Nutritions Daily – Wellness Living

Technically term as lentigines, age spots are due to the excessive pigments piling up in the skin after years of exposures under the sun. Whether it’s called age spots, or sun spots, most of us don’t really like getting those spots, especially when we look into the mirror !

Though the majority of age spots are just harmless blemishes, there are still potential of getting into early stage of skin cancer . That said, if you do notice any of the spot enlarge, getting thickens, change in color, bleeds, feeling itchy and so on, it is strongly advisable to consult doctor.

Protection with Vitamin C

Although there is no magical ingredient that could just fade those annoying age spots, there are few that can help in boosting up your skin healthy level. For one, Vitamin C is one of the most well-known sunblock vitamin. In general, Vitamin C is important in keeping the skin younger and vibrant. A daily intake of Vitamin C of about 300~500 mg ( milligrams ) would certainly help in maintaining skin youthfulness.

Under sun exposure, free radical are natural occurring unstable molecules that could harm your skin. For some serious situation, it cold even cause significant damages. Vitamin C, being one of Antioxidants, could help in neutralizing those harmful free radicals. Further, since Vitamin C could prevent those skin damages from sun exposures, it is also believe that it could help to reduce wrinkle and age spots.

Sources of Vitamin C
Fresh vegetables and fruits, such as broccoli, cabbage, pineapples, cauliflower, lemon, citrus fruits, collard greens, strawberries, green and red peppers, brussel sprouts.

Prevention with Vitamin E

Another common antioxidant – Vitamin E , also helps in preventing sun damages that bring age spots. Vitamin E is a fat soluble vitamin that protects your cell membranes against those harmful free radicals. Researches shows that the natural Vitamin E oil , if applied before sun exposure, does helps in preventing inflammations and skin damages.

Such Vitamin E oil can be easily bought over the counter in your local drug store, example, Vitamin E fortified creams. It is also shown that if oil or creams that contains at least 5% of Vitamin E, it could be effective in reducing post sun damages.

Healthy dietary sources of Vitamin E

Spinach, corn, avocados, wheat germ, eggs, soybeans, nuts, polyunsaturated vegetable oil, and of course the sunflower seeds. A daily intake of 400IU of Vitamin E is recommended by most.

Recommendations

Oral Intakes :-

• Vitamin C  ( 300~500 milligrams daily )  ;
• Vitamin E  ( 400 IU daily – d-alpha-tocopherol )

External Application :-

• Vitamin C  ( 10% ~ 17% in lotion , depending on skin type)  ;
• Vitamin E  ( at least 5% in cream or oil, to apply after exposure under sun )