THE SKIN IS THE LARGEST ORGAN IN THE BODY AND IT ACTS AS a protective barrier against the outside environment.
Collagen is the support structure of the skin and it works to keep skin plump and wrinkle free. However, as we age, collagen production in the body slows down leaving less support under the skin. This is when wrinkles and sagging skin begins to appear. This breakdown is accelerated by external factors, including exposure to the sun, pollution, cigarette smoke and unhealthy diets.
The breakdown of the skin structure is caused by free radical damage. Free radical damage happens at the atomic level when an oxygen molecule is involved in a chemical reaction that causes it to lose one of its electrons. Electrons are meant to be in pairs and when an oxygen molecule is missing an electron, it is called a free radical. Exposure to UV rays and pollution causes this chemical reaction that separates the electrons.
Each oxygen molecule that is missing an electron must take an electron from another molecule and then that molecule must take an electron from another molecule, causing a chain reaction. This chain reaction is called free radical damage and it occurs in less than one second.
Fortunately, this free radical damage can be stopped, which is where anti- oxidants come into play. Anti-oxidants attach to other molecules. The anti-oxidant then immediately stops fee radical damage.
Vitamin C has been scientifically proven to be the most effective anti-oxidant for the skin. Ingesting vitamin C can be helpful, although topical preparations are more beneficial, delivering a larger quantity of anti-oxidants to the skin.
Vitamin C protects the skin from the damage caused by exposure to the sun's harmful UV rays. While it does not block the sun like a sunscreen, it neutralizes the free radicals that are produced as a result of exposure to the sun.
It also benefits the skin in other ways. Vitamin C has healing properties and helps to reduce redness after skin peeling treatments. It also has a lightening effect on age spots and it assists in the production of new collagen, leaving the skin with a more youthful appearance.
While the aging process cannot be stopped, we can slow down the process and even reverse some of the damage caused by free radicals. To take care of yourself, your must get plenty of rest exercise, eat a balanced diet and nourish your skin with an effective anti-oxidant like vitamin C in order to have a healthy vibrant skin at any age.
Jessica Taylor is a professional aesthetician and is the owner of Jessica's Mobile Beauty Service in Calgary, AB.
Published in CANADIAN HAIRDRESSER MAGAZINE June 2004
