Best Vitamins for Dry Skin

If you’re experiencing dry skin, don’t fret – it’s a common problem. Dry skin has a variety of different causes and, fortunately, it also has a number of available remedies. In this article, we’ll talk about some of the causes of dry skin. We’ll also talk about some vitamins and supplements that can help you with your dry skin, leaving you looking and feeling your best.

What causes dry skin?

Dry skin can have any number of causes, including frequent washing of hands and scrubbing without using a moisturizer of some kind. Let’s take a look at four major causes: age, location, nutrition, and smoking.

Age

Research has consistently demonstrated a connection between skin health and aging. Much of this research has to do with collagen. Collagen is the most abundant protein in your body, and it’s the primary structural protein of your body’s connective tissue. It’s also essential for skin health. The thing about collagen, though, is that our collagen levels start to decline naturally as we age. This process usually begins around age 25. As your collagen production declines, your skin will start to lose some of its strength and vitality.

Location

Have you ever noticed how you experience more dry skin during winter months? That’s because the changes in humidity in temperature brought about by the winter months creates conditions for dry skin. The environment and climate in which you find yourself can generally contribute to dry skin.

Nutrition

Nutrition plays a big role in health overall, including skin health. If you’re looking to boost your health, your diet is often the best place to start. When it comes to skin health, in particular, studies have shown that not getting enough omega-3 fatty acids in your diet can contribute to dry skin. Similarly, you may experience more dry skin if you’re not drinking enough water. It’s important to stay hydrated!

Smoking

Smoking has been shown to disrupt collagen production, thereby negatively affecting your skin health.

What vitamin deficiencies cause dry skin?

Maintaining optimal nutrient levels is essential for your health generally. It turns out that some deficiencies can also contribute to dry skin.

Vitamins and supplements for dry skin

If you’re looking to help your dry skin, these vitamin supplements might be useful to you. As always, you should talk to a medical professional before adding any new supplements to your routine.

Astaxanthin

Astaxanthin is a carotenoid and has antioxidant propertiesthat gives many sea creatures – shrimp and salmon among them – a bright pink color. According to this study, astaxanthin helps maintain healthy, hydrated skin by scavenging reactive oxygen species in the body. Furthermore, this study found that astaxanthin promoted skin hydration in subjects who took 6 mg of oral astaxanthin over a 6-8 week period. Finally, a study published in Experimental Dermatology found that astaxanthin can help combat the oxidative stress that can lead to wrinkly skin. Care/of’s astaxanthin supplement, dubbed The Coral King, supports brain, heart, skin, and eye health and is made without any harsh chemicals or solvents.

Vitamin B3

Vitamin B3 (niacin) contains properties that scavenge harmful free radicals, which means that it can be helpful in combating oxidative stress. As a result, vitamin B3 can help support healthy skin. Researchers have found that the topical application of face care products that include B3 can help manage skin elasticity, while reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is a very well known vitamin – a powerful antioxidant that works wonders for your health. When it comes to skin health, one of vitamin C’s most important functions is that it aids your body in producing collagen; it’s also been shown to support your body in maintaining optimal collagen levels.

As an antioxidant, vitamin C helps fight harmful free radicals, protecting your body from potentially skin-damaging oxidative stress. Vitamin C is available in many tasty food sources, including citrus fruits, leafy greens, and berries. If you’re not getting enough of it, you can also try a supplement. Care/of’s Vitamin C: The Citrus Savior is easy to digest and formulated for absorption. Topical vitamin C has also been shown to help with skin hyperpigmentation.

Vitamin D

When you think of vitamin D, you probably think of bone health. That makes sense, since vitamin D is essential for building and maintaining healthy bones. But it turns out that vitamin D may also play a role in skin health. While there haven’t been any direct studies regarding vitamin D and dry skin, this study found a correlation between low vitamin D levels and lower levels of skin hydration.

Vitamin E

Vitamin E is an antioxidant that can be taken as a supplement and is found in a variety of foods. It’s commonly used for dermatological purposes and is found in many cosmetics. It’s been shown to be photoprotective and to have properties that stabilize the skin barrier.

Collagen

As mentioned above, collagen is the most abundant protein in your body, and it plays a vital role in the health of your skin. Since collagen production declines as we age, some recommended taking collagen supplements in order to keep levels up. Studies have shown that collagen-based supplements can support healthy hair, skin, and nails. One study found that women who ingested 2.5-5 g of collagen daily for 8 weeks saw improved skin hydration relative to the placebo group. Care/of’s Collagen: The Skin Hero has been shown to support hydration and elasticity in skin.

Fish oil

Fish oil contains essential fatty acids – including docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) – that have been shown to support skin health in myriad ways. One study found that taking fish oil daily for anywhere between 6 weeks and 6 months can improve dry, cracked skin. Furthermore, animal studies have found that high oral doses of fish oil can support healthy, hydrated skin. While fish oil supplements are typically taken orally, scientists are now investigating topical use as well.

Care/of’s Fish Oil: Wild at Heart is sustainably sourced from wild Alaskan salmon.

Zinc

You probably know zinc for its immune-supporting properties. What you may not realize is that zinc plays a big role in skin health, with studies finding that it plays a major role in wound healing.

Evening Primrose Oil

Evening Primrose Oil contains gamma linolenic acid (GLA), a fatty acid that can support skin moisture, elasticity, and firmness. It’s found in some topical skin care products and is sometimes found as a standalone topical supplement; it’s also available as an oral supplement in soft gel form.

Probiotics

While more research is needed to establish the effectiveness of probiotics in addressing dry skin, there is reason for optimism. Probiotics are essential for the health of your gut microbiome. Your body has what’s called a gut-skin axis, which means that the health of your gut microbiome can have a direct impact on the health of your skin. This study found that supplementing people with Lactobacillus plantarum bacteria (probiotics) improved skin hydration after 8 weeks. Indeed, the health of your gut has ramifications for the health of your whole body – but that’s a topic for another article.

Hyaluronic acid

Hyaluronic acid is a popular topical supplement that improves skin hydration. Recent studies have found that taking this supplement orally can also be beneficial for skin.

Ceramides

Recent research has found that supplementing with ceramides – fat molecules that are important components of our skin – may boost skin hydration.

Other ways to help dry skin

Beyond switching up your supplement routine, there are other ways to help your dry skin.

First, you might want to try a good moisturizer – there are many available to you at your local pharmacy.

Next, make some lifestyle adjustments. Be sure to eat a healthy diet, including healthy fats, and stay hydrated. You’ll also want to manage your stress and get enough sleep. Anything you can do to manage oxidative stress can have the effect of improving skin health. To that end, you’ll also want to be sure to limit your exposure to harmful UV rays.

Final Takeaways

If you’re struggling with dry skin, don’t get discouraged! You’re not alone, and there are many solutions available to you.

Dry skin can be caused by a variety of factors, including aging, location, nutrition, and whether or not you smoke. In some cases, it can be caused by nutrient deficiencies. When that’s the case, you should try to be sure to eat a varied, nutrient-rich diet. If deficiencies still persist, you can try some of the vitamin supplements listed above.

As always, you should consult a medical professional before adding any new supplements to your routine, whether those supplements are oral or topical. If your dry skin problem persists, a medical professional can help you determine whether there are any underlying causes that should be addressed.