Oxidative Stress and the Ageing Process.
Oxidative stress plays a major role in the ageing process and the development of chronic health conditions, and we hear it thrown around a lot when discussing skin ageing.
But what is oxidative stress exactly? How does it affect our skin, and how can we fight it?
To understand oxidative stress, we need to first talk about free radicals.
Free radicals are unstable atoms that damage healthy cells.
Free radicals are produced as a normal by-product of cell metabolism, and their production can be accelerated by a number of environmental and lifestyle factors (we discuss this more below).
Our bodies have a natural way of keeping free radicals in check, however, if your body’s production of free radicals surpasses its ability to control and neutralise them, the result is oxidative stress.
As the body ages, its ability to fight against free radicals decreases, which is why even healthy bodies experience ageing.
How does oxidative stress affect the skin?
Loss of collagen and elastin.
Wrinkles, lines, and sagging.
Uneven skin tone and rough texture.
Pigmentation, dark spots, and other discoloration.
Reduced barrier function,
Increased sensitivity and inflammation.
Decreased moisture.
Skin conditions such as dermatitis, acne, rosacea, vitiligo, photoaging, psoriasis.
How do we fight oxidative stress?
When it comes to minimising oxidative stress, prevention is critical, and our greatest ally is antioxidants.
Antioxidants, as their name suggests, are ANTI oxidants. Their primary job is scavenging free radicals from the body’s cells, and preventing and reducing the damage caused by oxidation.
Consume antioxidants.
Consuming a diet high in antioxidants is the best way to protect against oxidative stress and damage. Plant foods are rich sources of antioxidants, and are most abundant in fruits and vegetables, as well as other foods including nuts, whole grains, and some meats, poultry, and fish.
Want to know more about good sources of specific antioxidants? Check out this list here!
Take a targeted, high-quality supplement.
We naturally produce some antioxidants on our own, however, others are only available from the food we eat. Reinforcing your diet with high-quality, bioavailable supplements can help you get a wide spectrum of benefits unique to each antioxidant.
Our top recommendations for antioxidant supplementation:
Infinity Anti-Ox + Vitamin C from Vitasol: Contains Grapeseed Extract, Sea Buckthorn, Organic Beetroot, Acerola Cherry. These are potent antioxidants and a powerhouse of nutrients to help fight oxidative stress.
My Liposomal Glutathione from Therapure: Glutathione is considered to be the master antioxidant, found in every cell in the body. Research has shown that low levels of glutathione have been found in skin with acne, eczema, psoriasis, and other inflammation-based skin conditions.
Apply antioxidants topically
As the skin is the largest organ in the body subjected to oxidative stress, skin care products with antioxidants are essential to your skin health, with the antioxidants working within the skin to neutralise free radicals.
Our favourite antioxidant-filled skin care products:
DMS Mask with Vitamins from Dermaviduals: This leave-on mask is a vitamin cocktail for the skin, nourishing environmentally damaged skin and restoring hydration. It contains a very effective combination of powerful antioxidants and free radical scavengers, including Vitamins A, C, E, B5, and F.
A Customised Serum with ingredients from our Dermaviduals Mixing Bar: We love Green Tea Extract, Vitamin A, Vitamin B, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Co-Enzyme Q10, Vitamin D. Formulated and customised by our expert Corneotherapist based on your specific skin needs.
An important thing to note is that the efficacy and benefit of topical antioxidants are very much dependent on the delivery system used. A product may contain Vitamin A or C however without an effective delivery system there is no guarantee that the ingredients will reach the cells that actually need it.
Read more about the importance of delivery systems here!
How else can we minimise oxidative stress?
As we mentioned before, external factors and lifestyle choices can accelerate oxidative stress:
Exposure to toxic chemicals (pesticides, air pollution, carcinogens)
Smoking
Alcohol
UV exposure
Fatty, fried foods
Poor sleep quality
High-stress levels
In addition to keeping antioxidant levels high, it is just as important to limit exposure to the environmental and lifestyle factors that contribute to free radical production.
Contact our team via email at hello@plumeskin.com.au for more information about how you can manage oxidative stress and slow premature skin ageing.