Free Radicals Damage Our SkinA free radical is a reactive atom that gets created in our skin from sun exposure, in the proteins, that make up our body that damages other parts of our skin. It damages collagen and causes inflammation. It is an oxygen molecule with negative charge.
Free Radicals Are A Natural Occurence
Atoms and molecules are happiest when they're not charged, no positive or negative charge. But a free radical has a negative charge that's not attached to anything. They are created very frequently in organisms that breathe oxygen, and in fact it's a natural result of being an oxygen-breathing organism.
Now our body has natural defenses against these free radicals. For example, we make superoxide dismutase, SODs, which is a way our bodies protect themselves from free radicals. Our bodies also have other systems for detoxifying free radicals and other toxic chemicals.
Our Shields Are Down
But the reality is as we stay in the sun longer and longer, we damage our body's way of defending ourselves. If you're a Star Trek fan, by the age of 30 or 35 our shields are down. The sun is no longer damaging our defenses, its directly damaging our skin.
People come into my office everyday and say to me "In the last five years I've just noticed so much damage." It's because our shields are down and the sun is pounding our skin directly.
Some treatment options for free radical damage include: Laser Skin Resurfacing, Fractional Laser Resurfacing, IPL, Radiofrequency Rejuvenation, Plasma Skin Regeneration or Injectables/ Dermal Fillers.
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