How Free Radicals Affect Skin Ageing?

Have you heard about free radicals and how they damage the skin? Yes, that's correct. These cause our bodies to age, and since they have an impact on both the inside and the outside of the skin, it is one of the areas where their negative effects are most noticeable.

Today, we will tell you how free radicals affect skin ageing as well as how to prevent it.

Let's know what free radicals are-

Free radicals are extremely unstable molecules that are created by a variety of chemical reactions that result in the breaking of other molecules. Depending on how many atoms they contain, free radicals can be classified into many categories. The free radicals that have the greatest impact on the skin are those that come from chemical reactions of oxygen, nitrogen and carbon.

How exactly are free radicals formed? The truth is that oxidation and the appearance of these unstable molecules are caused by the presence of oxygen in chemical reactions. However, other factors like tobacco smoke, pollution from the environment, UV radiation, and an inadequate diet also play a significant role in the formation of free radicals in the body.

Most free radicals have negative effects on our bodies, since these effects include:

  • They cause the skin and other organs to age prematurely.
  • They modify DNA.
  • They encourage the appearance of some diseases and illnesses.

It is a natural process, as our body ages, but the problem is serious when the balance between free radicals and antioxidants is lost and the former becomes many more than the latter.

How to prevent ageing by fighting free radicals?

There are types of free radicals that we cannot combat, such as those produced by our body with normal functioning, such as breathing, and there are also those that are good because they are antioxidants. Yes, there are antioxidant free radicals too.

Why is it good that they are antioxidants? The secret is that the most effective strategy to fight free radicals is to use antioxidants like these, or antioxidant vitamins C and E. How precisely do antioxidant vitamins interact with free radicals? In actuality, since they act by stopping the chemical reactions that occur during the oxidation of cells, that is, they prevent what causes their ageing. Specifically, when they combine with free radicals, they cause them to oxidise instead of the cells of our body.

So, here are some suggestions for fighting free radical damage and preventing early ageing of the skin and body:

  • Avoid using too much makeup and shield your skin from impurities found in the environment, such as smoke from cars. It is ideal to do this by regularly washing your skin and exfoliating your body, as well as by using micellar water and makeup removers daily.
  • Of course, stay away from harmful behaviours like drinking and smoking.
  • Consume a diet rich in foods that are high in antioxidants, such as flavonoids, coenzyme Q10, carotenes, selenium, zinc, copper, and vitamins A, C, and E. Among these foods are carrots, spinach, broccoli, lettuce, potatoes, parsley, sprouts, pumpkin, apples, strawberries, bananas, pomegranates, mango, melon, kiwi, blueberries, peppers, tomatoes, whole grains, green and other teas, wine, dairy products, egg yolk, seafood, etc. It is always better if they are produced in the most natural way possible, with little or no processing, for example organically produced foods.
  • Sunlight is essential for good health for the body, particularly for the skin. However, to prevent burns and heat exhaustion, wear sunscreen and seek shade whenever possible.
  • Additionally, never forget to stay hydrated, particularly in the summer or while working out.
  • Invest in specialised products to shield and heal the areas of the body where free radical damage to the skin is most severe. For instance, you can get items like eye contour and anti-ageing treatments that target wrinkles and blemishes.


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