Wound healing is an important indicator of skin health. To enhance wound healing, it is important that patients receive adequate amounts of each vitamin. A deficient experience diminished wound healing, which is correctable by vitamin A supplementation. Vitamin C is considered critical in wound healing because it acts as a cofactor for several enzymes, which stabilize collagen. Through its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, topical vitamin E may enhance would healing, although the benefits remain controversial.
More research is needed to determine if and how vitamin E supports the wound healing process.
While it is important that everyone receives the recommended daily allowances of vitamins and minerals, there is no research to suggest that mega-doses of vitamins A, C and E provide enhanced benefits. In fact, mega-doses of vitamins A and E, as well as beta carotene, build up in the body and may cause serious adverse reactions ranging from headaches to birth defects to altered immunity at high levels. The American Academy of Dermatology is the largest and most influential society representing physicians who specialize in treating skin, hair, and nail conditions. A Review , Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology , October 1998, pp. American Academy of Dermatology, 1999.