The Many Beauty Benefits of Vitamin C

We all know how Vitamin C helps to provide relief in a common cold by strengthening our immune system due to its anti-oxidant properties. It also strengthens our defenses against most diseases. However very few people realize that Vitamin C has a significant number of beauty benefits also. Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid, plays a very significant role in the beauty and health of our skin. It is found in substantial quantities in common citrus fruits like lemons and oranges. It is also found in grapefruit, broccoli, spinach and tomatoes. That it is very important for the skin is clear from the fact that a high deficiency of the vitamin in the body can cause scurvy.

Melanin is the pigment which gives your skin a dark color and Vitamin C inhibits its production giving the skin a brighter and lighter complexion. It is important for the synthesis of collagen in our body. Collagen is the tissue that supports our skin, bones and ligaments. Production of collagen gets reduced and disorganized with age and fine lines and wrinkles appear with ageing. Due to reduced support, the skin sags. Vitamin C supplementation or using skin care products having it increases the production of collagen and the skin looks more hydrated and youthful.

Vitamin C improves the texture of the skin, reduces the occurrence blemishes of acne, helps in the speedy healing of injuries of the skin and also prevents scarring. The presence of Vitamin C enhances the ability of Vitamin E to give antioxidant protection to the elastin fibers of the skin by suppressing free radicals. Today many skin care products for topical application on the skin containing Vitamin C are widely being used for skin care.

People spend hundreds of dollars to on hair care products to keep their hair healthy and shiny. However if your food lacks the right type of vitamins and nutrients your hair will become weak and dull. One of the important vitamins necessary to have healthy and shiny locks is Vitamin C. If you lack Vitamin C then you start losing excessive quantities of hair. Vitamin C is also necessary for healthy nails. Its shortage can make the nails fragile and brittle. It can also cause swelling and hangnails. Therefore frequent occurrence of swelling of nails or hangnails may indicate its shortage.

Vitamin C is also necessary for healthy eyes. A pair of healthy eyes adds to the beauty of the face. A high concentration of this vitamin is present in our eye's vitreous humor. Due to its anti-oxidant qualities Vitamin C prevents blurred vision caused by crystallization or foreign molecule accumulation in the eyes. In fact Vitamin C with its anti-oxidant properties is necessary for all body tissues. The beauty benefits of Vitamin C are too numerous to be ignored. The best person to diagnose Vitamin C deficiency is your doctor. Therefore based on the above facts if you suspect it then consult your doctor who can prescribe the correct dose.