Diet for Healthy Skin

A healthy skin care diet is very important. If you have dry skin, then you know that moisturizers and lotions are very beneficial. However, your dietary choices can also help treat itchy, dry skin. The lipids are the most important part of the skin barrier. This includes cholesterol, free fatty acids and phospholipids.

Polyunsaturated fats are essential for producing intercellular lipids. These lipids are the glue between the twigs in the surface of the skin. The surface of the skin is known as the stratum corneum. Polyunsaturated fats can also reduce inflammation. Omega 3 and omega 6 are the two types of essential fatty acids.

Sea Foods

Herring, salmon, mackerel and other fatty fish are good sources of omega 3 fatty acids. Grass-fed beef, some eggs and flaxseed oil are other sources of these nutrients. Borage seed oil and primrose oil are abundant in omega 6 fatty acids. These nutrients help hydrate the skin. Most people get adequate amounts of omega 6 fatty acids, but many of them are deficient in omega 3 fatty acids. Supplements are recommended for people who are pregnant or do not like fish.

There have been studies done to confirm that fatty acids are very effective for alleviating dry skin. One of the studies was performed in 2006 on patients who had been suffering from atopic dermatitis. The subjects were given primrose oil supplements for five months. Ninety-six percent of the patients noticed the itching and dryness had been reduced.

Vitamins

Vitamin C is a nutrient that is essential for collagen production. Copper and zinc are two other essential nutrients. You may want to consider taking a multivitamin that contains zinc and copper. Furthermore, zinc has been shown to reduce inflammation.

Should Alcohol and Caffeine be a Part of Your Skin Care Diet?

Caffeine can cause your blood vessels to constrict, which reduces the amount of nutrients that flows to the skin. Even though alcohol is a diuretic, it will most likely not dry out the skin if it is consumed in moderation.

Supplements

If you are already eating a well-balanced diet, then you should not be so quick to supplement. You may notice an improvement after you begin taking supplements if you are deficient in nutrients. However, you will probably not notice much of a difference if you take in more nutrients than your body needs.

Want A Career In Skin Care?

If you are interested in having a career in skin care, then you should contact us. We will teach you how to perform a variety of treatments.

We will also teach you more about how diet affects the skin.