Topical Use & Warnings of Niacinamide

Vitamin B3, also known as niacin, is found in various foods, such as milk, fish, meat, grains, beans, and yeast. In the form of niacinamide, it can be applied topically to help skin health and heal various pre-existing skin problems.

Indications

• There are a number of skin conditions for which niacinamide may be prescribed, including dry skin, redness, acne, wrinkles and rosacea. In addition, niacinamide helps the healing of sunburns, lightens pigmentation and helps clear up age spots. In its topical form, it is usually marketed as a gel or cream with a 5% concentration. According to NYU's College of Medicine, it has a 80% success rate in clearing up acne.

Effectiveness

• A number of studies have been done on niacinamide, with the most prominent of these being a study that was done by the National Taiwan University Hospital. The study observed the effects of a Kinetin (antioxidant) and niacinamide mixture, applied it to nine men and 52 women. As a control, half of the face had the mixture applied and half of the face did not. After twelve weeks, a number of effects were observed. The subjects showed an average of 6.8% fewer dark spots, 10% less redness, 16.3% increased evenness, 16.7% less dryness, 15.9% less visible pores and 41% fewer wrinkles.

Side Effects

• While users of niacinamide do not commonly experience side effects, patients with preexisting conditions are at an increased risk of experiencing side effects. Minor side effects include flushing and slight burning or itching. Before using niacinamide, talk with your dermatologist about how it might affect you. While most of the potential side effects of vitamin B3 are experienced when ingesting the substance, caution should still be taken with topical use. People who should be particularly cautious include people with diabetes, gallbladder problems, renal problems, allergies, ulcers, upcoming surgeries, or low blood pressure.