Article One – “Carotenoid in Human Skin” by Juergen Lademann, Martina C. Meinke, Wolfram Sterry and Maxim E. Darvin
Antioxidants are an important component to a healthy lifestyle. Besides helping with the overall wellness and of an individual, antioxidants are beneficial to the health of the skin. They support the formation of collagen and elastin, help reduce fine lines and wrinkles, fight free radicals and help protect against sun damage.
Antioxidants can be found in fruits and vegetables that have carotenoids, or fat soluble pigments. Examples of antioxidants are vitamins A, C, E and D, beta carotene, lycopene and lutein. The more antioxidants present in the skin, the healthier and more youthful the skin appears. A medical journal article called “Carotenoids in Human Skin”, reported findings from their study that stated “Individuals with a high carotenoid concentration in their skin presented less furrows and wrinkles in comparison with volunteers possessing a low value of carotenoid concentration.” The article goes on to state that, “These results are not surprising, because UV radiation of the sun is one major cause for premature skin aging. Free radicals produced by UV radiation also destroy elastin and collagen fibers in collagen fibers thus confining their repair.” This study provides quantifiable evidence that antioxidants protect the skin and maintain its vitality. This makes a lot of sense, as antioxidants are free radical scavengers.
Free radicals are formed by the full spectrum of the sun (both ultraviolet rays and infrared radiation), pollution, smoking and alcohol consumption. Free radicals attempt to steal electrons from skin cells, thereby damaging the cells and causing damaged cell replication. Antioxidants have extra electrons in the outer ring of their molecules and are able to give the extra electrons to the free radicals, thus avoiding damage to the skin cells. Antioxidants also aid the skin by assisting with collagen and elastin production, which helps to reduce fine lines and wrinkles in the skin.
The antioxidants in one’s diet protect the skin by getting to where they can be most beneficial: the skin’s surface. The study “Carotenoids in Human Skin” showed that, “carotenoids penetrate with the sweat from the skin surface inside the epidermis in the same manner as topically applied formulations.” Additionally, the study found, “The presented explanation is confirmed by the fact that the concentration of carotenoids in the epidermis is high in body sites with a high density of sweat glands, such as the palms soles, and forehead, in comparison with other areas. The same effect has been observed previously with vitamin E.” So since antioxidants from one’s diet find their way to the surface of the skin through the body’s sweat, the highest concentration of antioxidants show up in the areas of skin that sweat the most: the palms of the hands, the soles of the feet and the forehead.
In addition to enjoying foods that are high in antioxidants, there are also antioxidant creams available that can be applied topically to the skin. The previously mentioned study asserted that, “Topically applied antioxidants penetrate into the skin and increase their concentration in the upper layers of the epidermis.” This is important, because the top layers of the skin experience the most damage from external factors, like sun and pollution. The study concluded, “Thus topically applied antioxidants are able to enrich the defense potential of the upper layers of human skin, which is important for the defense of the skin against the action of environmental hazards and irradiations.” This is very exciting! Since topical antioxidants can be applied evenly to the surface of the skin, they are able to provide protection where it is needed most. Cloud Vitamin Cream has a wonderful topical cream that contains the powerful antioxidant retinyl palmitate. As retinyl palmitate is a vitamin A derivative, it markedly increases the levels of antioxidant protection on the skin. This antioxidant shield of retinyl palmitate assures healthier and younger looking skin.
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