Vitamin K - Bruises and Dark Eye Circle

In the next posting, we will talk about vitamins, their importance for our health and benefits in formulations to be used on the skin.

Since our last posting we talked about Dark Eyes Circle - in this posting, we will talk more about Vitamin K, natural sources and indications.

Vitamin K is a fat-soluble vitamin, related to blood clotting. The “K” comes from the German word “koagulation” and is essential for the blood clotting process.

There are 2 natural forms of Vitamin K: phylloquinone and Vitamin K2. Phylloquinone is the primary form of vitamin K in the diet found mostly in green leafy vegetables.

Researchs indicate that its deficiency can cause easy bruising and other conditions, including osteoporosis.

Facts about bruises

• Purpura is the medical term for bleeding that occurs beneath the surface of the skin and 'bruise' is a minor bleeding underneath the skin, usually caused by an injury.
• Bruises are formed from clotted blood underneath the surface of the skin. The trapped blood is eventually broken down and reabsorbed by the body.
• Simple bruises from slight trauma can be easily treated with ice, since it constricts broken blood vessels and lessens leakage under the skin. You might still have a bruise, but will be smaller and less painful.
• Spontaneous bruising may occur or a bruise may appear with minimal injury in patients with family bleeding disorders. If you have unusual bruising, inform your doctor.

Natural Sources of Vitamin K

Phylloquinone is the major dietary form of Vitamin K, present in green leafy vegetables, such as kale, spinach, leaf lettuce, swiss chard, cooked broccoli - also in soybean, cottonseed, canola and olive oils, mayonese, hemp seeds, liver and other sources.

Vitamin K topical use
Topical formulations with 5% of Vitamin K are used to decrease the appearance of bruises, dark eye circles and rosacea.

Consult your doctor prior using a formulation that contains vitamin K (topically or orally).

Be good and be healthy.

Vanessa

PS: for clarification purpose the picture is a tree called Tabebuia heptaphylla, which its group of flowers at a distance look like a bruise - besides, I didn't want to post a bruise on the posting... ;^)