Premature aging
Friday, November 13th, 2009
An atom contains electrons, and electrons need to be paired up for the atom to be considered stable.
A free radical is an unstable oxygen atom, one that contains an unpaired electron that is looking for another suitable electron with which it can form a pair. As such the unstable oxygen atom attacks healthy cells, causing damage to the skin, that results in premature aging.
I understand what you are thinking “Okay… THIS is getting technical”
So lets put it in terms that we can ALL understand shall we? One word – Relationships.
A celebrity couple comes to mind here, but I’ll keep it generic.
You know when there is a cute, affectionate, have-it-all couple thats just going about enjoying life and each other in HappyCouple Land – we will refer to this couple as ‘stable couple‘. Then comes along a single wild child looking for something, someone, anything really to complete them. We will refer to this being as ‘unstable being‘.
‘Unstable being‘ buzzes around and eventually attaches him/herself to one half of ‘stable couple‘ and three doesn’t make pleasant company. So what happens?
At some point ‘stable couple‘ becomes ‘not-so-stable’ couple, and ‘unstable being‘ now becomes stable when it pairs itself with half of ‘stable couple‘, leaving the next half of ‘stable couple‘, unstable in HappyCouple Land. Now everyone’s lives in HappyCouple Land is now put under strain because noone knows what the hell to do with this new unstable being in HappyCouple Land.
Well free radicals act in the same way where
Free Radical (unstable oxygen atom) = Unstable being
Stable Atom = Stable couple
Healthy Skin = Happy Couple Land
Still confused? Okay.
It’s like a when a someone takes your partner and you didn’t see it coming. The same partner that you invested the past few years with and then comes along someone with squat to offer and *snap* s/he’s outta there. You are left in total bewilderment, and then you start thinking irrationally. The ‘someone’ who took your partner is considered to be the free radical.
So back to the first sentence, a free radical is an unstable oxygen atom, one that contains an unpaired electron that is looking for another suitable electron with which it can form a pair. As such the unstable oxygen atom attacks healthy cells, causing damage to the skin, that results in premature aging. Clearer?
Thought so 
The following are considered free radical agents, things that prematurely age skin.
Environmental Pollution
Air pollution can not only rob the skin of important vitamins (like not allowing skin to create enough Vitamin D) but it can also disallow skin to breathe and function properly
Smoking
- Increase wrinkles by 82%
One pull on the cigarette produces 1 billion free radicals. *side eye*
Stress
One of the chief contributors to an increased population of free radicals, it triggers and/or aggravates skin conditions.
Ultraviolet Rays
UVRS cause a splurge of free radicals on skin. This breaks down elastin, a protein in the skin that gives it elasticity, turning it into something similar to a dried out rubber band. This effect of free-radicals can make you appear much older than your actual age.
Hormones
From young adult hood, to pregnancy to menopause… hormones are everywhere
Diet
Alcohol, caffeine and high fat foods are key offenders
Medication
Can cause photosensitivity, making skin more susceptible to sun burn, as well as triggering other skin conditions like acne.
Extreme climate conditions
Cold, Wind, Snow, Heat.
Huh.
Supernova
.