Everyday life is hard on skin. UV radiation exposure, environmental toxins, sweat, dirt and oil all take a toll on your skin's natural elasticity and radiance. But it's not a hopeless downward spiral. You can repair skin damage to restore and maintain a youthful glow, and Hale Cosmeceuticals quality skin care products can help!
What is Skin Damage? In order to understand that (and how) skin damage can be repaired, you must first understand what skin damage entails. Your skin is a complex composition of three different kinds of cells (the uppermost layer of them actually being dead), various fluids (including fat and sebum, a naturally produced oil) and other connective components (e.g., collagen and elastin). Skin damage is most commonly the result of oxidation free radicals (electrons without an atomic home) that break the molecular bonds of other compounds. This molecular breakdown can affect any one skin matrix component, and the results vary. For instance:
| Skin matrix component |
Result of oxidative stress |
| Collagen |
Thinning skin that sags and is more susceptible to damage (e.g. scrapes, tears) and makes capillaries more visible (i.e. dark under-eye areas) |
| Elastin |
Loss of resilience in skin (i.e., wrinkles) |
| Melanin (melanocytes) |
Hyperpigmentation, malignancy |
Acute skin damage, like sunburns or cuts and scrapes, are immediately visible. However, much skin damage takes years to become visible. How Skin Damage Repair Happens The body always wants to heal itself, but for natural skin repair to occur, the right ingredients and conditions need to be present. Skin damage repair requires:
1. Replenishing the compounds that have been molecularly broken down by free radicals Replenishment requires you to supply your skin with the materials it needs to repair oxidative damage e.g., collagen, elastin, hydration. You may deliver these supplies to your skin through your diet by eating foods high in the vitamins, minerals, etc. you need or that facilitate your body's absorption, retention or production of the materials. You may also deliver these supplies topically by applying products with the necessary repair compounds.
2. Neutralizing damage-causing free radicals For your skin to repair itself, the oxidative stress needs to be reduced. Antioxidants are the key. Antioxidants are compounds that have the molecular space to absorb free-ranging electrons. By giving the electrons a home, they are neutralized, so they can no longer break bonds in your skin matrix components. Just as replenishing skin-building materials can be done nutritionally or topically, so too can antioxidants be delivered through your diet or skin care products. Vitamins C and E are especially known for their antioxidant properties, so foods and products formulated with these vitamins are essential for skin repair. With oxidative stress relief and the right stuff for skin repair, your cells know what to do.
Natural skin repair may not happen overnight or completely erase decades of sun exposure or smoking, but diligent skin care can improve your skin's strength, suppleness and radiance in a matter of weeks. Products to Boost Natural Skin Repair Hale Cosmeceuticals has a number of skin care products formulated to aid natural skin repair. Our products boost collagen and elastin production to boost sagging skin and soften wrinkles. Our vitamin-C serums and sun protection products deliver high doses of antioxidants to neutralize damaging (and cancer-causing) free radicals. If you need help finding the right products for your skin type and skin care goals, please contact us to speak to a friendly, knowledgeable skin care consultant.
