#freeradical

Skin Science and Health – May 22, 2023

Skin Cancer and what you need to know.

Skin cancer accounts for most malignancies across the globe. They are primarily divided into melanoma and nonmelanoma skin malignancies. Nonmelanoma skin cancer includes basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma. .One in every three cancers diagnosed in the world is a skin cancer.There were more than 320,000 cases of skin cancer globally in 2020, the most recent figures available from the World Cancer Research Fund International.Skin cancer is the most common cancer in Ireland, with over 13,000 new cases diagnosed every year. The National Cancer Registry of Ireland (NCRI) expects this number to double by 2040.Skin cancer is a disease of skin cells. Nine out of every 10 cases are caused by UV rays from the sun or sunbeds. Over exposure to UV rays, which leads to tanning, redness or burning of the skin, causes damage to skin cells. While much of this damage is repaired some remains and can lead to skin cancer later in lifeYou need to use protection even indoors and behind the wheel of the car, as UVA penetrates through glass .The phrase 'high SPF' sounds ­reassuring, but it may give a false sense of security as a product with this factor only refers to protection against UVB rays, which is not quite enough. So this typically means that you might stay out in the sun for longer as the perception is that you are not burning. In the meantime UVA travels like a X-ray and damages deeper in to the skin. UVA is the primary radiation used in tanning beds. It causes almost all forms of skin ageing , including wrinkles. UVA damages the collagen and elastin in the skin and also generates free radicals.

Skin Science and Health – July 16, 2022

Antioxidant to address oily or blemished skin .

A clinical study showed statistically significant visible improvement in skin clarity, skin tone evenness, and post-blemish marks after 4 weeks of using SkinCeuticals Silymarin CF once

Skin Science and Health – June 13, 2022

Free radicals- what are they ?

Free radicals  are naturally-occurring, unstable and highly reactive molecules that latch onto and steal electrons, such as healthy cells, ultimately causing a breakdown in DNA of the skin. External factors trigger and increase their production. More often than not, the damaged cells are those responsible for the natural production of collagen, elastic and hyaluronic acid—all of which form skin’s structure and firmness—and the depletion of this can lead to signs of ageing like fine lines, sagging, dullness and even pigmentation. Just think of a cut apple that’s been left out in the air—that wrinkled discolouration is a result of oxidation caused by free radicals. And the same effects can happen to our skin. 

Skin Science and Health – October 17, 2021

How does skin change over the years?

Skin is a living organ and undergoes significant changes during a person’s lifetime: from the delicate skin of a new-born baby, through the teenage years when some are acne-prone, to the wrinkles of later life. Each stage has its own demands and skin care should reflect these changing needs. Choosing appropriate products to cleanse, protect, nourish and repair skin at each of these stages will help to keep it healthy and ensure that your skin looks and feels its natural best, whatever your age. How is skin different at each age and stage?

Skin Science and Health – July 24, 2021

Pigmentation - the story continues.

Hyperpigmentation is an umbrella term used to define common skin conditions — including post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH), melasma and sun spots — in which patches of skin become darker than the surrounding area. The darkening of the skin results from an excess in melanin — the natural pigment that determines skin, hair and eye colour — and frequently appears on the face, hands and other parts of the body regularly exposed to sunlight.

Skin Science and Health – January 25, 2021

Antioxidants Explained.

Antioxidants - When we’re exposed to UV, pollution or other stressors such as smoke and chemicals, free radicals form in the skin. At a cellular level, these free radicals can kick off a chain reaction that causes a huge path of destruction and often, ultimately, the death of the cell.

Skin Science and Health – January 07, 2021

Lipids such as Cholesterol, Essential fatty acids and Ceramides and their role in ageing skin.

Essential fatty acids, Ceramides and Cholesterol are all naturally occurring lipids in the correct ratio in healthy skin. Lipids are the good fats in your skin that make it look healthy and young; as you age, your skin loses them, causing dullness, dryness, and wrinkles. These healthy fats play a critical role in maintaining a healthy functioning skin barrier. The skin barrier is Crucial for this skin barrier function is the lipid matrix in the outermost layer of the skin, the stratum corneum.

Skin Science and Health – January 02, 2021

Free radicals & Antioxidants.

What are free radicals?Natural chemical reactions in our cells produce unwanted by-products called reactive oxygen species (ROS) – better known as free radicals. These furiously ping about inside cells causing havoc, particularly a type of damage called oxidation. Seen an apple go brown? Smelt oil or nuts that have gone off? That’s oxidation. Unchecked, a disastrous chain reaction would occur in which cell’s most precious elements – their fat rich membranes, their proteins and DNA - would degrade and suffer irreparable harm.There’s also a whole other source of free radicals - the environment. The skin is bombarded by sunlight (UV, infrared, visible light), weather and pollution which trigger the production of free radicals.

Skin Science and Health – January 02, 2021

What can be done to slow the ageing process?

We start losing collagen from the age of 20, starting the creation of lines and wrinkles. Healthy skin reflects overall health, and poor nutrition can contribute to factors that accelerate skin ageing.Environmental factors such as ultraviolet radiation, pollution, nutrition and stress, play a key role in the way we age. Research also suggests that a diet rich in sugar contributes to the loss of collagen in the tissues as the result of a process known as glycation, which can destroy collagen. Smoking kills vitamin C and in turn damages collagen. 

Skin Science and Health – May 03, 2020

Antioxidants help to protect against Free Radical damage.

Free radicals are unstable molecules that can cause damage to our cells. What makes them unstable is that they are missing electrons from their outer shell. This causes them to search for other atoms or molecules that have these electrons, in order for them to feel whole again and become stable. Due to their reactive nature, free radicals can wreak havoc on your skin and other cells in their quest to find an electron and feel whole again. In order to stabilise themselves, free radicals try to bond to other atoms or molecules.