Remember those green shiny capsule stripes you get to add it with other oils for making your hair stand strong and in face packs for skin benefits. But the role of vitamin E doesn’t limit to skin and hair, your body also needs enough vitamin E. But why? Let’s know more about it.
Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin which is an antioxidant applied topically and taken orally as a supplement. As an antioxidant it helps reduce free radical damage to improve skin and scalp health. Its moisturising quality makes your skin glow, stay hydrated and gives shine strength to your mane. That is the reason why products add Vitamin E as an ingredient.
Hence, vitamin E can be beneficial when taken as a supplement or applied to the skin.
Below are some of the main reasons why vitamins are skin’s favourite.
Important features of vitamin E for Skin
It’s a Powerful Natural Antioxidant
One of vitamin E’s prominent functions in the skin is to protect against the damaging effects of free radicals. Free radicals are nothing but reactive oxygen species, excessively harmful to bodily functions. Exposure to stressors like pollution, UV radiation, lifestyle disorder and over-stress produce free radicals in the body. When the free radicals are left to accumulate on the skin, they damage skin and trigger various skin concerns, from premature ageing to dark spots and discolorations. As an antioxidant, vitamin E helps neutralize free radicals by limiting the effect of stressors on your skin.
Vitamin E Helps hydration
Although the words "dry" and "dehydrated" are often used interchangeably, they are two completely different things when it comes to skin care. Dry skin is a skin type characterised by chronic underproduction of sebum, i.e. the natural sebum of the skin. Dry skin, on the other hand, refers to skin that lacks sufficient water, a key factor in the skin's natural moisture defence. Because of this difference, your skin can be oily and dry at the same time.
Research shows that the topical use of vitamin E can increase the skin's ability to bind water and effectively prevent the skin from drying out.II By limiting excess water loss, vitamin E also helps keep the skin's natural moisture barrier intact and functioning as it should.
Dark Spots
Dark spots on the skin can be from melasma. People with melasma may try vitamin E topically. However, studies have shown that vitamin E alone is not effective in melasma treatment. When vitamin E is used along with oral proanthocyanidin, vitamins A, C, and E, studies show a reduction in excess pigmentation caused by the condition.
Anti-Inflammatory
Inflammation is the body's normal response to any injury, wound or illness. Different forms of vitamin E are known to be anti-inflammatory.
Wound Healing
Getting enough nourishment is an important aspect of the wound healing process because it allows the wound to heal properly. People who are deficient in certain vitamins may experience delayed wound healing. The researchers concluded that applying topical vitamin E before and after surgery improved wound healing.
Hence anti-stretch mark and scar mark creams use vitamin as one of the key ingredients. Like Inostretch anti-stretch mark cream formulated in France contains, Rutin, two important peptides, Phaseolus lunatus, many mineral oils, vitamin E as key ingredient which proven to be useful in healing c-sections scar marks and pregnancy stretch marks.
Sun Protection
Vitamin E prevents free radical damage and, as a result, has been studied for the benefits of ultraviolet (UV) protection. There are two types of UV light, UVA and UVB. Vitamin E can absorb UVB light but cannot absorb UVA.
Vitamin E is used through oral supplements and applied on the skin. Topical application of vitamin E with a moisturizer or skin serum is a common way to use vitamin E. Antioxidants neutralize the free radicals generated by sun exposure, they can’t prevent other sun-induced skin concerns, like burns.
Scars and Vitamin E
Scars on the skin are battle wounds that remain for some time even after the skin has healed. Some scars are permanent reminders, while others eventually fade. There are many creams, lotions and old wives tales that claim to prevent scarring or reduce scarring while the skin heals. Many of these medications use many of the same ingredients, one common ingredient is vitamin E. Because of its popularity as an active ingredient, many people are interested in using vitamin E on its own.
Vitamin E is available in capsule and liquid form as an over-the-counter supplement. The oil is usually applied directly to the skin where there is a wound or scar. Vitamin E penetrates the skin and reduces the formation of so-called free radicals. Free radicals disrupt the skin's ability to heal, so even small wounds often turn into permanent scars. Vitamin E is known to have a positive effect on collagen production, stimulating skin elasticity and firmness.