What are Free Radicals?

07 April 2021

Free radicals are unstable molecules that can cause damage to our cells. They are naturally occurring within the body but we are also subject to lots of external factors that trigger the production of free radicals. They exist in our environment and can be generated from air pollution, UV radiation, smoking, alcohol, pesticides, and poor nutrition. Basically, free radicals can be anywhere, and you can be exposed to them in a number of ways. Your own body even produces them as a as a byproduct of your metabolism and as part of the natural aging process.

How do they damage your skin?

Due to their reactive nature, free radicals can cause havoc on your skin and other cells in their quest to find an electron. In order to stabilize themselves, free radicals try to bond to other atoms or molecules. This process results in oxidative stress which can damage DNA and other parts of the cell, Leading to premature wrinkles, pigmentation damage, a dull complexion and uneven skin tone and texture.

What can we do?

We may not be able to avoid free radical damage but we can definitely protect our skin against it. We can topically apply and be sure to ingest adequate amounts of antioxidants.

Antioxidants are compounds that can be found in food and in clinically proven formulations in skin care that stop or delay damage to our cells. They work by bonding to free radicals, which prevents them from bonding to your healthy cells causing damage.

Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Vitamin A (Retinol), Resveratrol, Green Tea Extract are all excellent topical antioxidants.

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