Vitamin C keeps a 60-something looking young

DEAR DR. GOTT: In a recent column, you suggested vitamin C for collagen synthesis. Would a C supplement be helpful to prevent skin wrinkles, which I understand are associated with collagen breakdown? I take 500 mg a day of vitamin C and have relatively few wrinkles at age 66.

DEAR READER: Three years ago, CBS News reported the findings of a study to determine the impact of nutrients from foods rather than supplements for skin aging. It was found that people who ate vitamin C-rich foods had fewer wrinkles than did people who ate substantially fewer foods containing C, proving that we are what we eat. [Read more...]

Aging skin loses elasticity

DEAR DR. GOTT: I am 45 and in good health and physical shape. I have great muscle tone but I’m very unhappy with how my leg skin is starting to sag. What causes this and can anything be done to help slow it down?

DEAR READER: As we age, our skins often become dry and wrinkled due to a loss of elasticity and collagen.

I recommend that you apply moisturizing lotion that contains collagen enhancers every day. This may help to slow the dehydration of the skin and return some suppleness.

To my knowledge there is no permanent, safe option to fix sagging skin. Some individuals choose to have excess skin removed, but I don’t recommend this due to the risk of tearing (if the skin is pulled too much during the healing process), scarring and infection. It is a major surgery and shouldn’t be considered for cosmetic purposes only.