Can vitamin C and E help protect skin from sun damage? Studies say yes!1, 2
Summertime is here! While the sun’s UV rays can be dangerous, the sun also triggers vitamin D production. But actually, there are a host of benefit to daily sun exposure. So how do we protect our skin while still reaping the benefits of those golden summer rays?
Research shows that vitamin C not only prevents UV damage, it can reverse it. That’s because vitamin C targets free radicals, accomplishing three things:
1: Limits damage from UV light exposure.3
2: Repairs already damaged skin cells.4
3: Suppresses UVB-induced inflammation (aka sunburn).5
Just to be clear, we’re not suggesting that you forgo the sunscreen. Because unlike sunscreen, Vitamin C does not absorb or reflect UVA or UVB spectrum light. Rather, vitamin C aids in the skin’s natural regeneration process, helping to repair damaged skin cells. After all, skin contains extremely high levels of vitamin C.6 Which makes sense since vitamin C is essential for the production of collagen, a protein which comprises most of our skin.7 - Roughly 75-80%!8 - Which is just one reason why we suggest adding vitamin C to your daily skincare routine.
So, get out. Enjoy that summertime glow! And remember that when it comes to skin health, vitamin C shines.
1https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9448204/
2https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8869680/
3https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1939862/
4https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5579659/
5https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-018-34530-4
6https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/health-disease/skin-health/vitamin-C
7https://www.webmd.com/beauty/cosmetic-procedures-overview-skin#2