For the past few years, we have heard all of this talk about antioxidants and free radicals.    You probably know that antioxidant help with free radical damage, but if you are like our average patient, that is about all you know.  Free radicals cause aging such as fine lines and wrinkles in the skin.  So you must be wondering if you have them in your body.    Well, the answer is yes!  We all do. 

Free radicals come from the damage of our environment to our body.  Common culprits include radiation, pollution, smoke, and chemicals such as herbicedes.  Free radicals attach themselves to our healthy cells stealing an electron if they cannot find an antioxidant available to bond.    These free radicals accumulate in our body over the years.  Because we cannot avoid free radicals, antioxidants are recommended to neutralize them.   Antioxidants come from fruits and vegetables.  They also come in form of products targeted especially for your face, chest, neck, and hands and supplements.  

Now you have to sort through all the advertisements to decide which antioxidant is best for you.  For starters, you should eat 5-8 servings of fruits and vegetables every day.  You should also wear a sunscreen that protects you from UVA and UVB rays.  Finally, you should select a skin care product with antioxidant protection that is appropriate for your skin.   In our experience, we have not found a single one-for-all antioxidant.    For more protection especially targeting your skin, there are many products to choose from.  They often have other active ingredients with other benefits.   Also the base in which these products are placed is not always appropriate for each individual skin type.  Below is recommendations based on the products we are familiar with and what we have found effective in our practice.

Beautix’s Time Interrupted by Massiha MD- Oily or Dry Skin; Fine lines and wrinkles; photo damaged skin

Cosmedix’s  Affirm- Dry Skin

Obagi’s  C-Effectives Professional 20%- Oily Skin

Obagi’s  C-Effectives Professional 15%- Dry Skin

Obagi’s C-Effectives Professional 10%-Dry Skin and Sensitive Skin

SkinCeuticals’ C E Ferulic- Dry or Sensitive Skin; Photo damaged Skin; Hyper pigmentation

SkinCeuticals’  C + AHA- Oily Skin; Acne Skin; Aggressive Exfoliation; Photo damaged Skin; Hyper pigmentation

Most antioxidants are applied directly after washing your face first thing in the morning.  However, you should always follow manufacturer’s recommendations.  If you are under the care of a medical professional you should seek their advice.