Vitamin E for Blisters and Skin Scars
DISCLAIMER: This article has been written for informational and educational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
Vitamin E has a long history of medicinal use, especially for its diverse skin health benefits. The benefits of vitamin E for blisters and skin scars have been reported in traditional and folk medicines for many years. Though the results found in modern research are mixed, many people turn to vitamin E for its significant skin benefits that have been proven through traditional uses over years.
Here we’ll discuss the effects of vitamin E on blisters and skin scars along with how to use it and important precautions. But before we get into the details of the skin benefits of vitamin E, it’s important to learn the basics of vitamin E a little bit more. So, let’s get started.
Table of contents
- What is vitamin E?
- Sources of vitamin E
- Types of vitamin E
- Vitamin E for blisters and skin scars
- How to use vitamin E
- Precautions and side effects
- Final words
What is vitamin E?
Vitamin E is an essential nutrient, meaning it is not synthesized in the human body but people must get it through diets or supplements. It is a potent fat-soluble antioxidant which is why it deserves to be an essential ingredient for the maintenance of healthy skin.
Sources of vitamin E
Vitamin E is a naturally occurring nutrient found in many foods including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and nuts. People should get this essential nutrient through diet. The recommended daily allowance (RDA) of vitamin E is 15 mg per day for males and females over 14 years of age.
Some common food sources of vitamin E may include:
Vegetables and fruits - collard greens, beet greens, broccoli, spinach, mangoes, kiwi, and tomatoes among others.
Seeds and nuts - almonds, sunflower seeds, peanuts, and hazelnuts.
Oils - sunflower oil, wheat germ oil, soybean oil, corn oil, etc.
Vitamin E is also available in supplementary forms particularly oral capsules that provide far higher amounts than daily requirements and offer significant skin benefits with better bioavailability.
Types of vitamin E
Naturally found vitamin E is not a single component, rather it is a group of molecules with associated structures. It generally refers to two groups of eight types of vitamin E. Two groups of vitamin E are - tocopherols and tocotrienols. Each group has four subtypes - alpha, beta, gamma, and delta.
In essence, a total of eight types of vitamin E are alpha, beta, gamma, and delta tocopherols and their associated corresponding tocotrienols. Tocopherol Vitamin Es are the most abundant in the human skin as well as the body.
Vitamin E for blisters and skin scars
Though the benefits of vitamin E for blisters and scars are inconclusive in modern research, people who have used vitamin E under traditional and folk medicines have reported them for many years.
Vitamin E has potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that can help heal skin wounds faster and thus might help heal blisters as well. Moreover, it may promote skin tissue regenerations and improve the appearance of skin scars and stretch marks. But results might be individual and vary from person to person.
A 2009 randomized controlled trial (RCT) published in the Journal of Burn Care and Research, the official publication of the American Burn Association (ABA), concluded that supplementation of vitamin E along with vitamin C and zinc alleviated oxidative stress and allowed less time for wound healing in burned children.
Another study named Vitamin E in Dermatology published in 2016 in the Indian Dermatology Online Journal suggested that vitamin E has the potential to be effective in various skin conditions that may cause blisters and skin scars such as burns and acne vulgaris.
How to use vitamin E
Vitamin E can be used in many different ways including consuming by mouth and applying directly to the affected area. Most clinicians recommend oral use to get the benefits for the skin from the inside out.
Oral doses vary depending on the skin conditions and the quality of the supplements whether it is synthetic or natural. However, natural vitamin E oils are far better in terms of safety and efficacy.
In general, oral dosages of vitamin E range from 400 IU to 1500 IU per day which are considerably higher than the recommended daily amounts of vitamin E. This is the prime reason why vitamin E supplements provide far better skin benefits than vitamin E-rich diets.
For applying on the skin topically, you can consider pricking the vitamin E capsules to collect the oil and use it for preparing various applications such as face masks, pastes, and so on. But it’s important to perform a patch taste to check the skin sensitivity prior to using the application directly on the skin.
Precautions and side effects
Vitamin E is usually safe and well-tolerated for most people in recommended daily doses. It doesn’t show any side effects up to 1500 IU per day. However, overdoses of vitamin E may cause some side effects such as nausea, blurred vision, rashes, fatigue, headache, diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and weakness. But these side effects are not common.
Natural vitamin E supplements offer a better safety profile compared to synthetic ones which is why most clinicians prefer natural vitamin E capsules or oils. No records found on interactions of vitamin E with other medications so far. Still, it’s always the best idea to discuss with a certified naturopathic doctor prior to using vitamin E capsules or oils.
Final words
Vitamin E has long been used in traditional and folk medicines for many years in treating and preventing various skin conditions including blisters and skin scars. Though research is limited and inconclusive on its direct benefits on blisters and scars, the potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory actions of vitamin E have been substantiated as beneficial in wound healing and rejuvenating damaged skin tissues and thus, vitamin E may indirectly help heal blisters faster and improve the appearance of skin scars and stretch marks.
Here you can see Vorst’s pure and natural Vitamin E 400 IU Vegan Capsules without Gelatin.
Important resources:
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4976416/
- https://greatist.com/health/vitamin-e-for-skin#benefits
- https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/health-disease/skin-health/vitamin-E
- https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/318168#Ten-potential-benefits
- https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/vitamin-e-for-skin#types
- https://totalwomenscycling.com/lifestyle/6-useful-ways-help-get-rid-prevent-foot-blisters
- https://www.carolinafootcenters.com/blisters
- https://www.healthline.com/health/vitamin-e-oil-scars
- https://www.allure.com/story/vitamin-e-skin-care