penetrating toward the inside.

Collagen is a fibrous protein that connects tissues such as skin, bones, tendons, muscles, and cartilage. It is also an important protein that supports the health of the body’s organs. There are various types of collagen (more than 25) that naturally occur in our bodies. Collagen is an abundant protein found in mammals. It totals to almost 30% of the body’s protein and it can be imagined that without collagen, the entire body would fall into pieces. Collagen works different from many proteins. Whereas most proteins have most of their work inside the body’s cells, collagen also plays a unique and important role working on the external structure of the cells (as well as the inside).

As we age, we lose collagen. This loss of collagen leads to lines and wrinkles, but the restoration of our bodies’ collagen will also return our skin to a youthful state with firmness and strength even as we age. Collagen supplements are used by cosmetic surgeons and is usually applied by injections, but collagen is also a well-known supplement that may be applied topically. Applying topical collagen supplements is an effective process that takes only a couple of weeks to produce results, but should be taken regularly as an anti-aging skin supplement for the maintenance of aging skin.

Some people have chosen to follow a variety of skin care regimes with various skin care products that claim to make you have more brilliant, beautiful skin. If you are one of the people that are disappointed in the skin care products you are using, maybe now is a good time to start improving your skin from the inside out. The best vitamins for skin are available at many specialty vitamin shops as well as online. Each supplement can help your skin in a certain way, and collectively, a “skin care cocktail” can vastly improve the texture, health, appearance and feel of the skin. For people who have normal to combination skin, taking a MSM supplement can improve the skin’s texture and appearance, it can even bring out a youthful clarity in the skin. Afterall MSM is a mineral that is naturally produced by the body to give your skin this glow.

When taking this mineral for skin, results begin to occur after two weeks time of regularly taking the supplement. Many people prefer powder form over tablets because they believe the dosage is more impactful because it can be easily absorbed when dissolved in pure water. There are no side effects of MSM and it is safe. Some of the added benefits are that it can improve the health of your hair and nails, as well as help improve the health of your joints. MSM supplements are true beauty boost.

From firsthand experience I can say that my experience with years of my teens using  Neutrogena’s acne washes and even Dr Hauscka’s natural line for oily skin was a very poor investment that yielded no results. Years later after going through training to become an esthetician, I’ve learned why- many commercial acne skin care products have the wrong pH to keep your skin in balance. The ingredients and solution itself continues to irritate the skin, disarming it from helping itself. Instead what I have found to be truly effective is to address the problem of acne at the core by using the right vitamins for acne and eating a better diet high in fresh fruits and vegetables in order to help build healthy skin from the inside out. Coupled with professional skin care products that do not aggravate the skin, great improvements, if not total solutions in some cases can truly be made.

So what can you do? First of all, getting a diet full of real food and off processed junk will go far. Eat a salad every day as a main course and include a lot of nuts with healthy fats to help support your skin’s health. However this article is not about healthy skin foods, it’s about the supplements and vitamins that you can take daily to improve the condition of your acne. Vitamins for skin, such as vitamin E oil and the mineral MSM are excellent at improving the condition of your skin. However when it comes to acne, no vitamin is considered more effective on its own than vitamin B5. What this vitamin does is help produce more coenzyme A in your body, which in effect will reduce the amount of sebum produced and lodged in your skin, thus reducing not only the oil in your skin but acne as well. Vitamin B5 can bring the skin into balance, which reduces acne.

Where can you find it? This is good and bad news. Vitamin B5 is a somewhat common vitamin. However it is not found at your local corporate conglomerate pharmacy such as CVS or Walgreens. To find Vitamin B5 on its own you need to go to a specialty vitamin stores, such as Vitamin Shoppe or another health food store that has an extended supplement section. My preference for finding the B5 is online where you can find the best prices too. Sometimes vitamin B5 is labeled pantothenic acid, so look for that too.

How much of a dosage do you need? According to people who take this on a daily basis, only about 10 grams per day, however this is something that you need to ramp up to. When you first begin, just like when you start taking a MSM supplement you need to start on the lower doses and then increase the amount over time.

Are vitamins for acne safe? If you are taking vitamin B5, then yes it is very safe because it is water soluble which means you cannot overdose. There have been known to be a few side effects especially in the early stages which includes, diarrhea and stomach grumbling and/or irritation. Overtime, these should abate, and your acne will too.

It might be unfair, but it is undeniable that how others view us is affected by how we present ourselves – our physical appearance. At some point in your life, you’ve undoubtedly based your opinion on someone just by looking at their faces and facial expression. This is common practice and one that can only be attributed to human nature. This fascination towards faces makes the idea of an anti aging cream more and more popular. The availability of anti aging lotions and therapy kits is a huge relief for a lot of people as these products can reduce fine lines and wrinkles – the most common signs of skin aging. More and more companies are coming out with campaigns claiming they have the best anti aging products. However sometimes it is hard to distinguish the truth behind advertising. That’s why it is important to find out the facts behind ingredients and what they do to find out if these are top anti aging products that work.
The easiest anti-aging methods are just ordinary healthy habits. Making sure you eat a well-balanced diet with foods rich in antioxidants and combining it with an exercise regime that fits your needs are enough in slowing down the process of skin aging. And if you want to complement your healthy lifestyle with more anti aging systems, there are a lot of options available online. You can check out Amazon.com and its comprehensive index of consumer reviews for the best choices in an anti aging serum. You’ll find one of the most popular and trusted products in the site is the Glycolic Acid 35% Gel Peel, 30ml (Professional).

Anti aging supplements and vitamins are also becoming more common. Some of the most helpful products to date for both men and women in their ‘golden years’ are MSM supplements. MSM is a natural mineral taken in a tablet or powder form that not only can improve the elasticity and complexion of your skin, it can increase your joint health too. sus
To make a more sound decision in you purchase of a product that helps slow down aging, it’s advised that you better understand how the process works. Our body produces a protein, called collagen, which helps firm our skin. As we age, our body does not produce as much collagen as it used to thereby making some parts of our skin sink, which in turn appear as lines.
Exfoliating agents like glycolic acid chemical peels remove dead skin cells, which helps give room for new collagen. This process allows more production of the needed fibrous protein and reveals smoother younger looking skin.

Natural anti aging products and vitamins can help improve your skin tremendously if you use effective high quality products.

Vitamin A

Vitamin A is an essential vitamin for the skin because of its role as a powerful antioxidant. It protects the skin against the harm that free radicals may cause the skin. It encourages the rejuvenation of keratinocytes, a cell that is responsible in the synthesis of keratin. Keratin is a protein of the skin that provides soft and supple texture to the skin.

Vitamin B3 or niacin

Vitamin B3 or niacin and its derivatives help hydrate the epidermis or the upper layer of the skin. This prevents the skin from drying. Dry skin is more prone to wrinkles and fine lines. It can also heal hyperpigmentation of the skin or the darkening of a region of the skin. It helps lighten darks spots and produces an even tone of the skin.

Vitamin B5 or Panthothenic Acid

Vitamin B5 or Panthothenic Acid is most effective in the treatment of acne. When people talk about “vitamins for acne” they generally mean B5. If taken in high quantities of 10 grams per day, acne may be greatly reduced. There is no risk of overdosing despite the high dosage due to the fact that vitamin B5 is water soluble. It is said that it minimizes oil in the skin that becomes the breeding grounds for bacteria that causes acne. It also minimizes the size of the pores.

Vitamin C

The two benefits of vitamin c on the skin is its role in the production of collagen and it is a powerful antioxidant. For this reason vitamin C is often considered a collagen supplement. Collagen is one of the main requirements to maintain younger looking skin. It provides the skin high skin elasticity making it more resistant to aging. Vitamin C helps synthesize collagen. As an antioxidant like vitamin A, it is effective in combining with free radicals before it can do harm on the skin.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D aids in fast healing of the skin. Ample amount of vitamin D can help maintain skin moisture and can even treat skin disorders like psoriasis. It also helps in the proper absorption of other vitamins for skin, namely vitamin A and C.

Vitamin E

There are many benefits of vitamin E on the skin. One of which is its ability to protect the skin from the harmful effects of UV rays from the sun to the skin. It helps moisturize the skin and increases softness and suppleness. It reduces age spots and stretch marks and is an effective cleanser.

Vitamin K

Vitamin K is best known for reducing dark circles below the eyes. Dark circles often cause a person to look older. Vitamin K is also effective in preventing bruising caused by some procedure done on the skin.

Zinc

As a mineral supplement for the skin, zinc has its own benefits. It is seen to promote the performance of enzymes in the body that helps wound healing. It is a good astringent that act as an essential anti-inflammatory.

Omega 3 Fatty Acids

Skin that has enough supply of Omega-3 fatty acids is more protected against the signs of aging like wrinkles. It supplies enough lipids to the skin keeping it moist and supple.  It reduces skin irritations too. Sources for omegas are often found in fish oil as well as nut oils such as olive oil.

Selenium

Selenium is not a well known beauty supplement but it has its own benefits. It is proven to preserve elasticity and prevents it from becoming hard. It also protects the skin from different ailments due to the sun, including cancer of the skin.

So what are the best vitamins for skin? Ultimately it will depend on your own skin needs. Taking a medley of vitamins and mineral supplements is one way to cover all aspects of your skin needs and improve your skin over time. With the increasing number of  vitamins for the skin introduced each year, it is best to know which ones are of greater benefit.

Let’s start with vitamin A. Vitamin A is essential to the skin primarily because of its ability to heal damaged tissues. It helps in the renewal of cells. It maintains the softness of the skin and reduces the appearance of fine lines.

Vitamin B, though not that well-known vitamin for skin care, has its own benefits to the skin. Vitamin B3 (also called niacin) and Vitamin B5 (also called Panthothenic acid) are essential in skin hydration or keeping the skin moisturized. This in turn prevents the skin from drying out.

The most beneficial responsibility of vitamin C on the skin is its role in the production of collagen, the most abundant protein of the skin. Vitamin C is responsible in the synthesis of collagen. An increase in the production of collagen results to a better skin elasticity. This in turn reduces wrinkles and prevents sagging.

Vitamin D improves the absorption of vitamin C and A. It helps heal several skin problems like psoriasis, itching and flaking skin. It also helps prevent premature aging.

One of the most famous of all when it comes to skin vitamins vitamin E. It is said that vitamin E helps prevent wrinkles, fine lines and can even lessen stretch marks. It is a powerful antioxidant that eliminates the damaging free radicals on the skin. It also helps heal acne and prevents blemishes. Vitamin E protects the skin from damages that it may incur from the sun.

Vitamin K improves skin integrity by assisting in the healing process of the skin. It prevents the formation of scars and also protects the skin against discoloration. Recent studies even show that vitamin K can lighten the dark circles under the eyes.

It is not uncommon for a person to want that healthy glowing skin. Many go to enormous lengths to achieve it. Yet the searching for the best skin vitamins need not be a tedious task. It can be as simple as knowing your vitamin ABCs.

Vitamin A is an essential vitamin supplement for the skin. Vitamin A in its pure form is retinol. Retinol is involved in the renewal of skin cells and help in the removal of dead cells. It aids in the production of keratin, a protein found in the skin and hair. Among the benefits of retinol is smooth and supple skin. It also minimizes the formation of  wrinkles. However, too much vitamin A can also be harmful not only to the skin but to the other parts of the body. Hypervitaminosis A or the excessive amount of vitamin A in the body can be damaging. It may cause birth defects, osteoporosis and can be harmful to the liver. A dose of more than 10,000 IU per day of vitamin A can be considered toxic.

Vitamin C is another vitamin for the skin. It is the most prevalent antioxidant in the skin. It is responsible for the formation of another protein that makes up 25% of the body, the collagen. Collagen holds the tissues together and is important for the elasticity of the skin.  As an effective antioxidant, vitamin A combats the free radicals from damaging the skin and in turn prevents them from hastening the course of aging. For a long time, it was believed that there is no such thing as vitamin C overdose. But recent studies show that too much vitamin C can cause several health problems too. Large doses of vitamin C that are not excreted out of the body can cause several health problems like diarrhea, abdominal cramps, nausea and even kidney stones. Vitamin C’s RDA is about 45-60 mg a day and if taken as supplement, one can safely consume up to 300-500 mg daily.

Vitamin E is the most popular vitamin of the 3 antioxidants mentioned when it comes to the skin. It improves the skin’s texture and restores its moisture making it smooth and supple. Vitamin E can also reduce the damage that the sun can cause the skin. It also lessens the appearance of wrinkles and age spots and is said to reduce stretch marks. But the over consumption of vitamin E, in excess of 1200 IU , may hinder the proper absorption of  other vitamins namely vitamins A and K. Signs of vitamin E overdose are fatigue, diarrhea, headaches, flatulence, blurred vision and even increase the possibility of bleeding. Taken as supplement, vitamin E dosage can be prescribed from 300 to 800 IU per day.

Vitamins A, C and E are still the best supplements for the skin. But everything in excess is harmful. So to take advantage of the benefits of these vitamins for the skin, it is recommended that one should not go beyond the safe dose and much better if one be under the supervision of a doctor to avoid complications.

Most vitamins for skin care these days ideally contain vitamins for skin elasticity. To achieve a better skin elasticity, one has to improve the production of collagen and elastin. These are two of the proteins that make up your skin. It keeps it tight and supple. Collagen is the most abundant protein in the body and keeps skin firm and yet flexible while elastin is a connective tissue that allows a part to resume its shape after stretching. But sad to say, the production of collagen and elastin slows down as one gets older. Beauty supplements therefore are needed to complement the loss of these two proteins. There are vitamins that aid in the production of these two proteins. Supplements for the skin that contains vitamin C and vitamin A are good for the production of both elastin and collagen and in turn can provide a youthful look.

Vitamin C helps in the synthesis of collagen and elastin. It works first hand in the production of  collagen and is also responsible for its strength. Scurvy is a condition in which collagen depletion results with reduced amount of vitamin C in the body. Scurvy can cause the development of spots on the skin, most abundant in the knees and legs.

While vitamin c is responsible for the synthesis of collagen and elastin, vitamin A on the other hand, accelerates its production. It promotes the skin renewal by encouraging the production of skin cells and eliminating dead skin. It also provides moisture to the skin therefore preventing dry skin. This then reduces the formation of the signs of aging, like wrinkles and fine lines.

As studies show the importance of skin elasticity, it is significant that people know how to maintain it. While elastin and collagen are two top terms when it comes to skin elasticity, vitamins A and C are two top vitamins for the skin that provides the production of both.