From Anirva, the maker of Dermal Radiance. This article is general information, not medical advice. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
Most people know milk thistle as a herb for the liver. It has a long record of traditional use in Europe. Researchers have also tested its main extract, called silymarin, on skin. Here we look at what milk thistle is and how it may work in skin. We also cover the studies so far, how much is in Dermal Radiance, and safety.
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- Milk thistle extract comes from the seed-like fruit of the plant. Its active part is silymarin, a mixture of plant compounds [1][3].
- In lab tests, silymarin slowed an enzyme that breaks collagen down. Its compounds also slowed an enzyme that breaks down elastin [4].
- Silymarin showed antioxidant activity in lab tests. In human skin cells exposed to UVA light, it lowered reactive oxygen by up to 40% [4][6].
- In an animal study, a silymarin cream supported the antioxidant defenses of skin after UV light [5].
- Dermal Radiance contains 250 mg of milk thistle seed extract. It is standardized to 80% silymarin [7].
What is milk thistle?
Milk thistle is a tall plant with large purple flowers. It is native to Europe, and it belongs to the same plant family as the daisy [1][2].
The part used is the fruit, which the Dermal Radiance label calls the seed [3][7]. The active part of the extract is silymarin, a mixture of compounds [1]. These compounds are called flavonolignans, and they include silybin, isosilybin, silydianin and silychristin [4].
European regulators list milk thistle fruit as a traditional herbal product for digestion and to support liver function [3].
How might milk thistle work in skin?
Collagen and elastin (lab tests)
In enzyme tests done outside the body, silymarin slowed collagenase, an enzyme that breaks collagen down. Its compounds also slowed elastase, an enzyme that breaks down elastin [4].
Antioxidant activity (lab tests)
Silymarin and its compounds neutralized free radicals in a standard lab test [4]. In human skin cells exposed to UVA light, silymarin lowered reactive oxygen by up to 40% [6].
UV light (lab tests)
The compounds in silymarin absorbed UVA light in a lab measurement [4].
What does the research show?
The research on milk thistle and skin is still growing. So far, it comes from lab tests, from animal studies and from creams.
A 2019 lab study of silymarin and its compounds
In 2019, researchers tested silymarin and five of its purified compounds in a set of lab tests. Of everything tested, silymarin was the most potent at slowing collagenase. One of the compounds was 14 times more effective than silybin at slowing elastase [4].
The same compound had the highest antioxidant score and absorbed the most UVA light. The researchers concluded that silymarin and its compounds may be useful for the care of skin that is exposed to sunlight [4].
A 2016 animal study of silymarin creams
In 2016, researchers put creams with 5% silymarin on the skin of guinea pigs, before or after UVB light. With two of the creams, the activity of two antioxidant enzymes in the skin rose significantly. A marker of fat oxidation fell. The creams did not irritate the skin over 24 hours [5].
Milk thistle is not a sunscreen. Experts suggest daily sunscreen and shade for sun care.
Study summary
| Study | Type | What was tested | Main result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vostálová et al., 2019 [4] | Lab tests | Silymarin and five of its compounds | Slowed collagenase and elastase; antioxidant activity; absorbed UVA |
| Fehér et al., 2016 [5] | Animal skin and skin cells | Creams with 5% silymarin, with UVB light | Higher antioxidant enzyme activity; less fat oxidation |
| Fidrus et al., 2019 [6] | Human skin cells | Silymarin, with UVA light | Reactive oxygen lower by up to 40% |
How much milk thistle is in Dermal Radiance compared with the studies?
| Source | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Dermal Radiance (2 capsules) | 250 mg of seed extract a day | 80% silymarin, from the label [7] |
| 2016 animal study | Cream with 5% silymarin | Put on the skin [5] |
| 2019 lab studies | Lab amounts | Added to enzymes or cells [4][6] |
Dermal Radiance provides 250 mg of milk thistle seed extract. At 80%, that is 200 mg of silymarin, by our calculation.
The studies above put silymarin on enzymes, cells or skin. Those amounts cannot be compared with an amount taken by mouth, so the results do not describe Dermal Radiance.
Milk thistle in food and drink
Milk thistle is not a common food. In Europe, it is taken as a herbal tea, as a liquid or as a solid extract [3].
What the research does not show yet
- We found no human trial of milk thistle by mouth that measured skin in healthy adults.
- Results in the lab and in animals do not always carry over to people.
- In one study of skin cells, silymarin lowered reactive oxygen after UVA light, but a marker of DNA damage rose. The authors called for more study of the single compounds [6].
- We found no study of milk thistle combined with the other Dermal Radiance ingredients.
Safety and interactions
Milk thistle appears to be well tolerated. The most common side effects are digestive, such as bloating, nausea and gas [1]. Headache and allergic skin reactions have also been reported [3].
People who are allergic to plants of the daisy family should not take milk thistle. This family includes ragweed, chrysanthemum and marigold [1][3].
Milk thistle may change how the body handles some medicines. Examples are the blood thinner warfarin and the transplant medicine sirolimus [2]. It may also affect blood sugar [1]. Little is known about its use during pregnancy or breastfeeding [1].
- Take it with a meal, as the label directs [7].
- Check for plant allergies. Milk thistle is related to ragweed, daisies and marigolds [1].
- If you take prescription medicines, ask your doctor or pharmacist before you take milk thistle [1][2].
Milk thistle is one part of Dermal Radiance
Dermal Radiance is a daily two-capsule supplement with 20 vitamins, minerals and plant extracts. They were chosen to support healthy collagen, skin firmness and elasticity, and radiance. Milk thistle seed extract is one of them.
Dermal Radiance has not been clinically tested as a finished product. For this reason, we cannot say how its ingredients work together. The studies in this article tested silymarin in the lab and on animal skin.
If you take Dermal Radiance, you are not relying on milk thistle alone. It is one of 20 ingredients in each serving. Every ingredient and amount is listed on the label [7].
A daily skin supplement with 20 ingredients
Milk thistle seed extract is one of 20 vitamins, minerals and plant extracts in Dermal Radiance, each listed with its amount on the label. Two capsules a day with a meal.
See the full ingredient listIf you are deciding
Milk thistle is a traditional herb, and its early lab findings relate to collagen, elastin and antioxidant defense [4]. In Dermal Radiance it is one of 20 ingredients, next to nutrients that have human skin studies. If you would like to try Dermal Radiance, the directions are two capsules a day with a meal [7].
The short version
Milk thistle extract supplies silymarin, a mixture of plant compounds from the fruit of the plant. In lab tests, silymarin slowed enzymes that break down collagen and elastin, and it showed antioxidant activity. In an animal study, a silymarin cream supported the antioxidant defenses of skin after UV light. Dermal Radiance provides 250 mg of milk thistle seed extract.
Frequently asked questions
What does milk thistle do for skin?
In lab tests, its extract silymarin slowed enzymes that break down collagen and elastin, and it showed antioxidant activity [4].
What is silymarin?
Silymarin is the active part of milk thistle extract. It is a mixture of plant compounds called flavonolignans [1][4].
Does milk thistle support collagen?
In lab enzyme tests, silymarin slowed collagenase, the enzyme that breaks collagen down [4].
How much milk thistle is in Dermal Radiance?
Each serving has 250 mg of milk thistle seed extract, standardized to 80% silymarin [7].
What part of the milk thistle plant is used?
The fruit, which is often called the seed [3].
Has milk thistle been studied on skin?
Yes, in the lab and in animals. Silymarin has been tested on enzymes, on human skin cells and on the skin of guinea pigs [4][5][6].
Is milk thistle safe to take every day?
Milk thistle appears to be well tolerated, and its most common side effects are mild digestive symptoms [1].
Is milk thistle a sunscreen?
No. It does not replace sunscreen, shade or protective clothing.
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, National Institutes of Health. Milk Thistle: Usefulness and Safety. Last updated February 2025. https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/milk-thistle (accessed October 5, 2026).
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. About Herbs: Milk Thistle. Last updated July 22, 2026. https://www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/integrative-medicine/herbs/milk-thistle (accessed October 5, 2026).
- European Medicines Agency. Silybi mariani fructus (milk thistle fruit): herbal medicinal product. https://www.ema.europa.eu/medicines/herbal/silybi-mariani-fructus (accessed October 5, 2026).
- Vostálová J, Tinková E, Biedermann D, Kosina P, Ulrichová J, Rajnochová Svobodová A. Skin protective activity of silymarin and its flavonolignans. Molecules. 2019;24(6):1022. doi:10.3390/molecules24061022.
- Fehér P, Ujhelyi Z, Váradi J, et al. Efficacy of pre- and post-treatment by topical formulations containing dissolved and suspended Silybum marianum against UVB-induced oxidative stress in guinea pig and on HaCaT keratinocytes. Molecules. 2016;21(10):1269. doi:10.3390/molecules21101269.
- Fidrus E, Ujhelyi Z, Fehér P, et al. Silymarin: friend or foe of UV exposed keratinocytes? Molecules. 2019;24(9):1652. doi:10.3390/molecules24091652.
- Anirva. Dermal Radiance Supplement Facts label and product page. https://anirva.com/pages/anti-aging-skin-supplement-dermal-radiance (accessed October 5, 2026).
