What is so nasty about free-radicals, and what part to they play in aging and wrinkles?
Scientists around the world agree that the best way to fight free-radicals is with antioxidants. But what is so nasty about free-radicals, and what part to they play in aging and wrinkles?
Free radicals are produced naturally in our bodies as a result of everyday life, including stress and pain. Specific free radicals attack specific tissue and organs, and the most obvious result is when they attack the collagen in our skin. It loses tone, elasticity and clarity and develops lines and wrinkles.
This occurs as we age because our bodies ability to produce enough antioxidants to combat free radicals diminishes with time. Add to this that collagen production, which gives skin its strength and elasticity, also slows.
But when cosmetic companies boast about their products containing antioxidants to fight free radicals, all may not be as it seems. There are in fact many different kinds of free-radicals, each with a specific detoxifying antioxidant. To illustrate: beta carotene quenches the singlet oxygen radical, Vitamin E quences the peroxyl radical and Idebenone quenches the very dangerous oxy radical.
No matter what the advertising says, there is absolutely no anti aging cream on the market that can fight all of the free radicals that cause skin aging. But they could certainly contain more antioxidants. The reason they don't is that it is just too expensive. Such skincare creams would make the product out of the price range of just about everyone.
LifeCell, an anti aging cream from the highly regarded South Beach company, has now set a new standard in quality ingredients resulting in a skincare cream that is second to none.
South Beach have made a commitment to only include an ingredient if it's therapeutic benefits are proven and that it is in beneficial quantities. Many cosmetic companies include miniscule amounts of some antioxidants - just enough to be listed as an ingredient, but too expensive to include in useful amounts.
When they list Vitamin C as an ingredient, it is likely to be the cheapest form of Vitamin C (L-Absorbic Acid) which has the potential to cause skin redness and irritation. LifeCell's Vitamin C antioxidant is in fact Ascorbyl Palmitate, an extremely effective and safe form of Vitamin C. Sure its more expensive, but the people at South Beach wouldn't have it any other way for LifeCell.
Dithiolane-3-Pentanoic Acid (D3PA) is a universal antioxidant which is produced naturally in our bodies, with production decreasing with age. LifeCell has a high concentration of D3PA to help vanquish the free radicals that specifically cause ugly wrinkles. D3PA also boosts the levels of other antioxidants in our bodies, including Vitamins E, C and Gluthaione. D3PA is unique in this ability.
One of the most potent antioxidants, Idebenone, increases cellular energy, and accelerates the body's ability to replace old dry skin with fresh rejuvenated skin, and boosts our body's ability to produce collagen.
If LifeCell contained these antioxidants alone it would be way ahead of any other skincare product, but the list of ingredients with proven therapeutic anti wrinkle and anti aging benefits goes way further.
