How does fish oil affect the general condition of human skin? With age, it tends to lose elasticity, wrinkles appear on it, and its elasticity decreases. Fish oil will help counteract these processes - it is sometimes called the elixir of youth or the liquid gold of the ocean.
Skin care is easier than you might think. It is enough to provide the body with all the necessary substances, and the lion's share of them is contained in such a fairly budget-friendly product as fish oil. We invite you to find out in more detail which vitamins and microelements provide the amazing properties of fish oil.
Why do you need fish oil?
Chemically, marine fish oil is a concentrate of oleic, palmitic and stearic acids, supplemented with compounds of sulfur, phosphorus, magnesium, zinc, vitamins A and D. Fatty acid complexes known as Omega-3 and Omega-6 regulate lipid metabolism and the production of most vital hormones. They come inside only with food, requiring constant replenishment of supplies from the outside.
Fish oil ensures the normal functioning of the central nervous system, improves thinking abilities and memory, and prevents the degeneration of nerve tissue. High levels of fatty acids guarantee:
- release of the required amount of serotonin and other “happiness hormones”;
- normal blood fluidity;
- decreased levels of stress hormones;
- removal of low-density cholesterol;
- protecting the body from malignant degeneration of cells, excess fat deposits, atherosclerosis and cardiovascular pathologies;
- health of skeletal tissues, muscles, joints, skin, hair and nails.
Not everyone can afford a diet rich in fish every day. In addition, this product often causes allergic reactions. Poor nutrition causes a deficiency of Omega-3 and Omega-6 acids. And their chronic deficiency gives impetus to the development of severe disorders.
What are the benefits of Omega-3 PUFAs? Features of the composition
The three main components that make up omega-3 are alpha-linolenic acid, docosahexaenoic acid, and eicosapentaenoic acid. They are found in fish and plant products. The benefit of omega-3 is its ability to prevent blood clots, as well as prevent the occurrence of factors leading to stroke and heart attack. Its use acts as an effective prevention of atherosclerosis and other pathologies affecting the heart and blood vessels. Omega-3 allows you to normalize metabolic processes and get rid of excess fat in the body.
The use of omega-3 fatty acids as part of complex therapy has been recognized as a safe and effective way to combat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Observations have shown that noticeable results are seen 12 weeks after starting to take nutritional supplements. Patients' cognitive abilities improve, and behavioral reactions also change towards healthier indicators ().
Fish oil preparations
Pharmaceutical forms of fish concentrate are produced to enrich the diet of children and adults with important fatty acids. For production, the liver and muscle tissue of cold-water species are used: cod, herring, mackerel or salmon. The drug is released in the form:
- oil solution: yellowish-transparent, slightly viscous, with a characteristic fishy odor, packaged in glass bottles with a capacity of 50, 100 ml;
- capsules: gelatin-coated, containing 500 mg of fish oil.
As auxiliary compounds, the drug contains glycerin, sorbitol, and distilled water. Many children's medications contain berry or fruit flavors.
Recipes for making masks at home
Anti-wrinkle mask
A substance of animal origin is combined with honey in equal parts. Spread evenly in a thin layer. Leave for 10-12 minutes. After the expiration date, wash off with warm water.
Mask against age spots
Make a herbal decoction of chamomile. Prepare a healing mixture of honey with omega-3, add a few drops of lemon. Apply a thin layer to the face for 20-30 minutes. After this, rinse with herbal decoction.
To restore firmness and elasticity
The ingredients used are low-fat cottage cheese, sour cream, natural ingredients, and lemon juice. Mix everything together one teaspoon at a time. You can add parsley. The resulting mass is applied to the face for 15-20 minutes.
Rejuvenating mask
The ingredients used are omega-3 in its pure form and kelp, which must be ground into a powdery mass. Mix the ingredients thoroughly. Rub into face and leave for half an hour. Rinse off the product with a herbal decoction of chamomile.
Features of use
It is recommended to use fish oil in capsules for the face, as well as in other forms, taking into account the rules.
- Regardless of how the drug is used, it is designed for a course of use. After use for thirty days, use is discontinued. The interval between courses is at least one and a half to two months.
- If dissolution is necessary, dilute omega-3 in warm liquid.
- As part of decorative cosmetics, it is applied after the skin has been cleansed.
- After using the product in combination with oil emulsions, the residue is removed with a cotton pad. Only after this can you wash your face.
- In its pure form, a substance of natural origin can be applied to the eye area and lips.
- To prepare cosmetics at home, keep in mind that it goes well with fermented milk products, herbal decoctions, and cosmetic clay.
To achieve the desired effect, it is necessary to use fish oil externally for the skin for a long time.
When should you take fish oil?
Active growth, conditions after long-term illnesses, physical or nervous exhaustion, old age are critical periods, the deficiency of Omega-3 or Omega-6 is especially acute. You should also take fat supplements:
- with a lack of vitamins A, D and E;
- frequent respiratory infections;
- eye diseases: conjunctivitis, hemeralopathy, keratitis;
- erosive processes in the urinary system, gastrointestinal tract;
- for long-term non-healing ulcers, skin lesions, fractures;
- deterioration of the condition of teeth, musculoskeletal system, hair;
- for the prevention of excessive thrombus formation, atherosclerosis, rickets;
- in complex therapy of endocrine diseases.
Fish oil in cosmetology, indications for use
Fish oil is vital for the beauty of the skin, its youth and freshness.
With age, metabolic processes slow down, the amount of synthesized essential minerals and vitamins decreases. Omega-3 helps saturate skin cells with all necessary substances, increases regenerative ability, and removes toxins.
Fish oil is widely and successfully used in cosmetology; face masks can be prepared at home. For preparation and effective use, follow the rules.
Because of this, cosmetologists recommend using fish oil in face masks not only for mature women, but also for young, pretty girls in order to prevent problems.
Indications for use
- Increased secretion of sebaceous glands.
- Flabbiness.
- Pigment spots, dark circles under the eyes.
- Premature appearance of signs of aging.
- Mimic, age wrinkles.
- Dryness, peeling.
- Tendency to irritation on the face.
- Tendency to allergic reactions to decorative cosmetics.
- Pimples, acne, sebaceous plugs.
- Lumpiness due to acne, hardware cleansing procedures.
- Pale, dull complexion.
- Fish oil for the skin around the eyes removes bags, swelling, and signs of fatigue.
Methods of application
There are several ways to use it.
Method | Characteristic |
Ingestion | The permissible daily dose should not exceed 3 grams. Exceeding the permissible dosage is fraught with consequences. Capsules are taken during or after meals. |
Outdoor use | A face mask made from fish oil helps preserve youth. Eliminates wrinkles and makes scars on the face less noticeable. |
Use of the substance in its pure form | In its pure form, it is applied to thin, dry areas of the skin - mainly in the eye area, on the skin of the lips. Rub the contents of the capsules into the skin with light patting movements. The procedure is performed several hours before bedtime. |
Features of application
- Apply the prepared mixture to the skin in a standing position. During application of the product, it is not recommended to speak, change body position, or smile;
- It is better to perform the procedure after a hot bath, as a result of which the pores expand;
- masks are made in the afternoon, preferably a few hours before bedtime. Night cream is not applied after use.
How to take fish oil solution
The liquid drug is approved for therapy from the age of 3 months. The solution rarely causes side effects and is well tolerated by most people. It has one drawback - the smell of fish. For those who cannot tolerate it, it is better to choose capsules.
It is optimal to drink fish oil along with meals or a few minutes before meals. Better - during breakfast. The dose is calculated depending on age. General recommendations:
- children under 1 year: ½ tsp. in a day;
- children 1–2 years old: 1 tsp. solution;
- at 2.5–3 years you can increase the volume to 2 tsp;
- from 3 to 6 years old, take 1 dessert spoon of fish oil;
- Children over 7 years old and adults are allowed to drink 1 tbsp. l. medications per day.
In the presence of serious diseases, the dosage regimen and duration of therapy are selected by the attending physician.
Side effects and contraindications
The main contraindication is individual intolerance to fish oil, which is extremely rare.
Today, fish oil undergoes serious purification and control, so that the presence of any harmful impurities in it is 100% excluded.
Thousands of buyers throughout Russia testify to the quality and safety of Biafishenol products, because the company has been operating for more than 20 years. So, by using Biafishenol fish oil according to the instructions, you will get results that will definitely please you.
It is recommended to consult a specialist before consuming fish oil.
Adverse reactions and overdose
If you keep the dose and follow the established dosage regimen, then no negative reactions should appear. Otherwise, an upset stomach, an allergic reaction, and bad breath may occur.
With prolonged use, an overdose may occur, manifested by the following symptoms:
- lack of appetite;
- gagging;
- lethargic and drowsy state;
- stomach upset;
- headache.
If such symptoms appear, maintenance therapy should be started. You should stop taking the drug.
Important Tips
If you really want to learn the benefits of such masks, you should carefully study and put into action the following tips:
- apply the compositions to the skin only after thoroughly cleansing it, otherwise you will not get any results from such procedures;
- be sure to test each new mask for an allergic reaction before applying it to the face, applying a small layer to the area of the skin in the area of the inner elbow;
- do not use such masks on the skin around the eyes to avoid irritation;
- When purchasing a product at a pharmacy, carefully study its expiration date and place of manufacture so as not to buy a product of chemical origin (natural fish oil is produced in port cities by the sea);
- remove such masks using a damp cotton pad, then rinse with warm, soft water and gently wipe with a disposable paper towel, as the remnants of these compositions contain fat;
- You should not prepare a large amount of mask that you cannot use in 1 application;
- leave the compositions on your face for at least 20 minutes so that the skin absorbs all the valuable components;
- If you have an oily and dense type of epidermis, before applying the product, use a scrub and take a steam bath to cleanse and open the skin pores as much as possible.
Such masks are used in a course of 12 procedures, performed three times a week (every other day) for a month.
Main useful qualities
The drug, which is an oily liquid with a specific aroma and taste, belongs to natural substances, the raw materials for which are varieties of fatty fish.
Skin benefits:
- Due to the high concentration of polyunsaturated fatty acids, inflammatory foci are eliminated and the elasticity of blood vessels increases. High-quality hydration of the epidermis is ensured, acne disappears.
- Eicosapentaenoic acid helps reduce the greasiness of the dermis, slows down age-related changes, and restores elasticity.
- Due to the presence of vitamin D in the structural formula, skin tone increases, protective mechanisms are activated, and wounds heal.
- Docosahexaenoic acid prevents acne and maintains healthy, well-groomed skin.
Other elements, vitamins, and minerals that determine the rich composition of the unique product also have a beneficial effect. The result is the following positive changes:
- ensuring the saturation of the epidermis with the necessary nutrients;
- high-quality hydration;
- elimination of irritation, redness, inflammatory foci;
- relieving itching;
- lightening pigmentation;
- smoothing wrinkles;
- acne treatment;
- protection from external influences;
- prevention of age-related changes.
How to care for your skin with fish oil: tips and reviews
Fish oil is called the elixir of youth and health. What other benefits does it have for the body? Here is just a short list of the benefits of fish oil for the entire human body:
- strengthens bones, so fish oil is indispensable for children and adolescents
- binds fat and removes it from the body, useful for losing weight and building muscles
- strengthens blood vessels, normalizes heart function
- lowers the level of bad cholesterol in the blood
- fights inflammation in the body
- reduces the risk of developing cancer
- prevents blood clots
- normalizes high blood pressure
- stimulates skin regeneration
- fights depression
- increases vitality
- improves brain activity
- improves joint mobility
Recipes for homemade masks based on fish oil
Let's look at popular recipes for cosmetic masks that contain this nourishing ingredient. The simplest mask contains only fat without any other components.
Take 3 capsules of the drug (if it is in capsules) or 1 teaspoon (if it is in liquid form). Apply it to your face using your fingertips and massage. Apply it to your eyelids. Wait the required time and blot your face with a napkin or wash with warm water.
For acne and blackheads
- Take 1 teaspoon each of heavy cream, fish oil and lemon juice. Mix all ingredients and apply to face.
- Take 2 teaspoons of black cosmetic clay, drop 15 drops of calendula alcohol tincture into it and squeeze out 3 capsules of fish oil. Mix all ingredients well.
For wrinkles
- You will need one small potato. Peel it, wash it and grate it. Take 1 tbsp. spoon of this mass and add 1 teaspoon of fish oil and honey to it.
- Take 1 teaspoon of full-fat sour cream, fat and slightly warmed honey. Mix all ingredients thoroughly.
- Beat the yolk of one egg into a bowl. Add to it 1 teaspoon of fish oil and liquid honey. Apply the mixture not only to your face, but also to your neck and décolleté.
Moisturizing masks
- Beat with a blender 1 tbsp. a spoonful of sour cream with one quail egg. Squeeze 5 capsules of fat into the mixture. Mix all ingredients well.
- Mix fresh cottage cheese and fat in equal proportions. Beat with a blender until you obtain a homogeneous consistency. If the cottage cheese is too dry, dilute it with a small amount of kefir.
- Beat a chicken egg in a bowl with 1 teaspoon of fish oil. Add 3 drops of lemon essential oil to the mixture.
- Mix fish oil and honey melted in a water bath in equal proportions.
Nourishing masks
- Take 1 teaspoon of fat, 1 teaspoon of freshly squeezed lemon juice and 2 teaspoons of cocoa powder. Pour the liquid ingredients into the cocoa powder and stir until smooth.
- Take 3 sprigs of fresh parsley and chop it as finely as possible. Pour 1 teaspoon of fat over the chopped greens and stir. The mask can be applied to the entire face or just to the area around the eyes.
These simple recipes for masks based on fish oil will help you preserve the youth and beauty of your facial skin for a long time!
The effect of omega-3 on the skin
Our skin is not healthy on its own. She is a mirror of the whole organism. Experienced dermatologists and cosmetologists know: creams, ointments and external procedures help the skin, but healthy and beautiful skin will only be after eliminating internal problems.
The story of the discovery of the importance of omega-3 fatty acids for human skin.
At the end of the 19th century, the role of vitamins in maintaining healthy skin was discovered. It seemed that the “elixir of youth” had been found. Gradually, the euphoria moderated: vitamins solve only part of the problems. For example, they have virtually no effect on the occurrence of allergies and inflammations (dermatitis), they are not very effective in resisting skin aging, etc. It became clear that the skin needs some other substances. And then the well-known rule came into play: if you want to hide something, put it in the most visible place. Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, which are extremely important for skin health, attracted the attention of scientists only at the end of the twentieth century. For decades, no one even thought to look so closely, because one of the omega-3 acids, alpha-linolenic acid, is part of vitamin F. However, alpha-linolenic acid itself is not active, and therefore it was not possible to evaluate them before the discovery of other representatives of the group useful qualities.
Why is omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids needed by the skin?
- Firstly, they inhibit the overactivity of the immune system, preventing the development of skin allergies.
- Secondly, omega-3 acids preserve collagen, the elastic basis of our skin, which is responsible for elasticity and the absence of wrinkles. The amount of collagen, as a rule, decreases with age and our skin loses its elasticity and becomes flabby.
- Third, omega-3 fatty acids are the worst enemies of chronic inflammation. They fight acne, accelerate healing, and serve as an important component in the treatment of chronic dermatitis. It has been proven that in countries where from time immemorial they have consumed food rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids, there are practically no dermatoses and diseases such as acne.
- Fourthly, our skin suffers greatly from constant stress. Stress hormones - the well-known adrenaline, promotes spasm of skin capillaries, thereby causing “hunger” and tissue hypoxia. Hence, dull earthy skin color, dryness, thinning. An increase in another stress hormone, cortisol, causes an increase in blood glucose. Glucose in turn damages collagen. Protecting us from the aggressive external environment, the skin is constantly damaged. Reducing food intake is a disaster for her.
- Atmospheric oxygen is the main aggressor for our skin. Strong antioxidants, omega-3 fatty acids protect the skin from the damaging effects of oxygen and help it survive stress with minimal damage.
- Finally, as already mentioned, the skin reflects the state of the entire organism, the health of which is extremely negatively affected by lack of sleep, proper nutrition, excessive stress, both mental and physical, and depression. Depression is not only a bad mood and loss of energy. Our psyche is complex: a trained person, with the effort of thought, can slow down the heart rate, reduce sensitivity to high and low temperatures, and even get rid of some diseases. With depression, all the power of the psyche is directed against one’s own body. Research has shown that a significant portion of depression is associated with a deficiency of omega-3 fatty acids. With a lack of them in the “mood centers” located in the brain, fewer substances are formed from omega-3 acids that literally allow you to look at life positively. As soon as the deficiency of omega-3 acids disappears, depression goes away, the body is restored, and the skin experiences a “second youth”.
By the end of the eighties, the listed properties helped omega-3 fatty acids gain recognition among dermatologists and cosmetologists. It became obvious: maintaining healthy skin is unthinkable without omega-3 acids.
How to provide your skin with the required amount of omega-3 fatty acids?
Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in capsules
Initially, there was an opinion among experts that the problem could be solved by changing the diet. Unfortunately, it turned out that modern food products are extremely poor in omega-3 fatty acids. There are few of them in meat due to the transition of livestock farms to compound feed instead of grass. In vegetable oils - due to the choice of raw materials: corn and sunflower contain very little omega-3 acids, they contain more omega-6. It is possible to switch to using olive oil and flaxseed oil. Some people use flaxseed oil every day in spoonfuls in its pure form, thereby loading the liver, in particular the gallbladder. It is recommended to eat them together with other dishes: salads, cheeses, bread... Even in modern artificially grown fish there are almost no of them, since, again, they are fed with compound feed instead of natural food. Our food is so depleted in omega-3 acids that, regardless of diet, deficiency cannot be avoided. The only way out is to use drugs in which natural omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids are concentrated so that a few capsules can fully satisfy human needs.
Which omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid preparations are most suitable for our skin?
The first attempts to use the drugs gave very contradictory results. In some cases, the effect was amazing, in others it was simply absent. It turned out that it’s a matter of composition: the effectiveness directly depends on the conformations of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids - DHA and DPA.
In preparations obtained from plants, “marine” forms account for only 15%. For the skin, such an amount is nothing.
The situation is much better in fish preparations, where the “marine” forms account for 40-45% of the total amount of omega-3 fatty acids.
The leaders turned out to be omega-3 complexes from the tissues of marine mammals, for example, from seal oil. In such preparations, 65-70% of omega-3 fatty acids are “marine” forms, which are extremely important for skin health.
So, the experience of many years of research by cosmetologists, doctors and scientists has shown that:
- Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids are necessary to maintain healthy and youthful skin as a mirror of the general condition of the body.
- For historical reasons, the only available source of omega-3 acids is their preparations.
- The most beneficial for the skin are preparations of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids from the tissues of marine mammals.
To buy a high-quality Omega-3 supplement, you must first of all understand what raw materials it is made from. That is, from the liver or carcass of fish.
There are three sources of raw materials for production:
- Fish liver, then the jar should say “TRAN” or “Liver Oil”. But maybe nothing is written at all. That is, it is fish oil.
- Oil from trash fish caught off the coast of Latin America. All fish, including the liver, are processed. It is of low quality and cheap. Since the fish lives in warm water, the Omega-3 content is low, but vitamins A and D and various toxins and heavy metal salts are high.
- Fat from a fish carcass (tissue fat), that is, fish oil. He is the best option. The jar should say “Fish body oil.” These are much higher quality raw materials and therefore more expensive.
The release form also plays an important role. It’s just that the fat in the bottle is subject to rapid oxidation and it is not known what is more beneficial or harmful from it. Most Omega-3 supplements on the market come in the form of gelatin capsules, which protect them from exposure to oxygen. Fish oil capsules are taken with food.
The article was prepared by dermatologist, cosmetologist A.A. Tukaeva