Vitamin K lotion is mostly known as a treatment for bruised and discolored skin but there are other lesser known benefits. Other conditions vitamin k lotion is beneficial for include spider veins, rosacea, stretch marks and scarring. It has also been used for many years by dermatologists and plastic surgeons as a pre- and post-operative treatment to speed healing and decrease scarring.
The cause of conditions such as bruising and spider veins is the coagulation of the blood under the skin. The success of vitamin k lotion in the treatment of such discolorations is due to the vitamin penetrating the skin and aiding the blood-clotting mechanism as well as helping the body absorb the blood. The lotion breaks up the blood under the skin and, while not affecting the injury itself, it does alleviate the discoloration.
The blood clotting property of vitamin k is due to the protein it contains called gamma-carboxyglutamic acid. This protein has an affinity for calcium and is found in clotting and coagulating agents in the body. These proteins link together and form a kind of floating net in the bloodstream which then prevents excessive bleeding.
For the same reason, vitamin k lotion is effective in the treatment of dark circles under the eyes. This condition is usually caused by weak, damaged blood vessels resulting in the accumulation of blood under the delicate skin under the eyes. The application of vitamin k aids in the absorption of the blood and so the dark color should fade.
Massaging the cream into the skin at least twice a day should help fade bruises and discolorations, but the results will depend on the condition and the severity of it. A week of massaging vitamin k lotion into the skin should result in a significant fading of discoloration but it could take up to six weeks for a similar result for spider veins. Vitamin k lotion is best used before it is obvious it is needed. Using the cream immediately after surgery, for example, before bruising becomes apparent helps post-operative discoloration significantly.
The efficacy of the treatment also depends on the quality of the cream being used. The presence of natural vitamin k in a lotion is usually indicated by a yellow color whereas a synthetic ingredient usually leads to a white cream. The concentration of natural vitamin k in a lotion can be as little as 1% to be effective.