Author: Dr. Jae Kim

Niacinamide is one of two forms of vitamin B3. It is naturally found in animal-based products such as meat and poultry, and in many grain products. Because of its many skincare and antioxidant benefits, niacinamide is found in many products today.

Why is it good for my skin?

Working with the natural substances in your skin, niacinamide can help improve enlarged pores, fine lines, and wrinkles. It improves skin barrier function to lock in moisture and reduce transepidermal water loss (TEWL), resulting in better hydration of the skin. Niacinamide is also known to reduce inflammation, which helps ease redness from eczema, acne, and other inflammatory skin conditions. For that reason, niacinamide can be applied on sensitive skin as well.

What products contain Niacinamide?

At Jae Kim, MD Facial Plastic Surgery, we have various products that contain this powerful antioxidant to help boost your skin. We proudly carry several skincare lines, including PCA Skin, Alastin, and EltaMD sunscreens.

Some of PCA Skin’s best selling products contain niacinamide, including Vitamin B3 Brightening Serum, which is great for improving dark spots. For a plumping effect, go with the Hyaluronic Acid Boosting Serum, which also has a unique delivery system to get ingredients working at a deeper level! If you have sensitive skin but want the benefits of retinol, PCA has two options: Retinol Treatment for Sensitive Skin, and Intensive Brightening Treatment.

PCA Skin and Alastin both feature excellent eye creams that contain niacinamide and are specially made for dark circles, fine lines, and wrinkles around the eyes. In fact, Dr. Kim himself uses Alastin’s Restorative Eye Treatment, and it is one of his favorite products!

Don’t forget your neck and decollete! Alastin’s Restorative Neck Complex contains niacinamide and is a great product to improve the appearance of wrinkles and hydrate the skin.

Protecting your skin from sun damage is vital to ensure that your skin looks great now and in the future. Try out EltaMD’s UV Clear SPF 46 (tinted or non-tinted) sunscreen to help protect your skin from harmful UV rays while calming your skin from irritation.

Call (703) 705-2100 for more information about these products and other services!

In May 2019, the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) published an article that certain ingredients in sunscreen products can be found in the bloodstream. The reaction and fallout were significant; people were calling for boycotts on sunscreens and investigations into the companies that make them. For something as important as skin health and protection, this issue requires a closer look. Does this research imply that sunscreen is bad for you?

The Finer Details

The study was performed by the US Food and Drug Administration on 24 participants across various skin types using four commercially available sunscreens. The participants were given the sunscreen in the form of a spray, lotion, or cream to apply over four days to 75% of their body. The goal was to measure the amount of four common sunscreen ingredients in the blood: avobenzone, oxybenzone, octocrylene, and ecamsule. Blood samples were taken from the participants at various intervals over 7 days. The results were fascinating, to say the least. All four ingredients were found in all patients’ blood samples, even after the four-day period of applying sunscreen.

What does this mean for your health?

Though similar studies have shown the same, significant questions persist. The effects of these chemicals on our health is still unknown and requires further research. In addition, the results of the study demonstrate not that sunscreen is unhealthy or harmful, but that the levels of these ingredients in the bloodstream are too high for the FDA to ignore and not require sunscreen companies to investigate this issue.

In this day and age of health consciousness, terms like organic, all-natural, cage-free, and the like, make us more aware of ingredients in everything we consume, and sunscreen is no exception. With that being said, the risks associated with sun exposure and harmful UV rays are well documented, and medical providers highly recommend the habitual use of sunscreen. The American Academy of Dermatology recommends daily use of sunscreen that offers at least 30 SPF, water resistance, and broad spectrum protection, with re-application every two hours of continuous sun exposure.

At Jae Kim, MD Facial Plastic Surgery, we offer medical-grade sunscreens that meet the AAD’s recommendations. Our bestseller is the Alastin Hydratint Pro Mineral SPF 36, which is a lightweight sunscreen that provides daily protection from damaging UVA/UVB rays. It also boasts a formulation that is rich in antioxidants that protect skin from environmental pollution and improve skin hydration!

We also proudly carry the EltaMD line of sunscreens, with tinted, untinted, and reef safe options! Our recommended daily sunscreen is the UV Daily SPF 40 which is formulated for both normal and combo skin. UV Clear SPF 46 is reef safe and great for sensitive and acne prone skin. It also contains anti-aging ingredients. UV Elements SPF 44 Tinted is water-resistant active sunscreen, recommended for patients who play sports or are otherwise facing the “elements”. Call our office at (703) 705-2100 for more information about sunscreen and other services to help you look and feel your very best!