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Why antioxidants are essential to your daily sun protective skin routine

Do you wear sunscreen daily even though the summer is almost over? If so, that is a great start, but there is more you can do to protect your skin from ultraviolet radiation, pollution and ionizing radiation, all of which accelerate aging and may lead to skin cancer development. Here is the advice our dermatologists give to our patients in the Boston area: Consider using a skin care product with an antioxidant, in addition to your sunscreen!

Benefit of antioxidants for your skin

Antioxidants including vitamin C, vitamin E, green tea, coffeeberry extract and others act to protect your skin cells from free radicals, which accelerate the aging process and damage skin cells. Vitamin C, which is one of the strongest and best studied antioxidants, is a vital nutrient needed for the growth and repair of tissues all over the body. It is not made by humans and has poor bioavailability – meaning you can’t drink enough orange juice to replenish the levels in your skin.

The most active and effective form of vitamin C is L-ascorbic acid. L-ascorbic acid has been shown to increase collagen synthesis and reduce the appearance of wrinkles, as well as decrease the DNA damage caused by ultraviolet radiation. That’s why in the morning, it is important to protect your skin and prevent further damage by applying an antioxidant in addition to UV protection with a sunscreen agent.

The L-ascorbic acid form of vitamin C can be found in many skin care products, including SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic acid, SkinCeuticals Phloretin CF Gel, and La Roche Posay Active C serum.

Not all vitamin C skin care products are effective though. Vitamin C oxidizes very easily and loses its effectiveness once oxidized. Proper product formulation can extend stability of vitamin C serums, which partly explains why vitamin C skin products are expensive. If you are not sure which Vitamin C product is right for your skin, contact your dermatologist or one of our specialists at SkinCare Physicians near Boston.

Add an antioxidant to your daily sun protection skin care routine, but don’t forget your sunscreen! Remember ultraviolet radiation is the main cause of premature aging of the skin. Sunscreen with a high SPF (at least 30 or higher) and broad spectrum is a must to prevent wrinkling and sun damage that can lead to skin cancer formation.