Research Summary
The primary function of the skin is to act as a barrier against environmental insults, and its unique structure reflects this. The skin is composed of two layers: the epidermal outer layer, which is highly cellular and provides the barrier function, and the inner dermal layer, which ensures strength and elasticity while giving nutritional support to the epidermis.
Normal skin contains high concentrations of vitamin C, which supports important and well-known functions. Vitamin C stimulates collagen synthesis and assists in antioxidant protection against UV-induced photodamage. This knowledge is often used as a rationale for the addition of vitamin C to topical applications, although the efficacy of such treatments, compared to optimizing dietary vitamin C intake, is not well understood.
This review discusses the potential roles of vitamin C in skin health and summarizes the in vitro and in vivo research to date. It compares the efficacy of nutritional intake of vitamin C versus topical application, identifies areas where a lack of evidence limits our understanding of the potential benefits of vitamin C on skin health, and suggests which skin properties are most likely to benefit from improved nutritional vitamin C intake.
Keywords: ascorbate, dermis, epidermis, skin barrier function, vitamin C status, skin aging, wound healing, collagen, UV protection
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