A Thing of Beauty

Traditionally, humans have addressed beauty issues by applying various lotions and potions, but many experts agree that beauty is more appropriately addressed with both topical treatments and oral supplements.

Beauty is said to be in the eye of the beholder, but it may be that one's own eye is the most difficult to please. Wrinkles, fine lines, blemishes, dull hair—all of these physical characteristics affect the way people perceive themselves. In particular, the fairer sex is notorious for comparing the image they face in the mirror to that of the flawless beauties who peer sedately from the pages of glossy magazines. And in striving to attain that same air-brushed visage, women often turn to creams, lotions, cosmetics and other beauty contrivances that promise to improve the look and feel of their skin and hair.

There is an inherent connection between internal health and external beauty. When the body is well-nourished, health is apparent in glossy hair and glowing skin. It is also believed that dietary supplements may augment the effects of a healthy diet to promote beauty from the inside out.

The skin is made up of two primary layers, the epidermis and the dermis. The epidermis is the outermost layer of skin that contains melanin and goes through a maturation process to build nails and hair. The second, larger layer is the dermis, which supplies the epidermis with nutrient-saturated blood and is made up of cells that produce collagen and make the skin elastic.

Elasticity is a characteristic of younger-looking skin, and skin cells require various nutrients to maintain their elasticity. Vitamin C, for example, is an integral component of the body's ability to produce collagen, and vitamin C deficiency may be linked with a decline in collagen production.

Additional antioxidants, alpha-tocopherol and beta-carotene, which exist within skin cells, may partially protect against photoaging by shielding skin cells from incurring oxidative damage. Beta-carotene has been found to independently protect against UV-induced oxidative stress and thereby reduce skin damage.

Antioxidants are also present in the body's skin surface lipids, a complex that is part of the human epidermis intended to be part of the body's natural defense system against oxidative stress. Antioxidant levels of skin surface lipids naturally increase from childhood to maturity and decrease again with old age. Vitamin E and CoQ10 (coenzyme Q10), the two lipophilic antioxidants present in skin surface lipids, work together to inhibit UV-induced damage.

Vitamin E was also studied as part of a research review, which determined the bulk of in vitro and animal research has demonstrated antioxidants such as vitamins E and C, as well as lipoic acid, protect skin cells against oxidative stress and thereby reduce skin's aging.

While antioxidants have been shown to protect skin cells from the damaging effects of UV exposure, the research on oral supplementation for enhanced protection has been mixed. A study of oral vitamin C did not indicate a protective effect of the nutrient on the oxidative stress that is seen in skin after UV exposure. However, a study of oral vitamin C in combination with other antioxidants--beta-carotene, lycopene, vitamin E, selenium and proanthocyanidins—was shown to slow the damage caused by UV exposure and selectively protect the skin against irradiation.

Another study of oral supplementation with antioxidants, as well as glucosamine, amino acids and minerals, indicated a statistically significant reduction in the number of visible wrinkles and fine lines after five weeks.

While it is generally accepted that diet contributes to skin health, additional theories indicate topically applied nutrients also find their way into the body. Topical skin formulations often contain a variety of vitamins and herbs that are thought to nourish the skin, as well as improve its appearance.

Antioxidant ingredients are especially popular in topical formulas, as they are thought to repair environmental damage that can manifest in blemishes and flaws on the skin. Also, it is believed that free radical damage from sun and pollution can contribute to unhealthy skin and hair.

In terms of skin health, various studies have indicated a protective effect of topically applied antioxidants for reducing the signs of aging. A topical vitamin C formulation created by researchers in San Diego resulted in clinically visible improvement of wrinkling and new collagen formation when used topically for 12 weeks.

Beyond skin damage that results from photo- and natural aging, topically applied vitamins have also been studied for their ability to reduce dermatitis and psoriasis. Vitamin E ointment was shown to suppress allergic and irritant contact dermatitis in an animal experiment and protect keratinocytes (cells that make up 95 percent of the cells in the epidermis) in a cell culture experiment. Topically applied vitamin D has been shown to reduce the occurrence of chronic plaque psoriasis and scalp psoriasis. Additional research has indicated vitamin D, as well as retinoids (vitamin A derivatives), Chinese tea and gamma-linolenic acid, may be useful as novel therapies for eczema.

The road to healthy skin and hair is easily traveled, although it must be a continuous journey rather than a quick trip. As with many things, healthy skin and hair cannot be obtained overnight. External health is a function of internal nutrition, as well as proper skin and hair care that includes nourishing products which treat the problem rather than temporarily cover it up.