Benefits of vitamin C skin care include increased protection from sun damage, stronger skin barriers against infection-causing pathogens, and more uniform skin pigmentation. Regular use of vitamin c products can also increase natural production of collagen that is necessary for smooth and supple skin texture. Some people who use vitamin C skin products report a noticeable reduction in signs of aging, such as fine lines. Vitamin C can also act as an antioxidant that helps reverse skin damage from environmental toxins.
Vitamin C cleansers are often used for excessively oily skin that is prone to acne blemishes. These types of skin care products are generally effective at balancing the amounts of secreted sebum and healing existing lesions due to the antioxidant properties of vitamin C. Some cleansers are also available as grain scrubs that help exfoliate and wash away the dead skin cells on the skin's top surface, which is important because these cells often mix with extra skin oil and create the clogged pores that lead to acne breakouts. Vitamin C skin care products for acne can be popular choices for blemish sufferers who prefer topical remedies without large amounts of strong medication such as benzoyl peroxide.
A vitamin C skin care regimen can frequently increase the skin's ability to resist infection. Surface irritations, such as dermatitis and eczema, can heal in a shorter time with less itching or burning when treated with lotions or serums containing vitamin C. This nutrient can also reduce the chances of more serious infections when applied to various skin abrasions or blemishes. Skin care professionals often advise that certain vitamin C skin products have limited rates of effectiveness once they are opened and exposed to oxygen, so these vitamin C creams or lotions generally need to be used before their expiration dates. Oxidized and expired vitamin C lotion can sometimes actually increase the amounts of toxins in the skin.
Skin that has been damaged from unprotected sun exposure can also benefit from vitamin C skin care. Harmful ultra violet (UV) rays can often dramatically increase the amount of toxins known as free radicals in the skin's uppermost layers. The same kind of toxin damage can frequently happen in areas with high levels of environmental air pollution. These types of toxins are largely responsible for the collagen depletion that leads to age spots and a general loss of skin elasticity. Applications of vitamin C lotion can eventually help the skin regenerate and maintain the needed replacement collagen.