Vitamin D in Patients with Inflammatory Skin Diseases

In search for the ways to cure and improve skin condition of patients with inflammatory skin diseases, vitamin D supplementation has been shown to be useful, primarily due to its effects on a number of skin functions, e.g., keratinocyte proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis, maintenance of the epidermal barrier, and regulation of immune processes in the skin, among others. Vitamin D is essential for good general health and healthy skin, but deficiency can occur due to various factors that result in increased time spent indoors and limited sunlight exposure, such as geography (place of residence) and genetic factors. Although some results are inconsistent, previous research indicates that multiple inflammatory skin diseases can be affected by vitamin D deficiency, particularly atopic dermatitis, but also other inflammatory skin diseases. There is also evidence for an association between vitamin D deficiency and the risk of worsening of skin diseases such as psoriasis, chronic urticaria, contact dermatitis, etc. For these and several other inflammatory skin diseases, most research suggests that patients benefit from vitamin D supplementation.