In the most recent issue of Dermascope Magazine, they explored and explained ten important facts about the ever elusive Free Radical…
“In the course of every day life, ROS (Reactive Oxygen Species), commonly known as free radicals, are encountered in the environment and produced by the body. The birth and death of cells goes on continuously and is witnessed when injured skin is repaired by the elimination of the dead cells and replaced by new ones. Oxidation is a natural process that happens during normal cellular functions, however the downside is approximately two percent of cells will get damaged in the process and turn into free radicals capable of destroying healthy cells. As oxygen interacts with cells of any type, oxidation occurs. The example by which oxidation can be observed is when a cut apple begins to turn brown or rust appears on an object after exposure to the environment.
The term “FREE” describes damaged cells. These terrorist cells are missing a critical molecule that sends them on a destructive path to pair with another molecule. Free radicals play a significant role in diseases and accelerate the aging process. When free radicals are on the attack, they do not just kill cells to acquire their missing molecule. If free radicals just simply destroyed a cell the body would regenerate another one, however the problem is, free radicals are capable of injuring the cell and damaging the DNA creating the starting point for disease and aging. These destructive compounds break down into short-lived hydroxyl radicals reacting negatively with the body’s essential proteins and DNA. When a cell’s DNA changes, the cell becomes mutated which in turn grows abnormally and produces abnormally- and quickly. Free radicals chip away at cell walls, molecule by molecule, making holes followed by leakage and the loss of their chemical balances. Here are 10 important things you should know about free radicals:
1. Free radicals and external toxins surround us everyday. Cigarette smoke and pollution are a significant source of free radicals in our own environment. Our food and water harbor free radicals in the form of pesticides and other contaminants. Even breathing the air from inversions caused by smog is destructive to skin and hazardous to health. Many cities now post warnings to minimize the impact of free radical damage that have become a part of our daily lives. Skin care should juxtapose these environmental assaults with the use of powerful antioxidant professional formulations.
2. The way to slow the process of reactive oxygen species (ROS), skin aging is as simple as reducing the non-essential free radical activity by avoiding over exposure to the environment, applying a full spectrum SPF, using topical antioxidants professional only skin care, taking supplements and eating healthy foods with vitamins and minerals.
3. Alcohol in excessive amounts triggers substantial free radical production. Clinical evidence can be observed on the skin with discoloration, texture changes, capillary damage, edema, wrinkles, sagging, dark circles, poor healing, and slow response to skin treatments.
4. Free radicals are brokers for cell death. Out of control free radicals are dangerous because they trigger damaging chain reactions. There are numerous types of free radicals that can be formed within the body. The most common are the super oxide radical, hydroxyl radical, singlet oxygen radical, and hydrogen peroxide radical. One free radical can set off a domino effect causing incalculable cellular destruction. The process begins when a free radical oxidizes a fatty acid, changing that fatty acid into a free radical, which in turn then damages another fatty acid in rapid succession and so on and so on. This free radical damage is clinically evident on skin and attributed to the photoaging superimposed on the innate aging process. It is estimated that each skin kernaocyte has 5,000 hits of free radicals a day. As a result, the skin can age faster than any body organ can.
5. The manufacturing of collagen, lipids, or pigment in the skin produces free radicals. These free radicals can create damage to the components of the skin as they steal and electron from anotherr component to make themselves complete and stable, as in the case of wound healing and immune defense.
6. The sun and its proton energy is our largest free radical source causing oxidative stress benchmarked by the evidence of erythema and darkening of the skin in the form of a ‘tan’ or pigmentation. Oxidation damage is the basis of cumulative sunlight and can lead to skin cancer due to the mutant DNA damaged cells. Cigarette smoke, first or second hand, has active free radical generator that attack cells and impede skin recovery from sun damage, aging, acne, surgery, an compromise overall health that can lead to death.
7. Most chemical processes in the skin emit free radicals. In the body, the processing of food, the production of energy, and using energy creates free radicals. Breathing and using our muscles to perform functions also creates free radicals. Mitochondria are organelles in cells which are the central components generating the majority of energy from nutrients. Every cell in the body contains hundreds of mitochondria. Evidence indicates the mitochondria plays a significant role in aging and is the first to receive free radical attack in the cell.
8. Infections, such as acne for example, destroy components that must be repaired or reproduced which generates chemical processes that cause damage. When acne is involved it becomes another creator of free radicals because of inflammation. In the case of severe to moderate acne, this condition assumes the second position ahead of unprotected skin to sun exposure. Acne sufferers experience rapid aging to the skin because of the free radical attack. This acne fact substantiates the importance of antioxidant usage.
9. When free radicals steal an electron from one of the proteins contained in a strand of collagen, it causes a change in the chemical structure of the collagen causing a break in the collagen strand. Once a bundle of collagen has multiple points of damage the strand becomes dysfunctional and loses its elastic quality resulting in sagging skin due to lack of support.
10. Free radical damage and aging skin can be controlled and managed with the use of antioxidant skin care. The term antioxidant means ‘against oxidation.’ Antioxidants are unique because they donate an electron to a free radical and work to stop free radical chain reaction and prevent ROS damage after it has started. For example, vitamin C stops the sequence before it switches on and captures the free radical to neutralize it. Vitamin E is an excellent lipid soluble antioxidant to shield against pollution because of its capability to break the free radical chain reaction. Retinol is a strong source of antioxidant defense for the skin attaching retinoic receptors at the cell membrane and diffusing lipofuscin toxins. Chocolate contains more than 25,000 powerful antioxidants (twice that of red wine and three times more than green tea) and it also contains magnesium, zinc, and vitamin E. Flavonoids and polyphenols are part of a free radical protection protocol. Plant stem cell extracts guard skin from oxidative stress and helps reverse the damage brought on by free radical assault. In professional skin care one proven source of antioxidant therapy to reverse skin damage is alpha hydroxys that include glycolic and lactic acid peels together with formulations for home care, just to name a few.
In 1954, the free radical theory of aging was discovered by antioxidant pioneer, Denham Harmon Ph. D., who uncovered the fact that most aging changes are due to molecular damage brought on by reactive oxygen and antioxidant imbalance. Accumulation of oxidized proteins in the cells is a result of a disparity between their rate of generation and the tempo by which they are removed by specific proteolytic enzymes. A free radical attack on a cell membrane usually damages a cell to the point it must be removed by the immune system. Skin is the largest immune organe and the first to be attacked by free radicals. Under normal conditions the antioxidant system of our cellular defense can easily handle most free radicals produced. However, during the time of increased oxygen flux brought on by environmental exposure, smoking, pollution, stress,, foods, chemicals, ingredients, and lifestyle imbalances, this system is on overload, exceeding indigenous control, and removal of these toxins ultimately result in lipid peroxidation and damage. This cellular rancidity ultimately leads to premature aging and disease.
Free radicals are a natural state of our being and the good news is they have a short life. By preventing or controlling the imbalance of free radical assault and lipid peroxidation of the cells, we can better manage acne, aging, and other adverse skin conditions in addition to enjoying a healthier and longer life.
