RT Book, Section
A1 Baumann, Leslie
SR Print(0)
ID 1174542502
T1 Antioxidants
T2 Cosmeceuticals and Cosmetic Ingredients
YR 2015
FD 2015
PB McGraw-Hill Education
PP New York, NY
SN 9780071793988
LK dermatology.mhmedical.com/content.aspx?aid=1174542502
RD 2024/09/10
AB The  skin  has  naturally  occurring  antioxidants  that  protect  against  the  ravages  of  free  radicals  by  reducing  and  neutralizing  them  (see  Chapter  2,  Basic  Cosmetic  Chemistry,  for  an  explanation  of  free  radicals).  Antioxidative  enzymes  that  naturally  occur  in  the  skin  include  superoxide  dismutase,  catalase,  and  glutathione  peroxidase;  nonenzymatic  endogenous  antioxidative  molecules  are  α-tocopherol  (vitamin  E),  ascorbic  acid  (vitamin  C),  glutathione,  and  ubiquinone  (better  known  as  coenzyme  Q10  or  CoQ10).1  However,  as  part  of  the  natural  aging  process  our  defense  mechanisms  decrease.  This  leads  to  an  imbalance  and  increased  number  of  unchecked  free  radicals,  which  engender  damage  to  DNA,  cytoskeletal  elements,  cellular  proteins,  and  cellular  membranes.  Moreover,  many  of  these  antioxidant  defense  mechanisms  are  inhibited  by  ultraviolet  (UV)  and  visible  light.2,3  Topical  antioxidants  are  currently  marketed  for  the  prevention  of  aging  and  UV-mediated  skin  damage.  The  free  radical  theory  of  aging  explains  why  antioxidants  are  thought  to  prevent  wrinkles,  but  this  theory  does  not  justify  the  use  of  antioxidants  to  treat  wrinkles  that  are  already  present.  Several  companies  claim  that  their  antioxidant-containing  products  “treat”  wrinkles;  however,  this  is  an  exaggeration.  The  only  antioxidant  that  can  improve  wrinkles  that  have  already  been  formed  is  ascorbic  acid,  through  its  effects  on  collagen  synthesis.4