Skin is your body’s largest organ, and it serves you in a myriad of ways. But for your skin to take care of you, you need to feed it right. If you don’t provide it with the appropriate nutrients and care, then you won’t be able to achieve the smooth, glowing and healthy skin that we all want. Below, we’ll explore some of the essential ingredients you should use to nourish your skin.

Vitamin A

Vitamin A (aka retinol, retinoids, adapalene) is the essential nutrient for skin cells. It optimizes cell turnover (which is abnormally slow both in aging skin, as well as in acne). Products containing vitamin A derivatives can be irritating to the skin or cause sensitivity to light, so they are typically applied nightly. But some preparations are more soluble in the skin and safe to use both day and night (such as Environ’s SkinEssentA and YouthEssentiA lines). Like sunscreen, this is considered a basic essential in skin care, so choose one that you will use. DAILY.

Peptides are considered the “superfoods” of skin as they act as chemical messengers to skin cells, specifically prompting more collagen production. Look for names like Matrixyl, Trylagen, and Copper peptides in the ingredient list of products.

General Nutrition

Nutrition should not be neglected! While I am a tremendous fan of medical grade skin care products, never neglect your own power to nourish from within. Diets containing protein, gelatin, or bone broth provide raw materials for collagen synthesis. Leafy green vegetables, citrus fruits, and brightly colored fruits and veggies – look for red, purple, and orange — provide many of the antioxidants listed above. [In case this looks like generic “healthy diet” stuff: YES. Starting to see a pattern?]

Vitamin D

Adequate Vitamin D is also essential for skin health. Vitamin D is actually a hormone (not technically a “vitamin”) with a myriad of bodily functions, and you want a serum level of at least 50 ng/mL (with 30 ng/mL being the lower limit of normal). Suboptimal levels correlate with many skin disorders; AND, most Americans have suboptimal levels! We can get more from SUN or from SUPPS (supplements). Sun exposure means being shirtless in peak midday sun, while your facial skin should be protected at all times (it is constantly exposed, and its limited surface area contributes little to vitamin D synthesis). Supplements (vitamin D3) are widely available; dosing should follow serum levels. For more information as well as home test kits, see www.vitamindcouncil.org. Or ask your primary doctor: it is becoming pretty standard to optimize vitamin D for overall health maintenance.

If you’re having trouble finding the right skincare products for nourishing the skin, contact us today at Matthesen Cosmetic Surgery. We’ll help you identify the products that will be most beneficial to you so you can achieve optimal skin health.