You wear sunscreen every day (or, OK most days) and you think you’re stopping aging at the source, right? After all according to the US Environmental Projection Agency up to 90% of preventable aging is caused by UV exposure. For the last few decades everyone from dermatologists to beauty editors have been stressing the importance to SPF. “Wear sunscreen or you’ll look old and wrinkly way before your time” has always been our motto.
Have we been wrong this whole time? Here’s the thing SPF is NOT enough to protect you from sun damage. Sunscreens block UVA and UVB rays, but those rays only account for 7% of the sun’s energy!
New research finds that infrared radiation, which makes up 54% of solar energy, also causes aging – and it might even be worse than UV rays. While there is no one product that can totally guard you from infrared radiation, studies show that antioxidants in skin care help!
We have all heard the word “free radical” and we know that they aren’t good. But now we found that there isn’t just one free radical. There are *3 FAMILIES of free radicals that age us rapidly. What can we do to stop the madness? Eat fruits and veggies containing antioxidants and use products rich in Antioxidants.
More and more skin care experts now recommend wearing an antioxidant like TRS 24/7 Defense AND a sunscreen and many of them believe that the anti-oxidant portion is the most important of the duo!
What are free radicals?
To break it down, a free radical is an unstable oxygen molecule with an uneven number of electrons. These free radicals are looking to steal electrons from your cells in order to complete themselves and the result is damage in the form of inflammation, pigmentation and even DNA damage. Basically free radicals are our enemy! The more they accumulate in our skin the more they damage our healthy cells and the faster we age!
To the good news…antioxidants are the best-known way to neutralize these free radicals before they start attacking our healthy cells!
How do antioxidants work?
If free radicals are your enemies, then antioxidants are your heroes! Antioxidants provide the missing electron, so the free radicals don’t try to take them from your skin.
Antioxidants work to stop this damaging, disease-causing chain reaction that free radicals have started. Each type of antioxidant works either to prevent the chain reaction or stop it after it’s started.
Antioxidants help prevent the breakdown of elastin and when used with Retinols which speed up cell turnover and peptides which tell your skin to make more collagen the results are amazing! Bottom line: Remember to use an antioxidant serum, like TRS 24/7 Defense. 24/7 Defense had 18 potent powerhouse antioxidants that wipe out all 3 free radical families. The only one of its kind. – it might just be what keeps you looking younger!
At the Facial Bungalow we use a number of antioxidants in our skincare and facial treatments. To learn more please visit www.facialbungalow.com or schedule a 1-on-1 appointment with one of our aestheticians to find out what works best for your skin type.
*After almost sixty years of research, molecular biologists have identified three species (families) of free radicals and pro-oxidants that damage the skin.
Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) Most damaging of all radical families – ROS has the most members. Originates with the air we breathe, sunlight, stress, tobacco smoke, smog. Attacks all areas of cells, mutates DNA, destroys skin’s moisture barrier, destroys the dermis, begins and aggravates inflammation – the bottom line of aging and other skin problems. Reactive Carbonyl Species (RCS) A direct result of drinking alcohol, eating sugar & “browned” foods, plus the interplay with ROS and RNS, RCS hardens sugars to form a “crème brulee” coating on dermal proteins, leading to sagging skin, deep wrinkles, dark spots and inflammation. Reactive Nitrogen Species (RNS) Is involved in all forms of inflammation and worsens the damage of ROS & RCS. Produced by fumes from nitrogen-rich soil, smog, tobacco smoke – virtually all areas of our environment.