Vitamin C: 6 Benefits for Your Face and Skin!

Vitamin stands for ‘vita’ means ‘important or vital’ and ‘amin’ means ‘substance’. Vitamins are essential for various body functions, and their deficiency can lead to severe problems. Vitamin C is one of the essential vitamins and has multiple benefits for the skin, hair, and overall health. Almost all food substances including regular vegetables and fruits contain some amount of vitamin C, and so it is rare for people to develop this deficiency. However, making sure there is sufficient vitamin C in the diet is very useful. Read on to know more about the skin benefits in more detail: 

1. Collagen: Vitamin C is essential for growth of the collagen which forms the connective tissue layer. A diet low in vitamin C produces dull, lifeless skin. Including vitamin C enriches the underlying layers of the skin, producing glowing, firm skin. 
2. Sun Protection: Vitamin C is very critical in protecting the skin against sun damage. When the skin is exposed to the sun, there is a release of free radicals, which is reduced by vitamin C. It is an antioxidant which protects the skin from ultraviolet damage. 
3. Wound Healing: Vitamin C helps in quicker and better healing of wounds by helping in the synthesis of collagen during wound healing process. 
4. Blood Vessels: Vitamin C ensures optimal dilation of blood vessels and this helps in good blood flow to the skin. The skin glow and elasticity is largely improved when there is adequate vitamin C in the diet. Skin texture can turn dull and dry when there is less vitamin C in the diet.
5. Bleaching Effect: Vitamin C reduces melanin production and melanin oxidation. It also reduces the incidence of melanomas, age spots, freckles, and protects from general photochemical reactions which lead to sun damage. 
6. Reduces Wrinkles: In addition to the other anti-ageing benefits, there are reduced wrinkles on the skin with a vitamin C-rich diet. This is due to the antioxidant property of vitamin C which ensures sufficient collagen formation and avoids intrinsic ageing. The photodamage effects are also reduced. 

It is important to note that vitamin C absorption is reduced by smoking, cooking steaming, microwaving, and prolonged storage. It is advisable to consume raw fruits and vegetables and freshly cooked food items for maximum benefit. If your diet does not contain sufficient vitamin C, ensure you take supplements, which are available in the market in various forms. Go ahead and ensure your diet is rich in vitamin C and see these changes for yourself. There also would be dramatic effects on overall health as you consume more of this wonder vitamin.