Blemishes can affect all skin types. They are due to the presence of bacteria in the sebaceous glands. Vitamin C is a powerful anti-inflammatory active ingredient that helps fight against skin conditions. Does vitamin C also help with acne?
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- Vitamin C for Acne and Imperfections.
Vitamin C for Acne and Imperfections.
Acne: Origins, Causes and Definition.
According to the SFD (French Society of Dermatology), acne problems affect 15 million people in France, 3.3 million of whom are over 15 years old. Pimples can appear on the face as well as on certain areas of the body (chest, back, buttocks…). The first reason for consulting a dermatologist, this skin condition can cause discomfort for the person concerned.
This chronic inflammatory disease develops at the level of the pilosebaceous follicles: the sebaceous glands secrete too much sebum or too much of it, which clogs the orifices and causes pimples and blackheads. This is called dysseborrhea. The disorder is often caused by stress, pollution and hormonal fluctuations. A poor lifestyle (lack of sleep, smoking, unbalanced diet, poor hygiene…) can also trigger or aggravate this sebum change. In addition, in this grease-rich environment, a bacterium usually present in small quantities on the skin, Propionibacterium acnes, proliferates, generating an inflammatory response on the skin's surface. Open comedones, also called blackheads, or closed comedones, called whiteheads, appear. In superficial inflammatory lesions, you may see red or white headed pimples on areas such as the face, neck and back. In the case of deep lesions, nodules or microcysts appear on the skin.
Vitamin C can be a great ally for limiting blemishes and reducing the marks and scars left on the skin after an acne outbreak.
Fighting Blemishes With Vitamin C.
Several studies have reported the anti-inflammatory nature of vitamin C. It acts by inhibiting NF-kB (Nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells), a transcription factor involved in the immune response and responsible for the activation of a number of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as TNF-alpha, IL1, IL6 and IL8. Thus, vitamin C prevents redness as well as post-inflammatory erythema. In addition, a study has demonstrated the effectiveness of vitamin C for acne prone skin in fighting the bacteria Propionibacterium acnes, the microorganism responsible for the inflammatory reactions of acne.
Sources
CHAWLA S. Split face comparative study of microneedling with PRP versus microneedling with vitamin C in treating atrophic post acne scars. Journal of Cutaneous Aesthetic Surgery (2014).
HONGBIN L. & al. Role of vitamin C in skin diseases. Frontiers in Physiology (2018).
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