ANTIOXIDANTS: Inside and Outside

By Cathi DeThomas, CME

I think by now we all know that eating a diet rich in antioxidants (remember the “rainbow” – lots of color on your plate!) is great for your body in terms of long term health and disease prevention, as well as helping your skin remain more youthful and healthy. Putting those same antioxidants ON your skin is another beneficial way to keep that youthful glow.

What are some of the more effective antioxidants?

VITAMIN C:  Everyone knows this one – Vitamin C provides UVA/UVB protection, decreases pigmentation, reduces redness and increases collagen production.  As one of the most powerful antioxidants out there, it stops free-radical damage that occurs with sun-exposure, improving the appearance of the skin by reversing that damage.  It is best used both externally and internally.

VITAMIN A/RETINOIDS:  Most of us are familiar with the name “Retin-A”.  This is a trade name for the topical form of Vitamin A, an acid know as Tretinoin.  It was approved in 1971 initially to treat mild to moderate acne by speeding cell turnover and normalizing oil production.  In addition, it also promotes collagen/elastin formation, evens out pigment by suppressing melanocytes and creates younger, smoother-looking skin.  It is used externally in cream or gel formation and is one of our recommended “must have” antioxidants.

ALPHA LIPOIC ACID:  This is an acid that work in both aqueous and lipid environments, and is small enough to actually penetrate cell membrane.  This is very important, because Alpha Lipoic acid is a powerful antioxidant, and can reduce the free radical damage that causes premature aging.  It actually helps to recycle Vitamins C and E, preventing them from becoming free radicals in the skin.

COENZYME Q10:  Yet another powerful free radical scavenger, CoQ10  can reverse the damage caused by sun exposure, smoke, pollution and other environmental insults.  It also affects collagen and elastin production, and was found, in one German study, to reduce wrinkle depth of crow’s feet by 27% after 6 weeks of topical use. (Mitchell & Sengelmann – “The Botox Miracle”).  This antioxidant can be used both topically and orally.

These are some of the top and most commonly used antioxidants presently found in many skin care products.  Here at Laser Skin Solutions, you can take advantage of free consultation with our skin care specialists, who can recommend which of these formulations will be best for your and your skin care needs.

For more healthy and youthful looking skin, remember your antioxidants – both inside and out!