Celebrities and influencers alike tout skin supplements as a way to clear up and get your shine back. Whether your skin is sallow after weeks of stress, or whether you are suffering from full-fledged acne: the right supplement can help. Or so they say.
But what is the right supplement? Which ingredients does it actually need to have? And finally: How and where can you find them?
Unfortunately, there are a lot of scams out there. In the US, dietary supplements are not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). That means that basically anyone can produce a "supplement," claim it works, and sell it at outrageous prices - no matter what it contains.
Here are four kinds of ingredients, however, that recent dermatological and nutritional research has shown to be effective in giving your skin a boost.
1 - Vitamins A, C, D, and E
As some of the most widely-known essential nutrients, vitamins fulfill several key roles in keeping your skin healthy and glowing. Vitamin A boosts healing and regulates skin hydration, while vitamins C and E are powerful antioxidants. Together, they help safeguard your skin against environmental damage and work to suppress acne.
Vitamin D is well-known as being synthesized as a result of sun exposure. However, there aren't many people around these days who get to spend enough time outdoors in their day-to-day lives to produce sufficient amounts. Vitamin D has two key roles: regulating the absorption of other nutrients and the normal functioning of the immune system.
2 - Omega 3 Fatty Acids
Whether you get them from supplements or foods like walnuts, plant oils, and fish, omega 3 fatty acids help keep your skin moisturized, protect against UV damage, and rein in the inflammatory processes that lead to acne. If you're looking at the list of ingredients of supplements, these fatty acids may be listed by their scientific names - alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).
3 - Minerals - Zink, Silica, and Sulfur
Minerals are among the essential nutrients that our body needs, but can't produce itself. Many of them are also central to having healthy, radiant skin.
Zinc, for example, plays a key role in cellular regeneration and repair, as well as the production of collagen. Silica contributes to the strength of the body's connective tissues. Sulfur also has a part in collagen production, as well as in detoxification.
4 - Probiotics
Probiotics, finally, help to restore a healthy balance of bacteria in your gut. It has become clear recently that scientists are only starting to understand the massive impact that the microbial flora in our digestive tract has on human health. From food allergies to insulin resistance, your gut can play a role.
In terms of improving your skin, probiotic supplements can help to keep low-level inflammatory processes in check. These processes are your immune system's response to a variety of negative stimuli - from excessive stress to polluted air - but can get out of hand. And - drumroll please - they cause acne.
The Bottom Line
While the ingredients listed above have been scientifically shown to improve your skin, it's still best to exercise caution before buying supplements.
If possible, the best place to start is by getting a blood test to see if there are any essential nutrients that you're lacking. In case this isn't an option for you, buying supplements from reputable sellers - pharmacies or nutritional stores - rather than on the internet decreases the likelihood of falling victim to a scam.
Finally, before you buy any of the widely advertised - and extremely expensive - beauty supplements, it pays off to check for cheaper vitamin or mineral supplements that do the same trick. Or if you can get the nutrients you need by adjusting your diet.
