Addressing Free Radical Oxidation in Acne Vulgaris. Postinflammatory hyperpigmentation: etiologic and therapeutic considerations.
Allow the serum to penetrate the skin before applying additional products.Place a few drops (use sparingly) on your fingers and apply the serum to your face and neck.Cleanse your face, ideally with a cleanser with a pH between 3 and 4, to ensure maximum absorption of the vitamin C.Apply it after cleansing and before you apply other skin care products. Store in the fridge and discard after 2 weeksĪ vitamin C serum can be applied once or twice a day-usually morning and night.Combine 4 tbsp of distilled water with one-half tbsp of pure vitamin C powder.This concentration is high enough to be effective and low enough to avoid irritation: The following recipe will make a serum with a vitamin C concentration of 12.5%. It is important to maintain the correct concentration for best results. Making a homemade vitamin C serum can be both simple and cost-effective. If you have a serum that has changed color, discard it. When vitamin C serum is oxidized, it loses its potency as an antioxidant and therefore loses efficacy. With time, and exposure to oxygen, it will begin to show discoloration-usually dark yellow and eventually brownish orange. The serum should appear slightly yellowish in tone, almost clear, and should not have any odor. The coloring of a vitamin C serum will indicate its effectiveness. Serums containing other hydrating ingredients such as HA, glycerin or dimethicone are also effective in managing dry, acne-prone skin.One study found that an application of a 5% vitamin C cream effectively increased skin hydration. For dry skin, use products with a lower concentration of vitamin C.For instance, salicylic acid (SA) is an active acne-fighting ingredient that also functions at a low pH (between 2 and 4). Vitamin C is best absorbed topically at a pH under 4, so ensure that additional ingredients are also effective at a low pH.Other ingredients, such as witch hazel and aloe vera, can be combined with vitamin C to soothe the symptoms of acne-inflamed skin.Vitamin C will be more potent as an antioxidant when combined with other antioxidants such as ferulic acid and vitamin E.A higher concentration is more potent, and more appropriate for oily skin. Vitamin C’s antioxidant properties are most effective when found in a concentration between 8% and 20%.There are some guidelines to follow when choosing one in general, but when choosing one for acne consider the following: Not all vitamin C serums are created equal. What to Look For in a Vitamin C Serum for Acne It actually neutralizes ROS and removes them from the skin, thus reducing the risk of inflammation and of acne breakouts. While it is true that Vitamin C is an unstable compound, scientific evidence continually finds it to function as an antioxidant rather than a pro-oxident when applied topically to the skin. Oxidation can be triggered particularly if vitamin C is put in contact with metals such as iron which are carried onto the skin by air pollution.Įvidence shows that ROS and oxidative stress correlate strongly with acne outbreaks by inducing inflammation, and therefore, some people have claimed that topical vitamin C can cause acne. It contains unstable oxygen molecules (i.e oxygen with unbound electrons) that will cause oxidative stress to skin cells. This kind of free radical is called a reactive oxygen species (ROS). This means that instead of neutralizing free radicals, it will act as a free radical itself and begin to damage skin cells. One of the main arguments leveled against vitamin C is that it acts as a pro-oxidant. However, more scientific research is required to confirm this theory. There is some indication that vitamin C can reduce the visibility of old acne scars by promoting continual growth of collagen-rich skin. It does so by promoting collagen production, improving skin tone, and reducing hyperpigmentation. Although vitamin C cannot entirely cure acne scars, it can help to reduce the severity of new acne scars.