Does vitamin C accelerate wound healing?

The vitamin C, or L-ascorbic acid, is a water-soluble nutrient that the body cannot produce. Only topical application and dietary intake can provide it. Vitamin C plays a crucial role in cellular protection through its antioxidant power, and it is also involved in a multitude of enzymatic reactions directly tied to skin repair. Its involvement in all phases of wound healing — inflammation, proliferation, and remodeling — explains why even a moderate deficiency can slow tissue reconstruction.

From the inflammatory phase onward, vitamin C contributes to the regulation of immune cell activity. It is essential for apoptosis and for clearing neutrophils recruited in the first hours after injury. This inflammation‐resolution mechanism prevents the development of a prolonged inflammatory response, which is known to disrupt the transition to the proliferation phase. Moreover, plasma and tissue levels of vitamin C drop rapidly following injury: the metabolic environment becomes highly catabolic, demand increases, and the body uses its reserves to control the oxidative stress generated by acute inflammation.

During the proliferative phase, vitamin C plays a central role in the synthesis of collagen, a structural protein essential for granulation tissue formation. It acts as a cofactor for two key enzymes—prolyl hydroxylase and lysyl hydroxylase—that are responsible for stabilizing and maturing collagen fibers. Vitamin C deficiency impairs the proper hydroxylation of collagen chains, reducing their strength, disrupting the tissue’s three-dimensional organization, and slowing the formation of the new dermis.

Vitamin C also has immunomodulatory actions. Recent studies show that it limits pro-inflammatory processes via various mechanisms, including in macrophages. The vitamin C can notably modulate inflammation signaling pathways, notably NF-κB and MAPK, resulting in decreased production of pro-inflammatory cytokines. It also contributes to reducing the expression of the pro-inflammatory enzymes COX-2 and iNOS.

Maintaining adequate levels of vitamin C is essential for proper wound healing.

Beyond its well-established role in healing mechanisms, one may ask whether the vitamin C, when taken orally or applied topically, accelerates tissue repair. Several studies have sought to evaluate its efficacy. A 2018 systematic review compiled data from 10 articles on the use of vitamin C following a musculoskeletal injury. This analysis aimed to examine supplementation protocols, the impact on collagen repair and the rate of bone, tendon, and ligament healing, as well as its antioxidant effects.

Preclinical results are encouraging: two animal studies report significantly accelerated bone consolidation with vitamin C, two others show increased type I collagen in injured tendons, and one study observes improvement after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. In contrast, human data remain limited: one clinical trial showed no significant difference in the rate of bone consolidation or skin healing. The review nonetheless notes that supplementation reduces oxidative stress markers in several animal models and that no adverse effects have been reported.

Despite these favorable preliminary results, the authors conclude that there is still insufficient robust clinical evidence to recommend post-injury vitamin C supplementation.

After reviewing the data on oral vitamin C supplementation, let us turn to the topical application of this vitamin. This route of administration allows for direct action at the level of the injured tissue. Research on cutaneous wound healing is scarce, but a clinical study on second-degree burns offers valuable insight. It assessed the effect of a topical solution of vitamin C at 10% on the healing of second-degree burns. Thirty patients were enrolled. Each presented two comparable burn sites (either symmetrical or located on similar regions of the same limb), enabling an intra-individual comparison. The first site was treated with 1% silver sulfadiazine, a compound commonly used in burn care, while the second also received the vitamin C solution.

Dressings were changed daily. Healing was assessed on days 1, 3, 7, and 14 using the Bates-Jensen Wound Assessment Tool, a standardized clinical instrument. The results show a significantly greater improvement in healing in the areas treated with vitamin C, with a statistically significant difference in the overall healing score between the two areas and statistically faster healing. Moreover, the study reports no adverse effects related to the vitamin C.

This study suggests that a topical application of vitamin C may accelerate skin wound healing. However, despite promising results, the data remain limited and require confirmation in larger clinical trials.

Note : In cases of open wounds, extensive burns, or any injury requiring medical follow-up, it is essential to follow your physician’s recommendations and avoid applying any non-prescribed products. Additionally, vitamin C–based serums, particularly when they contain pure ascorbic acid at high concentrations, can be irritating and may not be suitable for fragile or healing skin. Their use should therefore be evaluated with caution and must never replace medical care.

• TELANG P. S. Vitamin C in dermatology. Indian Dermatology Online Journal (2013).

• MOORES J. & al. Vitamin C: A wound healing perspective. British Journal of Community Nursing (2014).

• ABED Y. & al. Effect of vitamin C on inflammation and metabolic markers in hypertensive and/or diabetic obese adults: A randomized controlled trial. Drug Design, Development and Therapy (2015).

• NATARAJAN R. & al. Vitamin C promotes wound healing through novel pleiotropic mechanisms. International Wound Journal (2015).

• SARPOOSHI H. R. & al. Wound healing with vitamin C. Translational Biomedicine (2017).

• LA PRADE R. F. & al. Efficacy of vitamin C supplementation on collagen synthesis and oxidative stress after musculoskeletal injuries: A systematic review. Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine (2018).