Can oral vitamin C whiten the skin?

That is not the case.

It has to be said that everyone has exaggerated the effect of oral vitamin C, but it cannot directly play a role in skin whitening.

Although vitamin C has many applications in beauty and skin care and is a well-known ingredient, its whitening effect is mainly related to topical application rather than being achieved through the oral route.

As you may know, vitamin C is not only a vitamin, but also an antioxidant, which has many benefits for skin health. If you use products containing vitamin C topically, such as essences containing vitamin C, they can act directly on the surface of the skin, inhibit the production of melanin, and play a certain whitening role.

However, the main function of oral vitamin C in the body is to be transmitted to the whole body through blood circulation. During this process, it has to go through the processes of decomposition, absorption and metabolism of various systems. The amount that enters the skin is extremely limited and cannot achieve a definite whitening effect. Therefore, oral vitamin C cannot directly have a significant effect on the melanocytes or melanin in the skin.

In addition, oral intake of excessive vitamin C is not safe enough, for example, it may cause gastrointestinal discomfort and even increase the risk of kidney stones.

In summary, vitamin C is good for health, but you cannot expect to achieve the effect of whitening your skin by taking vitamin C orally.

Author: Tang Jiaoqing, MD, attending physician of dermatology

Review | Feng Jun, deputy chief physician of the Dermatology Department of Sinopharm Tongmei General Hospital