Personal Care: Vitamin E For Skin Care

Skin care is a thriving business; there are many manufacturers who have jumped on the bandwagon, touting one "miracle" solution after another for everything from hydrating the skin to eliminating wrinkles. Vitamin E, tocopherol, is one such ingredient that has enjoyed its time in the limelight.

Benefits

Vitamin E is a popular ingredient in products that are advertised to reduce scarring---including stretch marks---and reduction of discolorations of the skin, such as the brown pigmented spots referred to as liver spots. The University of Maryland Medical Center, UMMC, advises that the topical form of vitamin E, alpha tocopherol cream, is known to decrease "skin roughness, length of facial lines, and wrinkle depth."

As with all products, prescription medications included, individual results will vary from person to person.

Function

Tocopherol is a fat-soluble vitamin that is rich in antioxidants. The importance of antioxidants is their ability to stop the effects of free radicals in the body. Free radicals are substances that abound in the world around you, doing damage to tissues and cells---not only to your skin, but throughout your body. Vitamin E is also known to improve wound healing, aid in effective clotting of blood and contribute to healthy circulatory system function.

Considerations

The topical form of vitamin E that is used in skin care products is not well-absorbed by the body. Its effects are short-term, which means to obtain the most benefit you, need to use the product on an ongoing basis. UMMC notes that most commercial skin care preparations available on the market contain low concentrations of vitamin E. Whether the amount of vitamin E in a product will be sufficient to produce the desired results is uncertain and will likely depend on individual variances.

Expert Insight

Along with vitamin E's use in skin care beauty, it may have overall health benefits for you. A study report published August 6, 2010, by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, an office within the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, addressed results of taking supplemental vitamin E in relation to cancer. Among the study results was this: "A single trial of vitamin E in combination with omega-3 fatty acids showed increased survival of patients severely ill with a variety of malignancies." This means that vitamin E, in combination with omega-3 fatty acids, has the ability to increase a cancer patient's survival potential, at least in some individuals.

Bottom Line

Even if you choose to use skin care products that contain vitamin E, it is also important to get enough vitamin E in your diet---but not too much. Tocopherol is one of the vitamins that can result in toxicity when taken in high doses. Food sources of vitamin E include vegetable oil, nuts, peanut butter, egg yolk and whole wheat products.

For skin conditions beyond the usual signs of aging and skin dryness, consult a dermatologist who can recommend the most appropriate treatment for your condition.