After years of exposure to environmental stressors such as the sun, toxins, and pollution, damage can start to show on your skin. The good news is that supplements for skin health can repair skin damage from the inside out and ward off the signs of aging, leaving you with smoother, brighter, and youthful skin.
Keep reading to learn more about the supplements that support skin health!
Bioidentical Hormone Therapy
“Bioidentical hormone therapy is a game-changer in dermatology,” says Ronald Moy, MD, at Moy Fincher Chipps Facial Plastics & Dermatology. “Not only does it address internal hormone imbalances, but it also has a profound effect on skin health. We’ve observed significant improvements in skin elasticity, skin tightness, and moisture retention, particularly in postmenopausal women and men who often struggle with accelerated skin aging.”
Bioidentical hormone therapy is a form of hormone replacement therapy that decreases or eliminates the symptoms of hormone imbalance. It uses bioidentical hormones to replace the natural hormones the body has lost.
These hormones are chemically and structurally identical to the natural hormones produced in the body. Consequently, they have fewer to no side effects.
Hormones that can be supplemented with bioidentical hormone therapy include progesterone, estrogen, and testosterone. Estrogen, DHES, and testosterone cream are hormones that can change how your skin looks and feels because these hormones actually thicken the skin. DHEA can be purchased over the counter (Dr. Moy recommends 10 mg for women and 25-59 mg for males).
Progesterone reduces skin inflammation and activates the production of sebum. Like progesterone, testosterone also encourages the production of sebum.
Estrogen stimulates the production of hyaluronic acid, collagen, and elastin, which keep the skin firm and plump. Reducing these hormones can impair skin repair, decrease the skin’s ability to retain water, and speed up collagen and elastin breakdown, leading to dryness, wrinkles, sagging skin, and a dull complexion.
Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy boosts the production of elastin and collagen, which help tone and firm the skin. It also accelerates skin healing and improves hydration for healthy, glowing skin.
Polypodium
Native to South and Central America, polypodium leucotomos is a tropical fern with that prevents sun damage. Its underground stems and thin, green leaves contain antioxidants and other crucial compounds to safeguard against skin damage due to free radicals and inflammation.
Polypodium leucotomos supplements can benefit people with inflammatory skin conditions such as eczema, atopic dermatitis, and psoriasis. It can improve the appearance of these skin conditions and reduce inflammation.
The sun’s UV rays offer vital health benefits. However, they can also damage the skin, causing skin discoloration, wrinkles, and cancer.
Polypodium leucotomos supplements can also protect against sunburns and skin damage from the sun by neutralizing free radicals.
Free radicals are unstable molecules that damage cells, increasing the risk of skin cancer and contributing to skin aging. Neutralizing free radicals diminishes the damage from UV radiation.
Glutathione
Glutathione is a potent antioxidant that occurs naturally in the body. You can also find it in various foods, including vegetables, fruits, and meats.
Glutathione is produced by the liver and is made from three amino acids: L-glutamate, glycine, and L-cysteine. Some of the benefits of glutathione supplements include improving the immune system thus preventing any virus and skin cancers.
Even Out Skin Tone
The three amino acids in glutathione help this antioxidant tackle an uneven skin tone. Combined, these amino acids restore the skin’s natural, luminous glow.
Glutathione works by suppressing tyrosinase, an enzyme in melanocytes. Melanocytes are cells that make a pigment known as melanin.
An overproduction of melanin can result in hyperpigmentation, typically presenting as patches, spots, or an uneven skin tone. By inhibiting tyrosinase activity, glutathione decreases melanin production, reducing hyperpigmentation and dark spots.
This leads to a more even skin tone and enhances overall skin brightness.
Anti-Aging
Glutathione possesses powerful detoxification and anti-aging properties. It prevents the signs of aging, including age spots, fine lines, and wrinkles.
However, as you age, glutathione levels in your body decline, impairing detoxification and increasing oxidative damage. The decrease in glutathione contributes to visible signs of aging, like UV damage, dark spots, and wrinkles.
Increasing glutathione levels slows the aging process and improves your skin health. Through detoxification, glutathione actively combats signs of aging such as wrinkles, lines, dark undereye circles, and crow’s feet, ensuring a smoother, more youthful complexion.
Glutathione also stimulates collagen production and protects the skin from oxidative stress caused by free radicals. Collagen is an essential protein that gives the skin a plump, smooth, youthful appearance.
Glutathione supplements boost collagen production. Increasing collagen fights off the visible signs of aging, making your skin firmer, smoother, and more supple.
As an antioxidant, glutathione reduces oxidative stress and neutralizes harmful free radicals, significantly contributing to aging.
Nicotinamide
Nicotinamide, or niacinamide, is a water-soluble form of niacin or vitamin B3. It’s naturally found in fish, legumes, nuts, poultry, beef, eggs, and cereal grains.
Nicotinamide supplements offer the following skin health benefits:
Improve Acne
Nicotinamide supplements have powerful anti-inflammatory properties that can reduce acne symptoms. They can decrease the swelling and redness linked to acne.
Nicotinamide also regulates sebum production, controlling acne flare-ups. Sebum contributes to inflammatory acne lesions and non-inflamed comedones in the form of blackheads or whiteheads.
Moreover, nicotinamide supplements can fade the red, brown, and purple marks left by acne on the skin. With time, you’ll notice improved skin texture and fewer lesions.
Lower the Risk of Skin Cancer
Nicotinamide can help reduce the risk of non-melanoma skin cancer and pre-cancerous lesions such as actinic keratoses. One study found oral supplementation of nicotinamide decreased the rate of new basal and squamous cell skin cancers by 23 percent in people at an increased risk of skin cancer.
The leading cause of skin cancer is UV exposure. UV radiation from the sun or artificial sources like tanning beds can destroy the DNA in skin cells and suppress the skin’s immune system.
Consequently, this can cause pre-cancerous lesions like actinic keratoses and non-melanoma skin cancers. Usually, the body’s DNA repair enzymes mend damaged DNA caused by UV rays.
However, not all damage is fixed, particularly if the cellular energy needed to repair that damage is depleted. Nicotinamide decreases the risk of skin cancer by replenishing cellular energy, allowing for more effective DNA repair following exposure to UV rays.
It also reduces immunosuppression caused by UV damage. Repairing DNA and preserving immune function protects your body from long-term consequences like skin cancer and aging too quickly.
Attain a Youthful, Lasting Glow
Moy-Fincher-Chipps offers supplements that support skin health for radiant, healthy, and youthful skin. By leveraging the benefits of these supplements, you can achieve timeless beauty.
Dr. Moy explains:
“What excites me most is seeing patients transform their skin’s health and appearance through targeted supplementation. When these supplements are used consistently as part of a comprehensive skin health regimen, the results can be remarkable – from improved texture and tone to enhanced skin resilience.”
Are you interested in supplements for skin health? Book your appointment at Moy-Fincher-Chipps for a customized treatment plan to achieve a glowing and rejuvenated complexion.
