Vitamins for Healthy Skin, Hair and Nails
Often I get asked by our Reno dermatology patients, “What else can I be doing to improve the appearance of my skin?” These patients are usually already following Dr. Jennifer Janiga’s essential skincare routine, so they’re looking for that next step.
I tell them that one key to having beautiful and healthy skin, hair and nails is to ensure you’re getting the proper amount of key vitamins. What we put on our skin and ingest in our bodies can play a big role in the overall health and appearance of our skin, hair and nails. Below are some of my recommendations for vitamins that can benefit your skin, hair and nails.
Vitamin A:
Vitamin A helps to stimulate collagen, which thickens and exfoliates the skin thereby reducing clogged pores, sun spots and even precancerous lesions.
Vitamin C & E:
Antioxidants, such as Vitamin C and E can help undo or reverse the result of sun damage by enhancing the skin’s ability to repair itself.
Vitamin C is particularly beneficial for two reasons. It acts as an antioxidant, which helps squelch the destructive free radicals and undo the damage caused by UV radiation. Secondly, Vitamin C improves the effectiveness of your daily sunscreen by promoting the collagen synthesis needed to firm up and thicken the skin, thereby mitigating that sun damage which results in thinning, wrinkling and sagging. Finally, the hardworking Vitamin C supplement will improve your hair growth and help avoid the deficiency they can lead to split ends.
Iron:
Iron is another vitamin that is important for healthy skin, hair and nail growth. A deficiency can cause your hair to be thin and lacking luster. It can also cause your nails to be brittle and break easily.
B Vitamins:
B vitamins also promote healthy skin and it too is important to get the daily-recommended amount. Each of the several B vitamins provides specific benefits.
Thiamine, also called vitamin B1 helps build new cells. Riboflavin, commonly called vitamin B2, works as an antioxidant similar to Vitamin C & E described above. Niacin, vitamin B3, is used to treat acne. Pantothenic acid, vitamin B5 and Pyridoxine, B6, can help to produce healthier skin by reducing inflammation and lessening the redness that results from sun damage. Then there is Biotin, vitamin B7, for healthy cell formation, which promotes the growth of healthy skin, hair and nails. Finally, we have Cobalamin; vitamin B12, which helps iron do its job.
Making sure you get the daily-recommended dose of all these vitamins is an important part of achieving optimal skin health and appearance. If you recognize that you are not following the well-balanced, healthy diet, discuss supplementation for your specific needs with your health care provider.
To set up a consultation with Dr. Jennifer Janiga to discuss which vitamins may benefit your skin, hair or nails, call us any time at 775-398-4600.
