Ginkgo: Another Antioxidant You Can Drink

On a recent trip to Korea, I was amazed at the seemingly countless varieties of ginkgo I came across.
What I primarily think of as a natural memory booster, and an increasingly popular skin care ingredient, is quite a delicacy in Asia - and it can be very expensive, too. I returned to the States inspired to investigate ginkgo further, and I encountered several interesting facts and studies:

Ginkgo, which has been popular in the East for many years, comes from the nut of the Ginkgo biloba tree, believed to be the oldest living tree species.

Ginkgo is full of a substance called quercetin, a common and powerful antioxidant. In fact, mounting research indicates that ginkgo's anti-inflammatory and defensive properties are particularly strong. While I certainly wouldn't suggest abandoning other antioxidant mainstays entirely (the research into coenzyme Q10, green tea, and vitamin C, for example, is still much more thorough), anyone with acne, eczema, or other types of facial redness and inflammation, in particular, may benefit from products with ginkgo.

A 2003 study also suggested that ginkgo may effectively halt de-pigmentation - that is, the patchy loss of skin's natural color - and aid in re-pigmentation. While I will need to see much more research before I can comment on ginkgo's success in this department, promising new treatments for pigmentation disorders are always welcome!
For all its potential benefits, though, ginkgo does have one known downside: It can lead to increased bruising from dermatological injections like Botox or dermal fillers. If you take ginkgo orally, stop about a week before those procedures (and, as always, discuss any new supplements with your doctor).
So how can you apply these fun ginkgo facts to your skin care routine? More and more American companies are incorporating ginkgo into their products (it's been popular in Asian products for years), although it's rarely listed as an active ingredient.

Instead, look for ginkgo as an inactive ingredient, included for its antioxidant benefits and ability to soothe potential inflammation from other harsh skin care ingredients. June Jacobs Pore Purifying Mud Masque and Osmotics Intensive Moisture Therapy and Aubrey Organic Moisturizer SPF 15 all contain gingko.

Personally, I think one of the easiest ways to incorporate ginkgo into my day is in tea. You may have heard me tout the benefits of green tea in this column, and I actually like the taste of ginkgo a little more. (But don't ditch your green tea entirely - again, the evidence into its antioxidant benefits remains unparalleled.)

Wishing you great skin!


Dr. Baumann is author of the best-selling book, " The Skin Type Solution." To learn more about her revolutionary skin typing system, visit her Web site, SkinTypeSolutions.com.