Free Radical Theory of Skin Aging

Free Radical And Skin Aging 

The free radical theory of aging, one of the 6 main causes of aging, also applies to the aging of the skin. Environmental causes for the accumulated cellular damage in the aging of skin whereby the oxidative processes and resulted free radical include UV sunlight, smog, toxins, cigarette smoke, X-rays, drugs, and other stressors (poor diet, excess alcohol consumption, stress, harsh soaps or detergent-based moisturizers, fatigue). It is our body’s sufficient cellular energy ATP (for DNA repair and cell renewal) and antioxidant enzymes such as SOD and catalase that protect us form the damages of free radicals caused by various factors when we are young. As we age, the energy for cell repair and renewal and the antioxidant enzymes are less available or severely reduced.

Free radicals causes skin protein collagen to break down and then crosslinking in a different way. Collagen crosslinking causes the normally mobile collagen to become stiff and less mobile. Free radicals also damage the lipid bilayer cell membrane of the skin cell and make the membrane more permeable, causing skin cells to dehydrate (lose water) and activating such enzymes to break down the lipid bilayer and induce a self-maintained micro-inflammatory process, another cause of the 6 main causes of general aging, that damage skin structure and interferes with skin elasticity and thickness. Thus, fat soluble antioxidants are required to protect cell membrane from damaging free radicals.

Free radicals cause permanent gene mutations as well. In addition, free radicals activate signal transduction pathways that contribute to changes in cell growth, differentiation, senescence, and contribute to connective tissue degradation.


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