Are There Vitamins for Acne?

It is a perfectly fair and logical question: Are there vitamins for acne? In the fight against acne, we’re willing to do whatever is necessary to keep the whiteheads and blackheads away from our complexion. This is especially true when acne comes in the form of painful, cystic acne, or begins to develop on the shoulders, back or other areas. Most people have tried creams, gels, expensive face washes, moisturizers and yet, acne still develops.

Are There Vitamins for Acne?

Before running out and buying vitamins for acne, or a vitamin supplement designed to help fight acne, it is worth knowing a few things about the nature of acne, which in turn will help to control it.

Acne develops through a natural growth and regeneration process. The skin is constantly growing, and as new skin cells are developing, old ones are dying and shedding from the skin’s surface. These dead skin cells are one cause of acne. The cells combine with the P-Acne bacteria on the skin’s surface. Together they find their way into a pore and clog a follicle with sebum produced by the sebaceous gland. This is how whiteheads, blackheads and cystic acne forms.

It is obvious that overall skin health would help in preventing the inflammation of acne, but probably just as obvious that no vitamin supplement is going to stop the skin from doing what it naturally does. With that being said, taking vitamins, or eating a vitamin rich diet will certainly help the skin to achieve optimal health, and can help fight acne when combined with an acne skin care regimen.

Great Vitamins for Skin Health

In terms of vitamins for acne, there are few that are crucial to the health of the skin, the building of connective tissue and the immune system. There are also minerals, such as zinc, which help with immune system function. Zinc also helps to speed the healing of wounds. While acne may not seem like a “wound,” technically many forms would be classified as such.

Vitamin A is one of the best vitamins for acne. It can be ingested through citrus fruits, as well as vegetables such as yellow squash, carrots and tomatoes. It is vital for the healthy growth of skin, and optimal skin function. It can also be taken in oral supplement form, or can be applied to the skin externally in creams and topical supplements.

Vitamins C and E are also great vitamins for acne. Both vitamins can be found in a variety of foods, as well as through supplement form. These vitamins help in the production of connective tissue, and offer antioxidant properties to the body. Basically they work to fight free radicals and offer all of the body, including the skin, its “fountain of youth.”

Vitamin B6 is important in fighting inflammations in the skin. In adult acne, a deficiency of this vitamin can potentially play a role in the continuation of acne. It can be taken in supplement form, or found in foods such as bell peppers, spinach, fish such as tuna (yellowfin) and white meats such as poultry.