A Vitamin B deficiency can wreak havoc on your skin, causing acne, rashes, dry and flaky skin, cracked lips, and wrinkles. It can also make your skin more sensitive to sunlight, personal care products, and other potential aggressors, and can accordingly lead to redness and irritation.
A 2016 study found that people with acne have lower levels of vitamin D than those without the skin condition. This deficiency may be a factor in the development of acne. According to a study from 2014, Vitamin D also blocks P. acnes from affecting skin cells.
Increasing consumption of vitamin A, D, zinc, and vitamin E can help fight acne and lead to clearer skin. For more tips on acne treatment and supplements, consult a dermatologist or pharmacist for more information.
Patients with acne should be screened for vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency, according to researchers of a recent study investigating vitamin D's link to acne.
For women, hormonal changes relating to pregnancy or the menstrual cycle can also trigger acne. Falling estrogen levels may increase the risk of acne around menopause. The role of progesterone remains unclear. Conditions that affect hormone levels, for example polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) can trigger acne.
Fluctuations of estrogen, progesterone and testosterone can cause zits and pimples to pop up. Typically, these fluctuations happen mostly during menstruation cycles, pregnancy and menopause. During these times of increased hormones, the body produces more sebum, an oily, waxy substance.
What Happens If We're Deficient? A Vitamin B deficiency can wreak havoc on your skin, causing acne, rashes, dry and flaky skin, cracked lips, and wrinkles.
A number of dietary supplements have also been linked to acne, including those containing vitamins B6/B12, iodine, and whey, as well as "muscle building supplements" that may be contaminated with anabolic-androgenic steroids (AAS).
Dr. Li and her team found that taking vitamin B12 increases the amount of that vitamin on facial skin. This, in turn, causes a certain facial bacteria (propionibacterium acnes) to produce more of something called porphyrins, which results in inflammation. And this could lead to acne.
Conclusions. Vitamin D deficiency was more frequent in patients with acne, and serum 25(OH)D levels were inversely correlated with acne severity, especially in patients with inflammatory lesions.
Zinc is an essential mineral that helps the body inside and out. It can even help maintain the health of your largest organ: your skin. Due to its anti-inflammatory effects, zinc is especially beneficial for inflammatory acne and related scarring.
The results of our study suggest that zinc levels may be related to the severity and type of acne lesions in patients with acne vulgaris. Relative decrease of serum zinc level in acne patients suggests a role for zinc in the pathogenesis of acne vulgaris.
According to the expert, consumption of vitamin B12 can alter the skin microbiome leading to inflammatory acne in “some people”. It happens especially due to higher doses like injectable vitamin B12, she shared. Whey protein is one of the most common culprits when it comes to acne flares, the dermatologist said.
Vitamin B12-related acne tends to occur only in dosages in excess of 5,000 to 10,000 micrograms a week––well in excess of the 50 micrograms a day I recommend, or alternately my 2,000-microgram single weekly dose. The only time you'd be taking between 5,000 to 10,000 a week is if you were treating B12 deficiency.
Acids, vitamin C serums and retinoids can all cause purging. Purging is an initial acne breakout that can occur when you're starting a new active skincare product—one that causes your skin cells to turn over more quickly. Products that can trigger purging include: Hydroxy acids (AHAs, BHAs and PHAs) and fruit acids.
Key points about vitamin B12 deficiency anemia
Without enough oxygen, your body can't work as well. Symptoms include weak muscles, numbness, trouble walking, nausea, weight loss, irritability, fatigue, and increased heart rate.
Vitamin D is one of the best vitamins for your skin, along with vitamins C, E, and K. Making sure you get enough vitamins can keep your skin looking healthy and youthful. This could translate to a reduction in: dark spots.
You can tell if acne is hormonal or bacteria by its severity if flare-ups occur during hormonal imbalances, and whether topical treatments resolve the issues, or if systemic medications are needed.
Your acne appears around your chin and jawline. One of the telltale signs of a hormonal breakout is its location on the face. If you're noticing inflamed cystic acne on your chin or jawline area—anywhere around your lower face, really—you can bet your bottom dollar that it's probably hormonal acne.
Symptoms of hormonal acne
Acne may appear as comedones, which are of two types — whiteheads and blackheads. Blackheads (open comedones) open at the surface of the skin, and they appear black after sebum interacts with the air. Whiteheads (closed comedones) are closed beneath the skin surface and appear white on top.
Bacterial acne rarely does. Clusters. Fungal acne often appears in clusters of small whiteheads. Bacterial acne is less clustered and more sparse.