Vitamin C is a well-known and comprehensively studied component of skin care that is quickly finding its way to our dressing tables and bathroom shelves. More and more brands are coming up with newer formulations regularly, trying to attract customers with promises of decreased wrinkles, smoother skin texture, even skin tone and overall improved skin quality.

What Is It Exactly?

A fruit acid, Vitamin C or Ascorbic Acid, occurs abundantly in nature. Citrus fruits, green leafy vegetables, strawberries, papaya and broccoli are some of the reservoirs known to us. Humans do not have necessary enzymes required for production of Vitamin C, and so it must be consumed from external sources.

And the spectrum of Vitamin C benefits is vast! It works at multiple levels to produce its beneficial effects.

Free Radical Scavenger and Photo-protection

Exposure to sunlight, the omnipresent source of Ultraviolet radiation, can lead to skin damage through formation of free radicals. These free radicals wreak havoc at a molecular level, leading to damage of cellular DNA, proteins and cell membrane. They may also bring about destruction of collagen fibres within the skin and cause cellular inflammation. All this translates into skin aging and even cancer formation.

While it does not stop the penetration of UV rays, Vitamin C acts as a ‘scavenger’ for these notorious free radicals. It tends to be an ‘anti-oxidant’ to free radicals, neutralizing their potency and minimizing their various harms, thus exerting a protective effect on skin.

It also inhibits the formation of pro-inflammatory cytokines and thus controls apoptosis.

Collagen Synthesis

Collagen is a fibrous protein that forms the backbone of our skin structure, providing strength and elasticity. Vitamin C is directly involved in collagen production as it is an important part of its synthesis reaction. It acts as a co-factor for Proline and Lysine Hydroxylase enzymes that stabilize the collagen molecule. It is also involved in gene expression for collagen synthesis by stimulating mRNA production by fibroblasts. Thus, Vitamin C increases collagen production, stabilises the structure of molecule and renders it less likely to breakdown.

It stimulates regulatory Hydroxylases and stabilizes Hypoxia-inducible Factor-1, which controls gene expression for multiple genes involved in cell-survival. Along with collagen, elastin and glycosaminoglycan synthesis is also increased.

Depigmenting Agent

Vitamin C tends to block the action of enzyme Tyrosinase, which is necessary in the pathway of melanin production. Tyrosinase is involved in the hydroxylation of tyrosine to dihydroxyphenylalanine (DOPA). DOPA then goes on to get oxidized into its corresponding ortho-quinone and bring about melanin production. Vitamin C decreases these ortho-quinones and hence, melanin production. This action can result in lightening of melasma and age spots, giving even and uniform skin tone and overall skin brightening.

Reduced Appearance of Wrinkles

Because of the plethora of actions on collagen synthesis and free radical scavenging, Vitamin C helps significantly to reduce the appearance of wrinkles. Although it may be hard to treat deeper lines, it can help significantly in minimizing fine lines and smaller wrinkles.

How to Guide Your Patients

Absorption from oral sources is limited at best and thus, considered inadequate for cutaneous indications. Dermatologists and aesthetic experts therefore, favour topical applications to reap full benefits of this amazing compound. Serums and creams are available in the market that contain a suitable percentage of L-Ascorbic Acid, the active form of Vitamin C. There is divided opinion about use of Vitamin C. Most experts agree that it needs to be applied prior to sun exposure whereas some insist it must be applied twice daily to reap greater benefits. Another great way of incorporating Vitamin C can be microneedling, an in-office procedure, in which microneedles can help with increased cosmeceutical absorption and more skin benefits.

Combinations of Vitamin C with Vitamin E and Ferulic Acid, another antioxidant, are research-proven to be more useful than Vitamin C alone. However, avoid combinations that can be too harsh, such as pairing it with Glycolic Acid. Caution must be taken to incorporate Vitamin C gradually into skin routine, as it may be sensitive to newer beginners.