What Does Niacinamide Do & Why Should I Use It?
As a type of vitamin B3, niacin-derived niacinamide has gained major popularity with acne sufferers across America because of the range of benefits that it offers. So, what does niacinamide do exactly? Simply put, as an active ingredient, it gives you the edge in the constant battle against the formation of comedones (zits to you and me).
Fighting inflammation is one of its standout abilities, and perhaps the most welcome, as it’s soreness that causes most of the pain and visible changes to the skin that characterize acne. But it’s far from all it offers, so let’s take a closer look at what to expect when using it.
What Does Niacinamide Do? A Lot!
Another major benefit of using niacinamide is its ability to regulate how much oil your skin produces. As one of the leading causes of clogged pores, excess sebum can occur for a variety of reasons, from hormonal changes to genetics. What does niacinamide do in this regard? It balances the problem by limiting how much your sebaceous glands can produce.
Niacinamide also helps to shrink pores. When your pores become too dilated and open, the likelihood of bacteria, dirt, and oil getting inside skyrockets. Not only that, but they make them visibly smaller, so your skin texture ends up looking smoother.
Making Your Skin Barrier Function Stronger
Pollution, UV rays and bacteria are just three of the things that a strong and healthy skin barrier keeps out. However, when using cosmetics and acne treatments, it can weaken, leading to increased sensitivity and dryness. Niacinamide redresses the balance and encourages the production of ceramides, thereby reinforcing the skin barrier.
We’ve mentioned bacteria already and that’s because it’s such a big contributor to acne breakouts and thankfully, niacinamide has that covered, too. P acnes bacteria is the main offender when it comes to zits and niacinamide delivers a powerful antimicrobial action to keep it in check and prevent skin infections at source.
Giving You a More Even Skin Tone
Dark spots are another unfortunate result of acne, and they can make your skin’s tone look much less even. These areas persist long after your pimples have healed, so they need to be treated in order to properly fade. By stopping melanin from coming to the skin’s surface with niacinamide, the skin is lightened – leading to a brighter-looking complexion.
Finally, niacinamide supports the skin’s attempts to renew and repair itself. Cell turnover is increased when using it, meaning that scars fade more quickly, and you get to enjoy fresher and more radiant skin.
What Does Niacinamide Do? It Rocks When Treating Acne!
Niacinamide is something of a marvel when treating acne-prone skin. Using it as part of your acne care routine can majorly tip the balance in your favor, helping you to achieve youthful, blemish-free skin. By reducing redness, getting oil production under control, constricting pores, minimizing dark spots and strengthening the skin barrier, you get a helping hand in what is a pragmatic struggle against breakouts.
If you do choose to include it in your routine, you must use it consistently to see meaningful results, and it also helps to combine it with complementary products containing salicylic acid or retinol (vitamin A). Apply the product after cleansing each day, and it shouldn’t be long until you realize what a wise investment it was.
