How to minimise the look of scars
Nutrition tips for healthy skin
Many years ago I took the drug Roaccutane to rid myself of some very serious acne on my face. Now that I am an adult, my acne has disappeared but I have found that what scarring I had has become more pronounced and my skin is very dry and aged. Is there anything I can do to stop this premature ageing and minimise the look of the scars?
Essential fatty acids
There’s so much you can do. For dry and aged looking skin, you’re going to need to start including a whole lot more essential fatty acids into your diet and the best form for you will come via the omega family. Start eating things like chia seeds (pictured), flax meal and hemp products, also walnuts and macadamias and, if you’re not a vegetarian, sustainable seafood. Don’t be afraid of these good oils, they won’t make you put on weight, on the contrary. Plus they help with heart health, prevent certain cancers, balance your blood sugar and improve digestion. So not only will your skin start looking youthful, moist and glowing, but your entire health will improve.
Vitamin A
Vitamin A is another essential nutrient for beautiful skin. Spirulina has an enormous amount as do most fruits, especially paw paw and dark green leafy vegies such as kale. Vitamin A is super important for good skin as it appears to slow down wrinkles associated with natural ageing and may help to promote the production of skin-building compounds, so will help with dry and scaly skin. It’s also great for repair and rebuilding.
Vitamin C
Consider using a serum on your skin topically. Vitamin C is probably going to be most effective as it stimulates collagen production, which starts to decrease in our 20s, and by the time we’re in our 30s. we really do need a little extra help in the form of a topical treatment. Be sure you’re eating plenty of vitamin C-rich foods also. Most fruits, especially guava, are good sources of vitamin C as are vegetables such as kale, broccoli, cauliflower, tomato, Brussel sprouts and cucumber. Goji berries have more vitamin C per weight than most other foods on earth.
Avoid alcohol, cigarettes and sun
Also look at your lifestyle and see if any improvement can be made there. ‘Early to bed, early to rise’ is going to benefit your skin a lot, and alcohol, cigarettes and too much sun are all terribly drying for our skin. Use natural skin and hair care and ensure you’re drinking plenty of clean, room temperature water.
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Author: Janella Purcell; Photo credit: Thinkstock
