Uses Of Vitamin E Gel For The Face

Vitamin E is one of several vitamins that is essential for your body's health. It's naturally found in nuts, seeds and dark green leafy vegetables. In a concentrated gel or serum form, vitamin E can be used topically on your skin. When applied to your face, vitamin E can have several beneficial effects. As with any type of vitamin supplementation or skincare regimen change, discuss your vitamin E usage with your doctor or dermatologist first.

Skin Health Improvement

Vitamin E works as an antioxidant that skincare expert Paula Begoun, author of "Don't Go to the Cosmetics Counter Without Me," says works as a "potential panacea for skin's ills" to help improve general skin health. For example, it can help reduce damage to your skin cells caused by environmental factors such as the sun's ultraviolet rays. When used regularly, it can help ensure healthy skin with a naturally enhanced appearance.

Anti-Aging

Topical use of vitamin E, specifically when it's in its alpha tocopherol form, can help make your skin look younger. The University of Maryland Medical Center says vitamin E skincare products help decrease the depth of wrinkles, shorten the lengths of fine lines on your face and soften skin roughness. Begoun says it can also help prevent the formation of new wrinkles caused by sun exposure, such as age spots. Vitamin E is so effective at combating aging that the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University says the vitamin is often added to anti-aging skincare treatments.

Treating Cold Sores

Cold sores may appear on your face if you're afflicted with the herpes virus. Vitamin E gel spread onto new cold sores three times a day helps to reduce pain within eight hours, according to the University of Michigan Health System. The university also says topical vitamin E applications can also help hasten the healing of your cold sores.

Healing Wounds and Burns

Topical use of vitamin E, spread onto newly closed wounds, helps to promote full healing, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. The center says the vitamin helps encourage new skin to form. Not only may such healing-acceleration help with wounds, but the center also says vitamin E can be beneficial for those recovering from burns, including sunburns.