So you’re getting your injectables, lasers, and facials regularly, but are you getting what your body needs on a daily basis to preserve youthfulness and protect the skin barrier? We are regularly asked about skin integrity not just on our faces, but all over our bodies. As life expectancy rises, and yes 50 is now the new 30, concerns regarding skin aging escalate, with various factors influencing its health. Environmental elements like sun exposure, air pollution, and lifestyle choices contribute to premature aging and cell damage, while genetic factors such as ethnicity and gender also play a role. Changes in texture, thinning dermis, and increased roughness are common, accompanied by the emergence of wrinkles. Just how exactly do we preserve our youthful bodies and skin?
The following supplements are ideal in targeting common factors in skin aging, including transepidermal water loss and elasticity.
Collagen
Total of 2.5-10 g per day, minimum 8 weeks
Fish-derived Type I collagen hydrolysate has demonstrated efficacy in reducing wrinkles and roughness, while simultaneously enhancing collagen density, skin firmness, moisture levels, and elasticity. A systematic review of 11 studies revealed that both short and long-term collagen supplementation positively impacted wound healing and various skin aging markers such as elasticity, hydration, and dermal collagen density. Collagen, sourced from chicken sternal cartilage, exhibited improvements in skin appearance and dryness, manifesting as reductions in facial lines, wrinkles, and crow's feet, alongside a 12% increase in skin elasticity and cutaneous collagen content. Collagen supplementation resulted in enhancements in skin hydration, dermal collagen density, and integrity of the dermal collagen network.
Hyaluronic Acid
Oral: 120 mg, once per day, minimum 6 weeks Topical: Apply 0.1% hyaluronan formulations, twice per day, minimum 2 months
Oral administration of hyaluronic acid has been demonstrated to enhance skin moisture content and elasticity. When compared to a placebo, oral hyaluronic acid led to greater improvements in wrinkle volume ratio, wrinkle area ratio, and whole sulcus volume ratio. Both high (800k) and low (300k) molecular weight oral hyaluronan supplementation showed enhancements in skin moisture content and subjective facial aging symptoms compared to a placebo; notably, low molecular weight hyaluronan improved moisture content as early as 2 weeks compared to the placebo. In topical form, twice-daily application of hyaluronic acid across various molecular weights (50, 130, 300, 800, and 2000 kDa) resulted in improvements in skin hydration and overall elasticity. Moreover, 130 and 50 kDa molecular weights demonstrated improvements in mean and maximum roughness, as well as wrinkle depth.
Pycnogenol
75-100 mg, total per day, minimum 30 days
Postmenopausal women witnessed enhancements in skin hydration, elasticity, and heightened mRNA expression of hyaluronic acid synthase-1 (HAS-1), with a more notable impact observed among those with dry skin conditions. Clinical assessment of skin photoaging scores and age spot pigmentation diminished in women exhibiting mild to moderate photoaging. Those with melasma noted a reduction in both the average affected area and pigmentary intensity upon supplementation with pycnogenol, with an observed general effectiveness rate of 80%.
Turmeric
Variable based on form (follow manufacturer’s dose instructions)
A systematic review comprising 18 studies revealed that the severity of skin diseases, including facial photoaging, exhibited improvement when utilizing topical and/or ingested turmeric compared to control. A herbal combination containing turmeric, as opposed to turmeric extract alone, demonstrated a decrease in transepidermal water loss in the skin compared to a placebo after a four-week period. Furthermore, the hot water extract of Curcuma longa showcased enhanced skin hydration through increased hyaluronan production, coupled with the inhibition of UVB-induced tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-1β at both mRNA and protein levels. Another systematic review of 11 studies highlighted turmeric's efficacy in improving various skin conditions, including facial redness.
Astaxanthin
2-6 mg, total per day, minimum 8 weeks
Both male and female subjects saw enhancements in skin wrinkles and elasticity, particularly around the eyes (crows feet), along with improvements in skin texture, moisture levels in the corneocyte layer, and the condition of corneocytes on the cheeks. Male subjects additionally experienced improvements in skin wrinkles, elasticity, and transepidermal water loss around the eyes, as well as increased moisture content and sebum levels on the cheeks. When administered alongside 3 g of collagen, a daily dosage of 2 mg of astaxanthin resulted in improved skin elasticity, enhanced skin barrier integrity, and reduced transepidermal water loss in photoaged facial skin. Moisture loss in the skin decreased in irradiated areas, while roughness and texture of the skin improved in non-irradiated regions when healthy subjects received supplementation with 4 mg of astaxanthin and were exposed to UV-induced skin deterioration.
Did you know we offer drop-ship supplements based on your customized needs? Ask about our supplement program at your next visit and take the confusion and quality assurance questions out of the equation.
By adding these supplements to your daily regimen, you understand and accept that the recommendations in our protocols are for initial guidance and may not be appropriate for every patient.