It's been written and said E works well to remove scars, wrinkles and heal other skin disorders. Store shelves are lined with brands of face creams and lotions containing vitamin E, all promising younger, smoother skin.
There is controversy about whether or not vitamin E lives up to these claims, especially scar removal. The key is knowing what the correct type of vitamin E is and the best way to use it.
Background
Vitamin E, also called, alpha-tocopherol, is a thick, pale-yellow, fluid found in foods like whole grains and vegetable oils. It's a fat soluble vitamin, meaning it can be easily dissolved in other fats rather than in water.
American anatomist Herbert McLean Evans and physiologist Katherine Scott Bishop discovered vitamin E in 1922 by experimenting with various diets on rats. Eventually it was learned that vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant, protecting your body and skin from pollution and increasing your circulation.
Find vitamin E in foods such as whole grains, wheat germ, egg yolk, vegetable oils, raw seeds and nuts, green, leafy vegetables, avocados, soybeans and dried beans.
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Skin Care
Dermatologic surgeon, Dr. Karen E. Burke, suggests you eat your vitamin E to "decrease the inflammation you can get from sunburn." She says taking supplements and vitamin E food sources are more effective to decrease sunburn pain than applying vitamin E externally on your skin.
Burke also said, "Supplementation with natural vitamin E in 400 mg per day has been noted to reduce photo damage, wrinkles and improve skin texture."
(See Resources 1)
Scar Removal
People using vitamin E on their scars have experienced mixed results. Some experience new and old scars disappearing gradually, while others have no results.
Dr. Andrew Weil suggests: "Get a liquid form of the vitamin (or puncture gel caps and squeeze out the contents) and rub it gently on the burned area two or three times a day after the skin surface has healed over."
Biomedical consultant and author, Dr. Peter T. Pugliese, said, "Vitamin E does not remove scars, but softens the collagen, making them more susceptible to additional treatment."
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Note that the Aug. 1, 2009, issue of American Academy of Family Physicians states there is little evidence that vitamin E is helpful for keloids and the removal of hypertrophic scars. Keloid scars occur mostly in darker skin and are raised above the skin's surface. Hypertrophic scars are similar to keloids but occur with all skin tones and many times fade away.
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Purchasing
Look for "D-alpha tocopherol with mixed natural tocopherols" when buying vitamin E. This is the best type and is all-natural. Don't buy it if you see "DL" on the bottle, it's a cheaper, synthetic form of vitamin E and won't do anything for you or your skin.
Purchase your vitamin E at your natural health food store or online.
Tips and Warnings
Do not take large doses of vitamin E while on anticoagulant medications such as warfarin (Coumadin). This can increase the risk of bleeding,
Avoid taking vitamin E supplements during cancer chemotherapy. They can reduce chemotherapy's effectiveness.
(See References 1)
Do not apply vitamin E oil to open wounds. This interferes with the healing process.
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