Vitamin A is used as a prescribed medical treatment for acne, not just as an acne vitamin. Marketed as Accutane or Retin-A, megadoses of a specific subtype of vitamin A have been proven to reduce the problem of acne in even the most stubborn cases. However, the dosage required can be dangerous in some cases. For instance, it can cause birth defects to the unborn children of pregnant women who take it. It also causes the skin to be especially susceptible to sun damage. It’s usually prescribed by a doctor only after other regimens have not worked. A course of therapy lasts up to twenty weeks in most people.
Over-the-Counter Vitamins for Acne
If you’re not ready to plunge into the Accutane world, there are several other acne vitamins you can supplement your diet with to promote overall skin health and to help reduce and even cure your acne problems. Ordinary vitamin A supplements, if not taken in too-high dosages, can produce many of the same effects as Accutane, but won’t carry the same side effects. Be careful to not exceed the recommended daily allowance.
Vitamin E is known to be a great vitamin for overall skin health, and it can help fight low-grade cases of acne. While most people take vitamin E by mouth, the capsules usually come in a gel-coated liquid form. The liquid inside each capsule can be applied directly to the skin, but those who have sensitive skin may find this to be irritating rather than helpful.
If you take acne vitamins E and A, you should also take a zinc supplement with them. Zinc doesn’t directly affect the skin, but it does enhance the absorption of vitamin A and helps keep the levels of vitamin E in the blood stable. Zinc, applied directly to the skin, can also kill surface bacteria. A high-zinc concentrate ointment, such as Desitin (used to treat diaper rash), can be applied directly to an acne lesion to reduce its appearance overnight.
Selenium and magnesium aren’t vitamins for acne, but rather trace elements that most people don’t get enough of. The effects of these two minerals aren’t completely understood, but selenium seems to improve skin elasticity, a useful effect when you’re drying your skin out with acne treatments. It also helps boost the effects of vitamins E and A. Magnesium helps balance out your hormones, which can reduce the impact of hormonal cycles on acne breakouts.
A high-quality acne vitamin supplement is called Acnezine, and it contains special nutrients that attack breakouts at their source and reduce the likelihood of future blemishes.
In addition to these specific vitamins for acne, a deficiency in any vitamin may be enough to cause an acne outbreak. Always take a good general vitamin supplement with your acne vitamins, and take all vitamins with a meal that includes an 8-ounce glass of water and some fats to ensure your body absorbs them properly.
