The Centre, P.C. - Plastic Surgery Blog

A Diet for Good Skin - Friday, November 21, 2008

Our previous blog in this space talked about free radicals and antioxidants. One of the ways free radicals harm the skin is by damaging or destroying its collagen and elastin. These are the fibrous proteins which interweave in the skin's middle layer. They form a supportive scaffolding which helps to keep the skin surface smooth. Loss of these collagen and elastin makes gaps and weakness in the scaffolding, so the skin surface subsides into those gaps, forming wrinkles.

Dietary Antioxidants

A good general principal to follow in maximizing your intake of antioxidants is: Eat Brightly Colored Fresh Foods.

Vitamins C and E

Research has been backing up the idea that Vitamins C and E help to reduce sun damage to DNA in the skin cells. Some foods that supply Vitamin C are:

• Citrus fruits
• Broccoli
• All green leafy vegetables
• Strawberries
• Tomatoes

Foods containing Vitamin E are:

• Whole grains
• Nuts and seeds
• Green leafy vegetables
• Vegetable oils

Vitamin A

Good sources of this excellent antioxidant are:

• Bright yellow or orange colored fruits and vegetables, such as carrots, corn, yellow squash, yams, peaches, apricots, mangos and cantaloupe
• Broccoli
• Tomatoes
• Kale and collard greens

Minerals in Your Diet

Zinc has been shown to be helpful with acne by cutting down on the skin's oil production. It may also help to clear up any existing lesions. Sources of zinc are chicken, turkey, oysters and lean beef or pork.

Copper works with Zinc and Vitamin C to promote elastin production. That helps to strengthen the supportive scaffolding and keep the skin smooth.

Selenium is a trace mineral that helps to prevent skin cancer and helps against sun damage. Good sources are eggs, whole-grain cereals, seafood and garlic.

Besides these specific nutrients, drinking plenty of water is essential for good skin. Skin dryness is a contributor to wrinkles and loss of the youthful glow and without adequate water intake, the skin will dry out, even if you use lotions constantly. Lastly, adequate protein intake is important. All the amino acids are necessary for the skin to produce healthy new cells.

To learn more about skin care and skin improvement, please call or email our cosmetic surgery office for a personal consultation.