How Vitamin C Works on the Skin

Vitamin C is a potent antioxidant. Environmental factors, such as solar radiation, pollution, and smoking, can accelerate damage to the skin through the generation of so-called “oxidative stress”. Vitamin C is one of the most potent antioxidants in the skin.

Protection Against Photoaging

Solar radiation leads to the formation of singlet oxygen. This triggers a cascade of events that lead to the formation of so-called free radicals. Free radicals are highly toxic, unstable molecules that can cause damage to nucleic acids, proteins, and cell membranes. These also trigger collagen degradation, reduce collagen production, and increase elastin accumulation. This leads to photoaging such as pigmentation, telangiectasias, coarse texture, deep wrinkles, and solar elastosis.

Sunscreens are only partially effective in blocking free radicals produced by UV exposure. Vitamin C has been shown to inhibit collagen damage.

and the biosynthesis of elastin.

Protection Against UV-induced Immunosuppression

Langerhans cells are antigen-presenting cells present in the epidermis that initiate a protective immune response. Their numbers decrease with acute and chronic UV exposure. Vitamin C-containing skincare has been shown to prevent the reduction of Langerhans cells upon UV radiation.

Protection Against Photocarcinogenesis

UV-induced erythema contributes to photocarcinogenesis. In addition, UV-induced free radicals induce mutations in genes, which affect the repair of DNA and induce a process of programmed cell death. An application of topical vitamin C has been shown to reduce UVB-induced erythema by 52 percent and apoptotic sunburn cell formation by 40 to 60 percent.

Antiaging Effect

Vitamin C is essential for collagen biosynthesis and is thought to have an anti-aging effect. More importantly, it serves as a cofactor for key enzymes that cross-link and stabilize collagen fibres. Vitamin C also stabilizes procollagen messenger RNA, which regulates Type I and III collagen synthesis. In addition, vitamin C increases the gene expression of collagen and the synthesis of the tissue inhibitor MMP-1, which decreases collagen degradation.

Replenisher of Vitamin E

Aside from its anti-aging and photoprotective effects, vitamin C is also known to be the primary replenisher of vitamin E. Vitamin E is an antioxidant and has a primary role in protecting cell membranes against oxidative stress and maintaining the collagen network in the skin. Similar to vitamin C, its levels are rapidly depleted after UV exposure. Several clinical studies have proved the synergistic antioxidant effect of vitamins C and E in photoprotection.

Antipigmentary Effect

Vitamin C also plays a role in pigment prevention. It interacts with copper ions and inhibits the action of the enzyme tyrosinase—the main enzyme responsible for the conversion of tyrosine into melanin—thereby decreasing melanin formation. A clinical study examining the effect of a topical formulation containing 25-percent vitamin C reported a significant decrease in pigmentation caused by melasma after 16 weeks.

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