Ageing, antioxidants and oxidative stress

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The Hampton Clinic

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Have you ever heard of the beauty buzzword ‘oxidative stress’? And do you understand how it relates to ageing? No? We thought so. The science behind oxidative stress and ageing is often something that beauty geeks tend to grapple with. However, to celebrate National Stress Awareness Day (16th April), we wanted delve into the nitty-gritty of this bodily process, demystify the hard-core science behind it, and help you better understand how it’s linked to ageing. Better still, we want to educate you on how to prevent it.

So, what is oxidative stress?

Oxidative stress occurs in the skin when free radicals enter the body and start breaking down healthy cells.

Where do free radicals come from?

To put it simply, free radicals are absolutely everywhere! Although our body already produces some free radicals already, external factors like UV exposure, smoking, pollution, and eating processed and sugary foods cause more to be created. And since the skin is the most exposed to the outside world and environmental elements, unfortunately it’s the first to be damaged.

And what are free radicals?

(The quick science bit - don't worry, this won't take long!) Free radicals are unstable molecules. When they enter the skin, they steal a part of our beloved collagen and elastin to stabilise themselves. Unfortunately, damage to these structures  contributes to the loss of skin's firmness, strength, and radiance.

 

How can we prevent oxidative stress?

Given that free radicals are everywhere, our body has natural defences against much of the damage they cause. The hailed defenders of free radicals are called ‘antioxidants’, which stabilise the free radicals! In addition to upping our intake of anti-oxidant rich foods, such as those rich in vitamin C, E and A, we can also make some changes to our skin care routine. Below, we’ve cherry picked our favourite products that help prevent oxidative stress.

Image Skincare’s Vital C Serum

This hydrating serum incorporates the new technology of Vitamin C with the highest bioavailability to immediately soothe the visible effects of environmentally damaged skin, such as redness and dehydration. It also contains potent antioxidants to nourish the skin and create a healthy, youthful glow.

ZO Skin Health's C-Bright Serum

Otherwise known as liquid gold, this serum provides a potent, pure dose of Vitamin C that is stabilised to brighten and re-texturise the skin. It also contains powerful antioxidants to help defend against environmental triggers that cause pigmentation.

Rejuvenated’s H30 Night Repair

Wake refreshed and renewed with just one tablet! H30 hydration is rich in antioxidants, astaxanthin, and vitamins A, B, C, D & E.

Rejuvenated’s Collagen Shots 

This fruity miracle drink contains 10,000 mg hydrolysed marine collagen (responsibly-sourced fresh water white fish), hyaluronic acid, the super antioxidant acai berry, and vitamins B3, B5, C to nourish your skin from within.