Skincare has become increasingly essential as our skin is continuously exposed to external stressors, such as pollution, UV rays, dust, dirt, etc. While the need for skincare has increased, time-tested and tried natural ingredients such as vitamins C, A, and E, hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, antioxidants, etc., still do wonders for our skin. While some of these ingredients such as vitamin C, niacinamide, and antioxidants are quite popular for their several benefits, others like vitamin A are relatively lesser known.
Today, we will shed some light on the benefits of vitamin A for the skin and answer questions such as “how does vitamin A help your skin?’’
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What Is Vitamin A?
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4 Benefits Of Vitamin A For Your Skin
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Conclusion
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FAQs on Secrets About Vitamin A For Skin
What Is Vitamin A?
Before talking about the vitamin A benefits for the skin, let’s first understand what exactly is vitamin A. Vitamin A is an essential nutrient that aids in various body functions such as aiding the eyes, skin and reproductive system. It also aids in ensuring good immune function. The vitamin is easily available in animal products and fruits & vegetables. Vitamin A and retinoids are converted by the liver into retinol to be stored or transported to the body.
However, in skincare, vitamin A also plays a crucial role and is readily absorbed in topical applications. Here are some of the benefits of vitamin A for your body.
- Improving Vision
- Aiding Reproduction
- Improving Immune System Function
- Improving Skin Health
There are several other benefits of vitamin A as well. If you are still wondering what are the benefits of Vitamin A for the skin, continue reading.
4 Benefits Of Vitamin A For Your Skin
Now that we know what vitamin A is, let’s take a look at some vitamin A benefits for the skin.
Reducing Signs of Ageing
One of the most popular uses of retinoids or vitamin A is their ability to reduce the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines by improving the production of collagen, a protein that helps in tightening the skin. [1] Moreover, retinoids such as retinol are known to improve skin elasticity by removing damaged elastin fibres from our skin and aids in the formation of new blood vessels.
Reducing Hyperpigmentation
Vitamin A is rich in carotenoids that are known to prevent cell damage, skin diseases and skin ageing. It also helps protect our skin from external stressors like pollution and UV damage to improve our skin’s health and appearance. Moreover, retinoids are also beneficial in promoting skin cell turnover as they can reduce hyperpigmentation, sunspots, age spots, etc., to give you an overall even skin tone.
Reducing Acne
According to the American Academy of Dermatology, [2] topical use of retinoids can help in treating acne as they help exfoliate our skin to remove oil, dirt and dead skin cells. Moreover, retinoids can easily penetrate our skin to stimulate the production of collagen that closes pores and reduces acne scarring.
Treating Skin Problems
Vitamin A is also beneficial in treating psoriasis, a skin problem that can cause rashes, itchiness, and patches, on knees, elbows, scalps, etc. It also helps in treating other skin diseases when taken orally as prescription medicine.
Now that we know about the various benefits of vitamin A for the skin, let’s take a look at some of the ways you can use vitamin A.
There are several ways to consume vitamin A orally. However, if you are looking to use it for skin concerns, it is better to use vitamin A topically with the help of several skincare products, such as:
- Cleansers
- Moisturisers
- Creams/Serums/Oils
- Sunscreen
- Prescription or Over The Counter products
There are several brands that offer a range of skincare products with vitamin A and other ingredients. However, it is crucial to only use products with 100% natural ingredients as chemical ingredients are harmful to your skin and the environment. You can choose brands such as Pure Sense, that offer a range of hair care products, face care products, body care products, lip care products and other products that are made from ethically-sourced natural ingredients.
Pure Sense also offers a variety of face care products with vitamin A as a key ingredient. For example, you can take a look at the Pure Sense Anti-Ageing Sleeping Mask, which is designed from the natural extracts of rosehip oil and retinol. The sleeping mask also contains niacinamide and hyaluronic acid to moisturise and hydrate your skin overnight.
Being an overnight mask, you can leave the mask on throughout the night to wake up with fresh and hydrated skin. Moreover, retinol will protect your skin from premature ageing and reverse the damage to your skin. To use the product follow these steps:
- Open the jar of Pure Sense Anti-ageing Sleeping Mask.
- Take an adequate amount in your palm and massage the neck and face.
- Massage gently in upward strokes and leave it overnight.
Conclusion
Vitamin A is a relatively lesser-known ingredient in the skincare industry. However, as discussed above, there are several benefits of the vitamin making it a good tool to have in your skincare routine. If you have skincare problems such as acne and premature skin ageing, vitamin A can be especially beneficial for you.
However, do not overuse the products as they can cause skin irritation. If you have sensitive skin, you should contact your dermatologist before engaging with a new product to avoid any complications.
FAQs on Secrets About Vitamin A For Skin
1. Can vitamin A be harmful to the skin?
Vitamin A while an excellent ingredient for skin care can be harmful to the skin if abused extensively. Moreover, it might not be suitable for all skin types and can cause side effects such as redness, irritation, inflammation, etc. If you are using vitamin A or retinol for the first time, perform a patch test or contact your dermatologist for safety.
2. Are you getting enough vitamin A?
People over the age of 4 should consume 400 mcg of vitamin A every day and this requirement can be met easily. Most animal products such as eggs, milk, meat, etc., contain vitamin A and even cereals have a good amount of vitamin A. Deficiency of vitamin A is uncommon, but if you are looking to make use of vitamin A for skin care, you should use it topically as skin care products.
3. What are the benefits of vitamin A for the skin?
Vitamin A is a magical ingredient that not only helps our eyes, and immunity but also aids in keeping our skin healthy. It helps in improving the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, reducing hyperpigmentation, UV damage, and acne and protecting our skin from various skin diseases.
