Why do I need anti-oxidants really~ and what is a free radical anyway? (The Benefits of Vitamin C)

It seems we hear about anti-oxidants all over the place; from food, drinks, vitamins and skincare.  Everyone brags how their product is loaded with this super powerhouse that will help in all sorts of important aspects.  But do you really know what these benefits are, and what they are fighting?  Where do these super duper anti-oxidants come from? 

To best understand what an anti-oxidant is doing for you, it is important to know what they are fighting.  Enter the Free Radical...(sound like something I used to see on my old college campus in Eugene).  Seriously though, the free radical causes tremendous damage to your skin if left unchecked.  To put it simply, free radicals are unstable molecules that are missing an electron and are floating in the air -such as UV rays, pollution or smoke, that bombard our skin and wage a war on our stable molecules for electrons.  As they rip electrons from our stable molecules to help stabilize themselves, a chain reaction of newly created free radicals is caused in our own bodies that leaves behind destruction in our skin that can be seen in the form of things such as fine lines, dark spots, and accelerated aging.  Ugh, not what we were hoping for.  

Enter the Anti-oxidant!  There are many different forms of effective anti-oxidants.  Some of my favorites are Vitamins A, C, E, (which when used together are even more potent).  I adore Niacinimide, resveratrol, and coEnzyme Q10.   Each of these ingredients have benefits beyond just anti-oxidant, however for now lets focus just on Vitamin C.  

Probably the most hyped anti-oxidant is vitamin C- It is great at boosting your immune system, slowing aging, and maintaining a youthful glow.  One of the key ways this vitamin keeps your youthfulness is by helping your body produce collagen.  Since we know that collagen helps keep our skin plump and tight, this is certainly something we want to boost.  So, the more naturally we can get our bodies to product collagen, the less lines you are likely to develop.  Not only does the vitamin C help collagen production in our skin, but it also helps collagen production throughout our body.  The absorbing acid in vitamin c helps in the production of the protein collagen which travels to certain parts of our bodies that are in need of support or repair; scars, blood vessels, surface level abrasions among other things.  

So all that collagen stuff is great, but how do the anti oxidants stop the free radicals?  

Here you go:  Remember how the free radicals were stealing electrons from the healthy molecules in our bodies/skin?  Here is where the anti-oxidants step up and lend an electron to the free radicals, thus stopping the chain of damage that they have started.  So what you get from anti-oxidants is a process of stopping the damage from occurring, plus a process of rebuilding the structure of the skin and body.  However, I do think it is important to take anti-oxidants internally and topically.  So improve your diet, eat the rainbow (as my doc says).  Then find good skincare that you know works.  I will list some excellent vitamin C and Niaminicide products below that I have in stock for you.  

Of course, I can always answer any questions for you, I am more than happy to help.  

Thank you

~Lynn

Lbussing@me.com

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Silke Face Cream

Lira Bio Hydra C Serum 

Skinscript RX Retinaldehyde Serum with Iconic A

Skinscript RX Vitamin C /Greentea serum

All this hand washing, are your dry hands actually a disadvantage around germs?

It has always been recommended that we wash our hands frequently, however with onset of COVID-19, it is not only recommended but necessary.  I know in my profession, I wash my hands multiple times during one facial, let alone many times during the day beyond that.  There are times when a good paraffin soak feels absolutely necessary to restore my hands to a state of hydration perfection.  But that is not always possible, not for me and not for the majority of people.  With the new hand washing recommendations I know I am not alone in suffering the dryness and cracking that comes with repeated washing and the constant use of hand sanitizers.  Not only are our hand suffering from the dryness, they may also be more vulnerable to bacteria and infection.  

So how can our hands be more susceptible to these horrible germy things when we are constantly cleaning them?   Well it's the same as the skin on our face.  When we are constantly washing and using drying sanitizers, our skin becomes so dry and taught it developes tiny micro tears or cracks in the skins natural barrier.  These little cracks are not usually seen by the naked eye, but can develop into larger, more uncomfortable cracks.  Even when unseen however, these little cracks and tears offer perfect entrance points for bacteria and illness to enter our bodies.  

I am in no way recommending you wash your hands less, we need to follow the CDC guidelines of washing our hands for 20 seconds minimum.  However there are things we can do to help keep our skin as moisturized as possible and try to avoid dryness.  First of all, start with a liquid hand soap, one that has mostly natural botanicals and cold pressed oils.  I have found Raw Sugar from Target is an excellent choice.  Avoiding bar soap is always a good idea, the binders tend to have a high PH (causing dryness) as well as the fact that I find it hard to locate bat soaps with ingredients that I am completely comfortable with.  (Some hand made are fine, but not entirely cost effective).  Second, you must moisturize, moisturize, moisturize!  This doesn't mean you have to do it all day long.  If you have a good cream, you may be able to get by with 2-3 times a day and a good slather before bed.  I highly recommend Cerave cream in the tub, found in drug stores or Costco.  Not the lotion, the cream.  This is actually made to PROTECT your skin barrier, and that is exactly what you want.  You may in fact find this cream is very helpful in alieviating your dry, itchy winter skin as well!  

Take note however, if you were dry before, are older or have eczema; it is more important than ever for you to increase the frequency of times you moisturize your hands!  This is also true for people who live in low humidity areas or are using forced air heat.  These elements all contribute to additionally drying your skin.  

Keep washing, moisturize, and stay healthy!  If you have questions, feel free to ask.  

-L