SKIN AND FREE RADICALS
Free radicals are unstable small molecules generated by an oxygen environment which require stabilization by the body's antioxidant system. Free radicals occur throughout every cell in our body simply by virtue of the fact that oxygen is our principal metabolic fuel. Strong sunlight readily generates free radicals in the skin. Our hands, face, neck, and arms are the areas usually chronically exposed to light. These parts of the body, particularly the face, are where aging of the skin shows up.
The skin protein collagen is particularly susceptible to free radical damage, and when this damage occurs, it causes the collagen protein molecules to break down and then link back up again in a different way; this is known as cross-linking. Collagen cross-linking causes the normally mobile collagen to become stiff and less mobile. Sunlight also causes the messenger molecules present in skin cells to become active and create inflammatory Products.
The following factors can accelerate skin aging:
- sun exposure
- first- or secondhand cigarette smoke
- environmental toxins
- poor diet
- excess alcohol consumption
- stress
- harsh soaps or detergent-based moisturizers
- sleep deprivation
Other Factors
In spite of the effect of sunlight on the skin, there are other factors that affect skin health that occur regardless of our exposure to sun rays. Dryness, loss of tone and fullness, diminished immune responses, and reduced ability to repair damage are all factors that contribute to the aging process.
There are many types of skin tones and qualities. Men tend to have thicker skin than women due to the dominant hormone testosterone. However, in later years, the lack of estrogen in women and testosterone in men tend to cause changes in both genders.
Each individual will have a different skin, with different oil production, color, and texture. Clearly, people with dry, white skin should use only mild cleansers and never use grainy cleansing Products |. Moisturizers and oil-based make-ups will also be required. On the other hand, those with an oily, darker skin can use mild liquid cleansers and an oil-blotting foundation. Generally, the use of sunscreens is reasonable as long as it does not create a false sense of security. Do not go out for longer periods of time in the sun just because you're wearing a sunscreen.
Skin damage occurs when the membrane covering of the skin cell is damaged by free radicals. Free radicals make the membrane more permeable, allowing the cells to dehydrate (lose water). The membrane of the cell is what is called a lipid bilayer: two layers of fat end-on-end. Enzymes are activated when the skin is traumatized or exposed to sun. Enzymes break down the lipid bilayer and cause inflammation. Thus, any antioxidants must be fat-soluble to protect this layer.
Chronic inflammation is an underlying cause of common degenerative diseases. One study found that pro-oxidative factors that accelerate skin aging might activate a self-maintained micro-inflammatory process that interferes with skin elasticity and thickness. This study stated that topical antioxidants decrease this inflammatory cascade and thus afford protection to the skin structures.
WHAT IS GOOD FOR YOUR SKIN?
When most people think about good things that they can do for their skin, they usually think about things they will put on their skin rather than what they will put inside themselves to make their skin healthier. Although topical application of certain Products is essential, equally important is the nourishment of the skin from the inside. Everything from essential fatty acids, antioxidants, and other supplements to the food that we eat is critical in maintaining healthy skin that age slowly.
The Outside Story
The first preventive measure you can take is to reduce the amount of UV light that you are exposed to. This can be done either by avoiding the sun completely or more practically by wearing sunscreens.
Considerable interest has been generated about combining antioxidants with sunscreens to provide enhanced protection against UV rays. Two of the best-known antioxidants are vitamins C and E, both of which have been shown to be effective in different models of photo-damage. In a study done on swine skin, vitamin C provided additive protection against acute UVB damage (sunburn cell formation) when combined with a UVB sunscreen. When a combination of vitamins E and C were used, very good protection from a UVB insult occurred.
When it comes to makeup and skin care Products, people with oily skin should clearly avoid Products that have oil in their formula. Those with dry skin need Products that have essential oils combined in the formula. Cleansing the skin by washing once daily without astringent Products is probably a good idea as well. Facial masks can help hydrate skin.
Antioxidants
Although antioxidants are well-known for their beneficial effects inside the body when taken orally, in the case of skin, there are a number of antioxidants that are helpful when applied topically.
Human studies have demonstrated pronounced protective effects of antioxidants when applied topically before UV radiation exposure. With respect to UVB-induced skin damage, the photoprotective effects of antioxidants are significant. Topical application of such combinations may result in a sustained antioxidant capacity of the skin, possibly due to antioxidant synergisms. Free radicals are culprits behind UVA-induced skin alterations, thus indicating a basis for topical antioxidant administration. In a human study, topical application of antioxidants resulted in diminished severity of UVA-induced sun damage. Thus, regular application of skin care Products containing antioxidants may be of the utmost benefit in efficiently preparing skin against exogenous oxidative stressors occurring during daily life. Sunscreen agents may also benefit from combination with antioxidants resulting in increased safety and efficacy of such photoprotective Products.
Going Beyond Antioxidants
While free radicals have been implicated in much of the damage that occurs to aging skin, there are other injurious factors that result in unsightly structural and functional deterioration.
For instance, aging skin cells suffer from metabolic imbalances that preclude them from performing youthful repair functions. RNA improved cellular energy and the ability of the skin's cells to use oxygen. This improved metabolism enhances the movement of young cells to the surface of the skin where they replace old cells.
Keeping the Skin Moist
Replacing moisture lost to aging is a prime reason why women use face creams. Most commercial face creams are oil-based and work by blocking the release of water from the skin. As people grow older, however, they cannot rely on oil-based preparations to block the release of moisture. That is because aged skin loses the ability to attract moisture in the first place and fundamentally becomes dehydrated. At this point, aged skin needs to be replenished with its natural moisturizer complex in order to attract and retain water.
The Inside Story
Nourishing the skin with topical ingredients is important, but in addition it is essential that you feed your skin nourishing food and drink. The effects of aging can be seen directly by looking at skin, not something possible for most organs in the body, which are hidden from view.
The following are general considerations for nutritional optimization of skin function:
1. As much as possible, remove all processed foods from your diet. There are two reasons for this. First, processed foods tend to contain high levels of sodium, sugar, fat, and other undesirables, such as color and preservatives. Second, processed foods usually contain less nutrition than whole foods. Strange as it may seem, "enriched bread" has had 60% of its minerals removed along with most of the fiber. Some nutrients have been added back, but only some. The nutrient density of processed foods is very low and leaves much to be desired.
2. Eat foods that are natural and whole, such as whole grains, fresh or frozen vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds, and so forth. Your plate should contain mainly fruits, vegetables, and grains with a small amount of protein, such as fish or poultry, added.
3. Drink plenty of water: 8 glasses a day are recommended. (Some of our water requirements can come from fruits and vegetables.)
4. Do not fry foods or barbecue them for long periods of time.
5. Eat foods that are high in antioxidants. These foods are highly colored, such as cantaloupe, spinach, berries, and cruciferous vegetables (cauliflower, cabbage, and sprouts).
6. Remove sugar and saturated fats. Use a sweetener if you like.
7. Take a good multivitamin with an added antioxidant formula, particularly mixed carotenes, vitamin C, vitamin E, selenium, and zinc. Add some vitamin A, the "skin vitamin," together with supplements of RNA and B vitamins (for coenzymes) and the minerals zinc, copper, and manganese. These provide even more intensive protection against damaging free radicals. The increased cellular energy helps the skin repair, renew, and revitalize itself. |
