Which vitamin supplements best for acne scarring?
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Wed Feb 08, 2012 4:29 am

I am about to have my first professional dermaroller treatment on Friday and i would like to know if there is anything i can take to maximise the effects? I have been looking at Fish Collagen and HA capsules but i'm not sure if this the best product to use or not? I am using copper peptides in the evening and i am going to look into vitamin c serums, basically i'm trying to cover all angles to give myself the best possible chance of improvement as i am desperate to improve my skin.

free skin care · Wed Feb 08, 2012 6:00 pm

Has your dermatologist advised you to apply anything or take anything in preparation to maximise the effects? Have they advised anything you should not use in aftercare? I would have thought you'd be better having a reservoir of collagen promoters in the dermis by applying a few days/ weeks beforehand, not waiting until afterwards. Are you already consistently meeting or exceeding all your government's recommendations for healthy eating? Also protein little and often starting with breakfast? And sticking to low glycaemic index carbs?

This website is helpful for aftercare, as is the forum if you run a search http://owndoc.com/ Please don't post a query there unless you intend to make a purchase, the owner posts the vast majority of responses. Also have a good read around on EDS for discussions on evidence-based healing and collagen induction and, of course, the incredibly long running dermarolling thread. http://www.essentialdayspa.com/forum/viewthread.php?tid=22460 Have you come across the Asian YouTube guy who has been documenting his home dermaroller journey for acne scarring? They span a year or so IIRC. http://www.youtube.com/user/raysdermaroller

AFAIK there is no evidence linking oral or topical HA with collagen building in skin, and whole collagen/ higher molecular weight HA will not be absorbed through the gut intact anyway. Injectables for skin and joints are the higher MW stuff. I do supplement low molecular weight HA, but it's a bit of a punt TBH. DragoN's KinNiaNag serum recipe springs to mind as worth looking into http://www.skincaretalk.com/a/kinnianag-kinetin-b3-nag-antiaging-anti-acne-serum

Which form of vitamin C are you thinking of? L-ascorbic acid is an exfoliant and needs to be at an acidic pH to be effective, not sure I'd want to apply that in the days after a pro treatment! You'd likely be more comfortable with MAP but I am not sure if either will absorb well through the thickened dead layer that you get afterwards. You dpresumably know C-serums and copper peptides are incompatible? Might be easier to supplement vitamin C?

Last thought ... there has been some interesting research published into aloe vera - both topically and orally - and it's anti-inflammatory, wound healing and collagen inducing properties. There are different schools of thought as to when any topical with anti-inflammatory properties should be applied, because excessive/ chronic inflammation is destructive BUT some/ acute inflammation triggers the healing cascade. I do apply AV right after a session and find it reduces inflammation but I still get plenty.

free skin care · Wed Feb 08, 2012 6:14 pm

kelkat wrote:

I am about to have my first professional dermaroller treatment on Friday and i would like to know if there is anything i can take to maximise the effects? I have been looking at Fish Collagen and HA capsules but i'm not sure if this the best product to use or not? I am using copper peptides in the evening and i am going to look into vitamin c serums, basically i'm trying to cover all angles to give myself the best possible chance of improvement as i am desperate to improve my skin.

How exciting! Were you not advised to use A topically for at least 6 weeks before your session? I know Dr. Fernandes (Environ) definitely recommends A as being the most important ingredient to apply. I don't think I have read anywhere about supplements to help maximize the dermarolling treatment.

free skin care · Wed Feb 08, 2012 9:28 pm

I haven't heard of supplements to maximize either but if I had to choose: Vit C (C stands for collagen), hyaluronic acid just because it helps skin hydration standards, fish oil (because it's good for everything and skin is part of it!), I would also drink water with lemon to minimize internal inflammation and some kind of green drink - same reason and to feed the skin with all sorts of yummy things. Avoid sugar.

Thu Feb 09, 2012 2:56 am

I'm actually seeing a aesthetic nurse rather than a dermatologist and she hasn't recommended anything but i will double check with her on Friday. Another doctor i saw recommended the use of Medic8 C-Tetra and Retinol 3TR to be used in conjunction with the dermaroller treatment. As i am using CPs i wasn't really sure if this would be an option as i don't think you could use vitamin c and retinoids at the same time. Please correct me if that's not the case. I apply the CPs and lactic acid in the evening so both the Retinol and C-Tetra would have to be applied in the morning. I am also using Emu oil at the moment but i am going to cut that out whilst having treatment and switch to Vitamin E Oil instead as i have heard you aren't supposed to use Emu Oil at the same time.

My diet isn't great to be honest, but that is something i am really going to have to try and work on. I was thinking of just getting one of the general multivitamins that are supposed to be good for skin like Perfectil or Imeeden (although these are hugely expensive). I've also seen collagen drinks available although i haven't had a chance to look into these yet and don't know much about them.

free skin care · Thu Feb 09, 2012 8:55 am

IMO concentrate on the diet and not the topicals. No product or treatment will confer beautiful healthy skin if you are not supplying your skin with the building blocks for repair and regeneration, but instead consuming foodstuffs that increase inflammation and increase collagen breakdown. Furthermore when your body is given limited resources it prioritises essential repairs over general maintenance. This means stuff like scar remodelling takes a back seat.

A complete multivitamin/ mineral will do very little without diet modification, a 'targeted' one will do even less. Skin doesn't need a small number of vitamins and minerals, also it needs all of them, plus protein and essential fatty acids. Supplements are just that, they supplement an already healthy diet or can fill an unavoidable hole (eg. calcium for dairy allergy, long chain omega-3s for vegetarians).

Sorry to sound harsh, but I imagine you will be spending a lot of money on these treatments, and I do not want you to be disappointed. Lifestyle healthcare is my passion as well as my job, so I know food is a more powerful medicine than many prescription medicines and cosmeceuticals. Personally I would not have a professional dermaroller treatment before I had received and actioned the recommended pre-care and aftercare.

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