Inside-Out Skin Care: The Supplement Boom

The concept of food as medicine is as old as dirt. Literally, Hippocrates, known as the father of modern medicine, who lived around 460 BC -370 BC, believed several foods to have healing or health promoting benefits. Ancient civilizations practiced this concept of food as medicine- the Sumerians, the Egyptians, well, you get my point.

However, it wasn't until the 1980s, in Japan, when this concept went what could be considered mainstream. As science improved, and we deepened our understanding of nutrition, the concept of food as medicine began to grow past traditional ideas about herbs, spices, and vitamins and into concepts like antioxidants, probiotics, and even phytochemicals. Suddenly, nutrition was a trend, and there was money to be made.

So, it might come as no surprise, that in the last few years, many dermatologists have begun to follow this "food as medicine" concept, and have applied it to the practice of good skin care. Doctors like Dr. Mark Hyman (who for several years was the head doctor at Canyon Ranch) and Dr. Nicholas Perricone began to tout their diet strategies as not just for weight loss, but for overall health and wellness, and also for glowing, beautiful, healthy skin. I have tried diets by both of these doctors, and I must admit, there is benefit to their whole-food, organic, healthy food approach. Broccoli really will make you look and feel better than Doritos. It's just a fact. But, like most any diet plan, it's hard to stick to these doctors recommendations, and changing your entire lifestyle around a whole-foods approach to eating is hard and takes discipline.

So, like most things in America, we did what we do best. We commercialized the heck out of "eating whole foods" and created packets of pills and supplements to help supplement your diet (presumably for when you failed at the original diet plan.) Then we sent the whole concept to Hollywood, and let celebrities take it from there.

Enter BORBA, a company started in 2004 by Scott Vincent-Borba, which promised healthy skin from the inside out. BORBA began with a high-end (and high price tag- $25 for a 16 oz beverage like the one shown to the right) line of "skin care beverages" which each promised targeted results. BORBA soon followed with a line of supplements, and then, what else, a line of skin care beverages for Target. The BORBA beauty boom hit skin care enthusiasts hard, and added an entirely new element to the skin care industry. Suddenly you didn't just wash and moisturize your face, you drank special drinks and took supplements, too.

Beauty stores like Sephora and others have entire departments dedicated to the supplements of high end skin care likes like Phyto, Murad, Kate Somerville, Dr. Perricone, and Dr. Brandt. Clear skin, firmer skin, younger skin... it can all be achieved with an expensive packet of pills!

Ok, so you may have picked up on my sarcasm. Let me go on the record as saying that I do actually believe that better nutrition and better lifestyle choices will affect your overall skin health. I am a huge advocate for the beauty from the inside out concept. Just like smoking is bad for your lungs, it's also bad for your skin. Those of you who have food allergies will probably be the first to agree with me- you notice your face and chest flush when you drink wine, you notice the skin around your eyes get red and puffy if you eat something that sets off your allergies. For those of you who are lucky enough to live without any kind of allergies, this concept may seem a bit more foreign, because you don't see the immediate impact of environment, lifestyle, or diet on your skin right away. However, the fact is, the choices we make today, will effect our skin tomorrow.

But making good choices doesn't have to cost you an arm and a leg. Drinking 8 glasses of water a day, quitting smoking, reducing alcohol intake, eating fresh fruits and vegetables- these are all fairly inexpensive (or free!) ways to improve the look and texture of your skin.

I should stop here and tell you, I'm not totally against the skin care beverage/supplement idea. I wouldn't be honest if I didn't tell you that I do take a Fish Oil Supplement (Omega 3- good stuff!), and that I do gulp down a good BORBA or Smart Water drink from time to time. However, these beauty drinks and pills are not a replacement for a healthy lifestyle and good health choices. You can not stay up all night, and expect a "skin firming water beverage" to fix your puffy under eyes. You can't smoke a pack a day, and expect a "Skin Revitalizing Vitamin Packet" to undo the damage that smoking has done. Supplements are just that, a supplement to help deepen the impact of an already healthy lifestyle plan.

So, do yourself a favor and take a good hard look at your overall lifestyle. Are you exercising? Are you eating a diet full of fresh fruits, vegetables, healthy carbohydrates, and proteins? Do you smoke? Are you drinking enough water? Are you drinking a lot of alcohol? Are you getting enough sleep? Start you skin care regimen with these questions, instead of buying into the idea that an expensive vitamin packed water will transform your face. And, if you're already living a pretty healthy lifestyle and you want to add a supplement, go right ahead. It can't hurt. Just make sure you leave room in your skin care budget for the important things- a good face wash, a nice eye cream, and sunscreen.

Now go have a glass of water.