Photoprotection of the Skin with Vitamins C and E: Antioxidants and Synergies

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Core Messages

  • Sunscreen alone is not sufficient to provide optimal protection from ultraviolet-induced and other environmental free-radical damage to the skin.

  • The antioxidants vitamins C and E have been extensively researched and proven to protect the skin against photodamage (sunburn, tanning, photoaging, precancers, cancer).

  • When formulated correctly and at a high enough concentration, vitamins C and E are more protective when applied topically to the skin than if taken orally.

  • An effective formulation requires the natural molecular form of the antioxidant (the nonesterified, active isomer) in a composition that maintains stability and delivers enough active antioxidant to the deep layers of the skin: Vitamin C must be ascorbic acid, optimally at a concentration of 15–20%; and vitamin E must be d-α-tocopherol, optimally at a concentration of 2–5%.

Keywords

Ferulic Acid Minimal Erythema Dose Federal Drug Administration Topical Vitamin Solar Elastosis 
These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.
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Copyright information

© Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2011

Authors and Affiliations

  1. 1.Department of DermatologyMount Sinai Medical CenterNew YorkUSA

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