OTC Supplements
Pycnogenol:
description was mentioned above... but I'll paste here... Unlike most products, it does the job from the inside out. The way it works is by binding to collagen. It increases oxygen delivery and decreases carbon dioxide. This results in much healthier skin. It also increases elasticity and minimizes wrinkles. Away from the skin, it works in the background by allowing for better blood flow (increasing vessel size), thus delivering more nutrients through your bloodstream, inevitably giving you plenty of benefit towards skin care.
Vitamin B5:
Large doses of this vitamin will reduce the size of your pores. It also causes the body to metabolize fats more effectively, inevitably resulting in less oil and sebum in the skin. That's it on B5.
Zinc:
This is crucial so I will go more in depth here. Acne is a symptom of Zinc deficiency, which is not uncommon. Over 30% of the population is deficient. Zinc is a vehicle for Vitamin A, and leads it to your skin, which makes for healthier skin. It supports the immune system so it acts like an antibiotic.
Naturally, skin cells die. But they don't die and renew efficiently if you're Zinc deficient. This process is called apoptosis. Without Zinc, skin cells bind together and slows down the shedding of your skin. This will clog your pores. Not good for acne. Even Accutane has an ingredient (isotretinoin) that helps facilitate apoptosis. This gives you a clear idea of the power of Zinc.
The Protocol
Vitamin B5: 10 grams (5 gr in the morning, and 5 gr before bed)
Zinc: 50mg daily (25mg in the morning, and 25mg before bed)
Pycnogenol: 120 mg (60mg in the morning, and 60mg before bed)
All supplements are water soluble.
I generally frontload the supplements during the first week with approximately 1.5 times the doses above. Except Zinc, do not go over 50mg with zinc.
Side Effects
Stomach Discomfort:
Prevention/Fix: Cut B5 dose in half and increase by 1 gr daily so that you adjust to the mega-dose.
Oily Skin:
Prevention/Fix: This is normal and will go away in about 10 days. You're just getting cleaned up.
