Supple and moist skin signifies youth and beauty, and many supplement companies are trying to cash in on that connection. But, an article in the Los Angeles Times by Chris Woolston questions whether these beauty-from-within products actually moisturize.
Woolston explained that the skin needs more than water to make it glow. Many compounds, including the fat ceramide, help lock in water, but alone these fats can’t always prevent dryness.
To help add fats to the skin, companies have launched supplements that contain ceramides and other lipids. Woolston noted Dermalipid, which launched earlier this year by Genuine Health, contains ceramides, borage seed oil (a source of gamma-linolenic acid, an omega-6 fatty acid) and olive oil. The company recommends users take four pills a day. The label claims Dermalipid will “improve hydration for softer, smoother, healthier skin," and the Web site says it can "moisturize, repair and protect from the inside out" While Woolston didn’t prove if it worked or not, he quoted a Genuine Health customer service representative who said she has received positive feedback.
Another company, Thalgo launched Ocea Skin Moisturizing, which also contains borage oil and adds sunflower oil, fish oil and vitamin E to the formula. On Amazon.com, Woolston noted the product claims to "moisturize and revitalize your skin so it becomes supple, velvety soft, and radiant."
A dermatology professor quoted in the article said it is unlikely that either product actually works as a supplement. They may moisturize the skin if used topically by breaking the capsule, he said. The professor, Dr. Joseph Fowler, clinical professor of dermatology at the University of Louisville and a past president of the American Contact Dermatitis Society, said the digestive system breaks down these pills before their ingredients reach the bloodstream. Even if they did make it in the blood, Fowler said nothing guarantees the ingredients will get to the skin.
Dr. Carolyn Jacob, a Chicago-area dermatologist and a fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology, was also quoted, saying few if any fats in moisturizing pills would reach the skin. But, she did recommend eating more omega-3s, antioxidants and vitamins to increase skin health. She also noted skin creams with ceramides are beneficial because they can be applied directly to problem areas.