Vitamin E: Its benefits for the skin?

Vitamin E is a liposoluble natural substance, meaning it is soluble in fats. It is an essential nutrient for the body, but not produced by it. Therefore, it is essential to provide it through diet (fatty fish, olive oil, nut oil...).

Vitamin E is a antioxidant, which means it can limit the damage caused by free radicals to the body's cells. The body stores Vitamin E particularly within the skin, both in the epidermis and in deeper layers such as the dermis, in the sebaceous glands. Vitamin E reaches the epidermis via the flow of sebum, a greasy secretion that protects and lubricates the skin.

Please note: Vitamin E is the name given to a family of oil-soluble antioxidants. In fact, there are eight chemical forms of Vitamin E, divided into two families: the tocopherols (alpha, beta, delta, and gamma), which are the most abundant types of Vitamin E in the human body, and the tocotrienols (alpha, beta, delta, and gamma).

• Antioxidant, it limits the skin ageing induced by oxidative stress.

  As a reminder, this phenomenon is characterised by an overproduction of reactive oxygen species, also known as free radicals, when cells are subjected to stress. The sources of stress are numerous, the main ones being UV exposure, pollution, smoking, and a diet too rich in fats and/or sugars. Free radicals are particularly unstable molecules due to their unpaired electron. They tend to react with other molecules to form an electron pair, thereby causing damage to cells, DNA, and body proteins such as collagen and elastin. They are notably involved in lipid peroxidation, a degradation reaction of the constituents of cell membranes and sebum. This accelerates ageing and wrinkles form or deepen on the skin's surface. To combat this, numerous studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of vitamin E. Chemically, the free hydroxyl function carried by the aromatic cycle of this compound captures free radicals and stabilises them by providing the missing electron. These are thus less reactive and no longer degrade the compounds present at the level of skin cells.

• It has anti-inflammatory properties.

  A study has highlighted the ability of Vitamin E to limit the activation of immune cells following UV exposure. It thus soothes sunburn.

• Ithelps to maintain the skin's elasticity and hydration.

  Already present in sebum, theskin perfectly integrates this vitamin which strengthens the skin's hydrolipidic film, optimally protecting the skin from external aggressions ((sun, wind, cold, pollution... ) and limiting insensible water loss (passive evaporation of the water contained in the skin).

• It helps to combat vascular dark circles.

  This type of dark circles is characterised by the presence of a concentric circle under the eyes with a bluish or purplish hue, linked to a failure of the blood and lymphatic micro-circulation around the eye contour. By improving the microcirculationof the skin, vitamin E reduces the appearance of vascular dark circles.

• It provides moderate protection to the skin against the sun's UV rays.

  The topical application of vitamin E is generally effective in enhancing the photoprotection of the skin. However, under no circumstances should a vitamin E treatment replace a sun protection suitable for one's phototype!