Zits vulgaris, additionally identified merely as zits, is a standard pores and skin situation which will trigger pimples and oily pores and skin. In North America, as much as 50% of adolescents and 15–30% of adults expertise signs (1).
Many individuals use topical lotions, medicines, meals, and dietary supplements to assist relieve zits. In reality, vitamin C is continuously added to many skincare merchandise that purport to deal with it.
Nonetheless, it’s possible you’ll wonder if vitamin C is efficient for this objective.
This text explains whether or not the topical utility of vitamin C treats zits.
Vitamin C and skincare
Formally often known as ascorbic acid, vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin that’s essential for numerous elements of well being, together with your pores and skin. Your physique doesn’t produce it, so you could receive it by means of your weight-reduction plan (2).
This vitamin can also be a potent antioxidant that helps neutralize free radicals, that are unstable compounds that may harm your physique’s cells over time when ranges turn into too excessive within the physique (3, 4).
Your pores and skin is affected by free radicals as a consequence of its publicity to each your inner and exterior environments. Amongst different components, weight-reduction plan, stress, smoking, ultraviolet (UV) rays, and air pollution all have an effect on pores and skin well being (3, 4, 5).
Your pores and skin’s dermis — the highest layer of pores and skin that’s seen to the human eye — comprises excessive ranges of vitamin C. This nutrient performs a key function in defending, therapeutic, and producing new pores and skin (6).
As zits is a extremely inflammatory situation that may be exacerbated by environmental stressors, vitamin C might play a job in treating it.
How does vitamin C have an effect on zits?
Zits is an inflammatory pores and skin situation brought on by blocked pores. It results in redness, swelling, and typically pustules, that are infected bumps that include pus (7).
Along with breakouts, zits leaves many individuals with post-inflammatory scars and pores and skin harm. Nonetheless, analysis signifies that vitamin C might deal with a number of of those circumstances.
Understand that whereas a excessive consumption of meals wealthy in vitamin C might assist different elements of pores and skin well being, no analysis ties dietary vitamin C to diminished zits ranges. Nonetheless, restricted analysis means that the topical utility of vitamin C could also be useful.
Could cut back acne-related irritation
Age, genetics, and hormones are threat components for zits. Furthermore, sure strains of the frequent pores and skin bacterium Cutibacterium acnes (C. acnes) might set off this situation (7, 8).
On condition that vitamin C is anti-inflammatory, it might assist cut back redness and swelling associated to zits when used topically. Thus, it might enhance the looks of zits lesions (9).
In a 12-week research in 50 individuals, 61% of contributors who used a lotion containing 5% sodium ascorbyl phosphate (SAP) — skilled important enhancements in zits lesions, in contrast with a management group (10).
In a smaller, 8-week research in 30 individuals, those that used 5% SAP had a 48.8% discount in zits lesions. What’s extra, those that used a mixture of SAP and a pair of% retinol — a vitamin A by-product — had a 63.1% discount (9).
Although these outcomes are promising, bigger high-quality research are wanted.
Could enhance the looks of zits scars
After an zits breakout, your pores and skin requires time to heal. With out correct therapeutic, zits scars might develop.
Zits scars are normally associated to extreme, cystic zits, however they’ll end result from gentle circumstances as nicely. Furthermore, extended zits, genetics, and bodily manipulation like choosing or squeezing can enhance the probability of scarring (11).
The three essential sorts of zits scars are atrophic, hypertrophic, and keloidal.
Atrophic scars trigger a lack of pores and skin tissue and collagen and seem as small indentions within the pores and skin. Each hypertrophic and keloidal scars end result from collagen overproduction and seem as thick, raised scar tissue (11).
Vitamin C treats zits scars by rising the synthesis of collagen, a protein accountable for your pores and skin’s construction and important for rebuilding wholesome pores and skin. In consequence, this vitamin might speed up the therapeutic of zits wounds (6, 12, 13).
A 4-week research in 30 individuals famous average enhancements in zits scars after utilizing microneedling — which includes rolling small needles over the pores and skin to advertise therapeutic and enhance collagen manufacturing — alongside a 15% vitamin C topical cream as soon as per week (14).
But, it’s unknown if microneedling, vitamin C, or a mixture of each was accountable for these outcomes (14).
Furthermore, vitamin C and microneedling are unsuitable for hypertrophic and keloidal scars, as these sorts end result from collagen overproduction (15).
Whereas no analysis hyperlinks dietary vitamin C to diminished zits scarring, it will increase your physique’s pure collagen manufacturing and remains to be helpful for total pores and skin well being (16, 17).
Could cut back hyperpigmentation
Hyperpigmentation is the formation of darkened spots in your pores and skin because of zits, UV rays, or different accidents — although it ought to be famous that this situation is innocent.
Making use of vitamin C to your pores and skin might cut back hyperpigmentation by interfering with an enzyme referred to as tyrosinase, which is accountable for the manufacturing of melanin, a pure pores and skin pigment (12, 13, 18).
Furthermore, vitamin C acts as a brightening agent and might cut back the looks of darkened spots with out altering the pure coloration of your pores and skin (12, 13, 18).
Some human research that mix topical vitamin C with iontophoresis — {an electrical} gradient utilized to the pores and skin — discovered important reductions in hyperpigmentation (19, 20).
Although this methodology is promising, iontophoresis will increase vitamin C absorption into your pores and skin, which means that topical utility of vitamin C alone might not yield the identical outcomes (21).
Moreover, most associated research use vitamin C together with different anti-hyperpigmentation elements like alpha-hydroxy acids, making it onerous to find out the particular results of the vitamin. General, extra analysis is required (21).
Sources and formulations
Although quite a few meals and dietary supplements include vitamin C, remember the fact that skincare merchandise formulated with this vitamin usually tend to assist acne-related circumstances.
No present research tie dietary vitamin C to diminished zits or scarring.
Meals and dietary supplements
Many vegetables and fruit are wealthy in vitamin C, resembling bell peppers, strawberries, tomatoes, broccoli, leafy greens, and citrus fruits (22).
Furthermore, vitamin C dietary supplements are extensively out there.
As such, most individuals in developed international locations meet their vitamin C wants by means of weight-reduction plan and supplementation (22).
As vitamin C is water-soluble, your physique discards any extra by means of your urine. Earlier than taking a complement, it’s possible you’ll wish to seek the advice of a healthcare skilled (22).
Skincare merchandise
Vitamin C is utilized in many skincare merchandise, resembling serums, moisturizers, and lotions.
Although L-ascorbic acid is essentially the most potent type of this vitamin, it’s additionally the least steady and goes rancid in a short time in skincare merchandise. Topical vitamin C serum boosters are common, too, however additionally they have a brief shelf life (23, 24).
Subsequently, extra steady vitamin C derivatives are generally utilized for topical merchandise. Nonetheless, few human research look at how these derivatives have an effect on zits. Plus, it’s not identified whether or not these elements present outcomes much like these of L-ascorbic acid (23, 24).
Understand that many vitamin C serums are made with different antioxidants like vitamin E to extend stability and supply extra advantages (13).
For greatest outcomes, comply with the producer’s directions and discard any expired or discolored merchandise.
If you happen to’re at the moment utilizing any topical or oral zits medicines, seek the advice of your dermatologist or healthcare skilled earlier than including any vitamin C skincare merchandise to your routine.
The underside line
Zits is likely one of the world’s commonest pores and skin problems.
Vitamin C, a strong antioxidant, is understood for preventing free radical harm to pores and skin cells and should assist deal with zits.
Topical vitamin C merchandise might enhance hyperpigmentation and cut back acne-induced irritation, however additional analysis is important.
Whereas no analysis associates dietary vitamin C with diminished zits, it’s nonetheless necessary to get sufficient in your weight-reduction plan to assist collagen synthesis, wound therapeutic, and total well being.
If you happen to’re occupied with utilizing vitamin C for zits, discuss to a dermatologist or healthcare skilled earlier than including it to your skincare routine.
– “vitamin c acne”