Skip to content
Vitamins to Help with The Thin Skin of The Elderly
Skin Health and Aging
As you age, your skin changes. According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine's website, MedlinePlus, thin, fragile skin is a natural part of aging. It occurs as your skin loses its protective fat layer.
Topical Thin Skin Remedies
According to the article in the Reviews in Endocrine & Metabolic Disorders journal, other vitamins can also be applied topically to support skin health. Vitamin C and vitamin E are both commonly used as topical supplements. Both of these nutrients are able to increase collagen production within your skin, decreasing wrinkles.
According to the Journal of Dermato-Endocrinology study, vitamins C and E act synergistically. This means that they interact with one another in your body. Taking them together will provide better results than taking them separately. However, you may not necessarily need to take both as topical thin skin remedies; these vitamins can be consumed orally, as well.
Other Thin Skin Treatment Supplements
In addition to applying vitamins A, C and E topically, you can also ingest them. These vitamins come in a variety of forms; vitamin C, for instance, can be found as synthetic ascorbic acid, buffered vitamin C or an injectable product.
Vitamin C and vitamin E both seem to be equally functional when consumed orally and topically. The Journal of Dermato-Endocrinology study reported that such treatments can be used to prevent sun damage, skin cancer and other skin-related issues. In fact, taking vitamin C orally may be better for you. This is because vitamin C degrades very rapidly, making it unsuitable for application through most cosmetic products.
Antioxidants can also be consumed orally. Vitamins A, C and E are all antioxidants, and polyphenols, flavonoids and other bioactive compounds are also beneficial to skin. You can obtain these from plant-based foods or as stand-alone supplements. In particular, silymarin, apigenin and genistein have beneficial effects on aging skin.
Polyunsaturated fatty acids are another type of commonly consumed supplement that can benefit skin health. In particular, omega-6 fatty acids are beneficial for your skin. Increased consumption of linoleic acid has been shown to reduce skin atrophy and dryness.
Lifestyle Changes for Fragile Skin
In addition to taking these vitamins and making dietary changes, the Mayo Clinic recommends a few different lifestyle changes that may help with fragile skin. For instance, moisturizing your skin regularly can be helpful. The Mayo Clinic recommends products like Vanicream and Cetaphil.