Journal of Advanced Research

Journal of Advanced Research

REVIEW

Vitamin D and the skin: Focus on a complex relationship: A review

Under a Creative Commons license

open access

Abstract

The "sunshine" vitamin is a hot topic that attracted ample attention over the past decades, specially that a considerable proportion of the worldwide population are deficient in this essential nutrient. Vitamin D was primarily acknowledged for its importance in bone formation, however; increasing evidence point to its interference with the proper function of nearly every tissue in our bodies including brain, heart, muscles, immune system and skin. Thereby its deficiency has been incriminated in a long panel of diseases including cancers, autoimmune diseases, cardiovascular and neurological disorders. Its involvement in the pathogenesis of different dermatological diseases is no exception and has been the subject of much research over the recent years. In the current review, we will throw light on this highly disputed vitamin that is creating a significant concern from a dermatological perspective. Furthermore, the consequences of its deficiency on the skin will be in focus.

Keywords

Vitamin D

Deficiency

Dermatology

Immunological

Dr. Wedad Z. Mostafa, Emeritus Professor at Cairo University Department of Dermatology, obtained her Masters and MD degrees in Dermatology in 1978 and 1984. She taught at Dammam University, Saudi Arabia during the eighties and won the Janssen Research Council Award in 1993. Interests in research led to over 50 publications in renowned international and regional journals including the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, Pediatric Dermatology and the International Journal of Dermatology. She was a visiting lecturer at the Department of Dermatology RWTH Aachen, Germany during 2011 and 2012. An active member of Vitiligo Groups, Dr Mostafa resides in Cairo, Egypt.

Dr. Rehab A. Hegazy, Associate Professor at Cairo University, Department of Dermatology graduated from CU Medical School in 2001. She obtained Masters and MD degrees in Dermatology in 2006, 2009. She has over 40 publications and is a reviewer in a number of international and national journals, as well as a member in a group of medical societies. She won "The John Stratigos Memorial Scholarship"; 2012, "Omar Ibn Abd ElAziz Al Sheikh prize for Scientific Research"; 2013, "Best abstract award in 3rd 5 continent congress for Lasers and Aesthetic Medicine, Cannes"; 2013 and "Samy ElSogeir prize for scientific research"; 2015.

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