The 4 Best Vitamins for Your Skin Getting the right vitamins Taking care of your skin should be an essential part of your health regimen. It is, after all, your body’s largest organ. The first thing most health professionals will tell you to do in order to keep your skin healthy is to limit your exposure to the sun’s harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays and wear protective sunscreen when you’re exposed to sunlight. But the sun isn’t all bad. Just 10–15 minutes of daily exposure helps manufacture vitamin D throughout the skin. 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 redness wrinkles rough patches excessive dryness Essential skin vitamins are available in supplemental form, but they are also found in skin care products. Learn more about these four essential vitamins and how they can help you achieve optimum skin health. Vitamin D getting 10 minutes of sun exposure a day (check with your doctor first, especially if you have a history of skin cancer) eating fortified foods, such as breakfast cereals, orange juice, and yogurt eating foods that have vitamin D naturally, such as salmon, tuna, and cod Vitamin C Due to the prevalence of vitamin C in over-the-counter products, dietary supplements, and foods we eat, deficiency of this nutrient is rare. The recommendation is 1,000 mg per day. Vitamin C can also help fend off the signs of aging because of its vital role in the body’s natural collagen synthesis. It helps to heal damaged skin and, in some cases, reduces the appearance of wrinkles. Adequate vitamin C intake can also help repair and prevent dry skin. If you find that you don’t get enough vitamin C in your diet, you can: eat for more citrus foods, such as oranges eat other plant-based sources of vitamin C, such as strawberries, broccoli, and spinach drink orange juice take supplements, as recommended by a doctor look for antiaging skin treatments with vitamin C for treating dryness, redness, wrinkles, and age spots Vitamin E While vitamin E is available in many skin care products, the problem is that any effects could be minimized upon sun exposure. Getting enough vitamin E in your diet is preferable. Most adults need about 15 mg of vitamin E per day. Vitamin E also helps in the treatment of skin inflammation. You can increase your intake by: eating more nuts and seeds, such as almonds, hazelnuts, and sunflower seeds taking a multivitamin or separate vitamin E supplement using topical products that contain both vitamin E and vitamin C (this can be more effective in photoprotection than those that contain only one of the two) Vitamin K The basic functions of vitamin K are also thought to help certain skin conditions, such as: stretch marks spider veins scars dark spots stubborn circles under your eyes According to the University of Florida, vitamin K deficiencies are rare in the United States. Adults need between 90 and 120 ug per day. You can increase your intake by eating: kale spinach lettuce cabbage green beans