During Cold & Flu Season, Experts at dmSkincare Recommend Vitamin C on the Outside as Well as the Inside to Reinforce Immune System
Lenni, Pennsylvania – December 10, 2013 – As the holiday
season rolls along, so does the cold and flu season, and one of the experts at dmSkincare in suburban Philadelphia
actively endorse the benefits of Vitamin C, not only taken as a nutritional
supplement but also for skincare treatments, to reinforce the immune system.
“I
cannot emphasize enough the importance of nourishing the body from the inside
out, and outside in. By taking in optimal amounts of Vitamin C through the diet,
and applying it topically, you can ensure that you are using nutrition to support
good health and great skin ‘whole-istically’,”
said noted nutritionist Ginger Hodulik.
“Vitamin C, or
ascorbic acid, is an antioxidant, meaning it helps protect cells from free
radical damage,” Hodulik, the Vice President for Research and Development at dmSkincare, said. “Free radical damages come from exposure to daily
pollution, cigarette smoke, chemicals in our food and personal care
products. Vitamin C is an essential vitamin meaning we must take it in
through diet or supplements, because our bodies can’t manufacture it. By
getting adequate Vitamin C you create a strong immunity and defense system in
the body so these bad inputs can’t cause damage.
“Vitamin
C is an essential component of every skincare regimen, as it is essential in
the diet. Choosing the right form for your skin condition by understanding the
forms of the vitamin and how they work in product combinations is the key to
good results,” said Hodulik. “I
recommend Vitamin C every morning as part of your healthy skin routine, and Vitamin
A as part of your evening program. By incorporating Vitamin C in your
daily skincare routine, you can ensure that you are strengthening your skin,
which is a key component of the body’s immune system.
“At dmSkincare, we offer three forms of
Vitamin C in our product line, providing the right choice for every skin type,”
Hodulik said. “This is part of our
individual skincare approach. One size
does not fit all when it comes to dietary nutrition, or topical skin nutrition. Those of us in the aesthetic industry know how important
Vitamin C is as a contributor to healthy skin, as part of both healthy diet and
a topical skin nutrition regimen, but not all C’s are created equally.”
Vitamin C comes in many forms as an ingredient in personal care
products. A few varieties commonly used in skincare formulations include:
- Ascorbic Acid – used as an enzyme inhibitor to modulate production of collagen and elastin (less wrinkles), as a skin lightener, antioxidant and also as vaso-protective (blood vessel protection) ingredient for those with broken capillaries and rosacea. Strong clinical evidence for concentrations of 10 percent or higher. Products in the dmSkincare line with this form include: high potentC serum™, bio repair oxygen spray, and clari-tone serum™.
- Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate –this form of Vitamin C is phosphorylated, which makes it more stable and less irritating. It offers benefits as a UV protectant, skin brightener, pigment lightener, antioxidant and great support for the broken capillaries and sensitive skin so common with rosacea. Products in the dmSkincare line with this form include: C-difference™, botana-gel cleanser™, collagen renewal C’reme™, and green tea toner.
- Tetrahexyl Decyl Ascorbate – a micronized form of Vitamin C bonded to a silicone delivery matrix. It is a fat soluble form of Vitamin C, whereas the other two above are water soluble. This form provides enduring skin contact time and allows significantly more vitamin C to be trans-dermally absorbed. Products in the dmSkincare line with this form include antiox-C serum™.
“Vitamin
C is also critically important for healthy skin structure as well,” Hodulik
said. “It is a critical component of
collagen – the ‘stronger than steel’ structure that makes up two-thirds of the
body’s tissues – skin, connective tissue, fingernails, hair, etc. The skin,
a sorely underappreciated organ, is our first and largest form of immune
defense. By providing the proper
nutrient building blocks for healthy skin, you ensure that your immunity is
strong. Just as with Vitamin C in the diet, Vitamin C applied topically
is a powerful free radical scavenger and protects the skin from oxidative
damage for a nicer looking, feeling and protective barrier. Vitamin C can also
provide protection from UV radiation and photo damage – the biggest source of
skin damage and the breakdown of the skin’s immune function.”
As
for recommended sources of Vitamin C, Hodulik, who is a Certified Nutrition
Specialist, noted that “I always say – food first! By eating five to
seven servings of colorful fruits and vegetables every day, everyone can meet
their Vitamin C needs through diet. During cold and flu season, one can
either focus on getting extra from the diet or by using fortified foods or
supplements to bolster their immunity.”
Hodulik
observed that there are sources of Vitamin C in our diet that we might not
recognize, such as: Red and other bell
peppers (96 mg. per medium pepper); Strawberries
(86.5 mg. in a serving); Broccoli
(132 mg. per serving); Green leafy
vegetables; Citrus fruits (82 mg. per orange); Kiwi; and Cantaloupe.
“Research
shows that individuals who take a daily Vitamin C supplement have less severe, shorter
duration to their colds,” Hodulik said.
“The daily recommended dose ranges from 75 milligrams for young teens,
to 120 milligrams for breastfeeding mothers. The key thing to understand about
the recommended dietary allowances is that they were set by USDA to prevent
vitamin deficiency among the general population. In the case of Vitamin
C, the goal is to prevent scurvy (the nasty deficiency disease the sailors got
on long journeys back in the day.) There’s a huge difference between preventing
deficiency and having a goal of achieving optimal vitamin status. During
cold and flu season and really year-round most people can safely consume 10
times that amount or more. A daily dose of 1,000 milligrams, up to 2,000 milligrams
is a good idea in my book. Taken in divided doses is best – say twice or three
times per day.”
About dmSkincare:
dmSkincare is a clean, clinical
skincare product line created by DermaMed
Solutions (a Greater Philadelphia region company), to support and enhance
microdermabrasion and other mechanical treatments. dmSkincare delivers a “whole-istic” approach to skincare, with a complete
professional and retail line comprised of nutritious, botanically-based
products formulated to support healthy skin without exposing the user to unnecessary harmful chemicals. Many active
ingredients in dmSkincare’s products
are obtained from botanicals and are blended to create highly effective
anti-aging, anti-inflammatory and skin protective benefits. dmSkincare
products are paraben, phthalate, sulfate, gluten, BPA and petroleum free, with
no artificial fragrance or colors. dmSkincare products are available
primarily at salons, spas and other skincare professionals. Call DermaMed Solutions at 610-358-4447 or
visit their website at DermaMedSolutions.com to locate skincare
professionals that offer dmSkincare products.
Additional
information about DermaMed Solutions
and dmSkincare is available on their
Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/DermaMedSolutions, on Twitter at https://twitter.com/Derma_Med and on Google+ at https://plus.google.com/+DermaMedSolutions.