What is oxidative stress? How do free radicals influence skin aging?
Have you already entered the time when you dread your birthday? The passage of time is something that, sometimes, I don't take well at all... Not because of the fact itself, but because of all the consequences that coming of age brings with it (among which are the signs of aging on the skin... ) And all because of the oxidative stress of the skin!
Why does the skin age?
It is a fact. From the age of 25, skin aging accelerates as a result of the slowdown in cell renewal ; that is, the constant process in the organism in which new cells reproduce while the old ones die.
Thanks to cell renewal , the body manages to replace or repair damaged cells , tissues and organisms . However, as this process slows down, the signs of aging begin to appear on the skin , as well as wrinkles , expression lines , spots , dark circles ...
Why does cell renewal slow down?
It's all the fault of the oxidative stress of the skin ! Oxidative stress is the process by which skin cells can become damaged due to increased free radicals and oxygen in the epidermis.
Thus, it can be said that this cellular damage is caused by the simple functioning of the skin cells , since their life produces , thanks to their chemical reactions , reactive oxygen species , which are commonly called ' free radicals from the skin ' .
Although to a large extent our body can neutralize the harmful effects that they can cause to the skin , over the years this ability to control them is considerably reduced , causing the cells to begin to age , until they end up being destroyed .
In this way, many scientific studies affirm that free radicals are the cause of 70% of skin aging .
Why does the production of free radicals in the skin increase?
The production of free radicals in the skin is inevitable since, as I said before, the simple functioning of the cells can increase it . However, there are more causes for these chemical reactions to appear on the skin, such as a lack of antioxidants in the epidermis, high-intensity physical exercise , pollution , or tobacco or alcohol consumption .
In this way, leading unhealthy lifestyle habits can lead to premature aging of the skin through oxidative stress . This is due to the reduction of collagen , elastin and hyaluronic acid in the epidermis , effectively caused by free radicals .
How to prevent oxidative stress of the skin?
To prevent and avoid oxidative stress it is essential to add antioxidants and a good sunscreen to our daily facial routine . Antioxidants are substances that prevent oxidative stress thanks to their great capacity to neutralize free radicals in the skin. In men's cosmetics ( and cosmetics in general), the most widely used is vitamin C.
Therefore, the
In addition, it is important to sleep 8 hours a day , since it is during the night when the cells regenerate and repair the damage caused by external agents during that same day, among which are stress , pollution , exposure to the sun or cold , among others.
On the other hand, to prevent oxidative stress it is essential to do moderate exercise and maintain a balanced diet rich in vitamins, minerals and antioxidant enzymes.
Now that you know how to prevent premature aging and how to control oxidative stress and free radicals in the skin, don't be afraid of birthdays (I'm not afraid of anything anymore!)
And, if you want to continue reading on the subject, discover what external factors increase the production of free radicals in the skin .
