How to Support Skin Healing and Reduce Scarring
05.11.2020We can often take our skin and its amazing ability to heal for granted. When cuts or grazes occur, not much time passes before our skin repairs itself without us having to even think about it. It’s not until a major accident, surgery or health issue arises that we can encounter problems with wound healing or scarring which can affect our overall wellbeing and confidence. Luckily, there are many things we can do to support our body’s healing ability and reduce the appearance of scars. Read on to find out how you can support your skin’s healing process.
Nutrients for skin healing:
Getting enough specific nutrients through your diet is the first step in helping your skin heal well. Vitamin C is particularly important when it comes to skin healing, as it’s needed to make collagen in the body. Research shows that if we don’t get enough vitamin C, this can result in poor wound healing, meaning it can take longer for skin to recover from things like cuts, infections and surgery. Including foods such as leafy green vegetables, citrus fruits and berries is a great way to get vitamin C through your diet.
Zinc is another important nutrient when it comes to skin health and healing. Found in foods such as red meat, chicken, seafood and pumpkin seeds, zinc is a powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory that promotes cell and tissue regeneration to help skin health and scarring. Research shows that deficiencies in this mineral can result in a slower healing process as well as roughened skin and issues such as dermatitis.
Ensuring you’re getting enough protein in your diet is especially important to help skin recover from any major surgery, accident or infection. While we need protein for energy and to build lean muscle, we also need it to help repair damaged tissue and to fight off infections. The amount we need each day actually increases when recovering from something like surgery or an accident, as we require sufficient amounts to make collagen, plus we can lose significant amounts each day from the site of injury also. Make sure to include a source of protein at each meal such as beans, eggs, nuts, seeds, tofu, fish and lean meats. If you’re struggling to get enough each day, protein powder is a great way to easily up your intake to ensure you’re meeting your daily needs.
Collagen:
Collagen is the main protein in our body and makes up around 75% of our skin’s structure. When our skin is damaged, collagen gets to work to provide a sort of scaffolding to rebuild the affected area. While we can naturally produce collagen in our body if we’re getting enough protein and vitamin C, research has shown that supplementation of collagen peptides can actually enhance wound healing and skin recovery. One study in particular found that subjects who took a collagen supplement following abdominal surgery had faster wound healing and better scarring compared to those who did not supplement.
Two Islands Marine Collagen Beauty Capsules contain high-quality hyrdolysed marine collagen peptides plus vitamin C to help support healthy skin and skin healing from the inside out.
