While free radicals are produced by normal human metabolism, they can be increased by smoking, alcohol, exposure to heavy metals, and radiation. Antioxidants counteract this process by binding to the free radicals, transforming them into non-damaging compounds, or repairing cellular damage. It would seem logical, then, to include antioxidants in your daily regime.

To the rescue
Antioxidants are the antidote to free radicals. They can be taken orally or applied directly to the skin.

What are topical antioxidants?
Topical antioxidants may reduce UVA damage. UVA is the wavelength that produces visible signs of sun damage and has some carcinogenic effect.

What are antioxidants?
In order for antioxidants to have any benefit they have to be in sufficient quantities in the tissue. Common antioxidants that are taken orally, or eaten, are Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Selenium and the carotenoids, (deeply or brightly-colored fruits and vegetables are best; i.e.: spinach, carrots, red bell peppers, tomatoes).

Topical antioxidants that have been studied in creams or ointments are Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Glutathione, Lipoic Acid, Coenzyme Q10, Soy- isoflavanone. It has been shown that a combination of these has additional benefits.

Others such as selenium, zinc and silymarin have not been studied for their effects.

Which are the antioxidants?
Antioxidants can be divided into those that are fat soluble and those that are water soluble.

Vitamin E:

-The antioxidant effect can be more effective if combined with other antioxidants i.e.: coenzyme Q10 and Vitamin C
-Is found in fresh vegetables, oils, seeds, nuts, cumin, and soy. Animal studies have shown that Vitamin E protects against UVB damage, although this effect has not been proved in humans. (UVB is much more carcinogenic than UVA, and causes sunburns).
-Commonly used to help wound healing. However, studies in human burns did not show Vitamin E helping and about a 1/5 of patients reacted to vitamin E with a contact dermatitis).
-Topical Vitamin E is commonly used by pregnant women in the belief that it prevents stretch marks. There is no evidence for this, and sometimes an acute allergic dermatitis is produced causing an inflamed uncomfortable rash.

Coenzyme Q10 (also known as Ubiquinone)

-Found in fish and shell fish
-It penetrates well into skin, and is claimed to reduce the breakdown of collagen after exposure to UVA light
-It may reduce the depth of wrinkles but this has not been confirmed in studies

Lipoic Acid

-This is well absorbed into the skin, and converted quickly into dihydrolipoic acid in the cells. It has an anti-inflammatory effect. A three per cent application of Lipoid Acid has been shown to reduce redness in the skin after UVB exposure.

Glutathione

-This antioxidant is produced by amino acids, eysteine, glycine and glutamic acid.

Vitamin C

-Also known as Ascorbic Acid
-Oral Vitamin C improves wound healing and may enhance the immune system
-The lack of vitamin C produces scurvy; causing fragile skin and bleeding gums.

DHEA (Dehydroepiandrosterone)
-Occurs naturally in our bodies
-When taken orally, DHEA is a powerful antioxidant that may have an anti-aging effect and help thicken skin and reduce pigmentation
-It is not known if there are any long-term negative effects from oral injection.

Soy-isoflavones
-When used topically it may increase collagen and decrease redness and damage from ultraviolet rays
-For more information about caring for your skin, visit the rest of this site.

When used topically as a cream

-Has shown to reduce the carcinogenic effect of certain chemicals and ultraviolet rays on the skin of animals. We are still awaiting good evidence for benefit in humans.
-Produces anti-inflammatory effects
-Reduces the redness caused by UV light.

-Shaving will NOT make the hair grow back in faster, darker or thicker! This is just an old wives tale.
-Permanent hair loss will take four to eight laser treatments over 8 to 16 months
-Blonde hair is the toughest to remove
-The thickness and colour of your skin, and the colour of the hair to be removed, has a lot to do with which lasers can be used and how successful it will be
-You should wait two months after waxing before any laser treatment to remove hair. The laser needs hair to work on.
Most people need between 4 and 8 treatments for substantial long-term hair reduction.

Types of Hair Removal Lasers:

-The first lasers that were used on a wide scale for hair removal were the ruby and for : very white, thin skin : alexandrite lasers
-Nd-YAG lasers can be used safely on all skin types, including Mediterranean, Asian and Black skin
-About 5 years ago diode lasers were introduced. They are more effective on thicker skin like the back and legs and can be safely used on people with lightly tanned skin.

How Lasers Work:

A laser is effective because the hair shaft absorbs laser energy, and it is the heated hair shaft, which kills the hair follicles. As the hair shaft is our target, it is important to stop waxing, sugaring or plucking about 8 weeks before laser treatment

if you pull out the hair shafts there will be no target for the laser. The best way to remove hair before laser treatment and between treatments is to shave the hair off, bleach the hair, or use depilatory creams.

The laser hair removal objective is to “toast the hair follicles without damaging the skin.” The surface of the skin is soothed and cooled by the laser head just before the laser energy is delivered.

With each treatment we kill as many hair follicles as possible. Follicles which are not killed are usually crippled by the laser energy; so just about all the pigmented hair falls out during the week or two after the laser treatment. New hair starts to grow several weeks to 1 month after laser treatment, and arises from 3 groups of follicles:

Self-tanning creams and spray-on tans should not be used for the first time within three weeks of a major event in case there is an allergic reaction or an unusual or uneven color is created. If you want to use such products, start to experiment with them several months ahead so that you can learn how to obtain safe, reliable results. Remember that the pigment created by many self-tanning products can discolor fine clothing, so it might be best not to apply them within a week of a public event.

Wrinkles, Unwanted Hair or Sweating:

Are you thinking of having treatments like Botox fillers like Juvederm, Restylane and Artecoll for wrinkles, creases and scars, or laser treatments for unwanted hair or to remove broken blood vessels from the face? You should aim to have these treatments completed about 3 weeks before the event, so that the benefits of treatment will have fully developed, and so that any side effects of treatment, like redness or small bruises will have resolved. Discuss the plans and timing with your dermatologist so that these things can be taken into account when scheduling your treatments.

Acne or Rosacea Skin:

Plan ahead: if you have a skin condition like acne or rosacea, see a dermatologist at least 3-4 months ahead of the big day, so that your condition can be brought under control and so that your skin can heal up in time for the occasion.

Sun Tanning:

Sun protection is important in the weeks leading up to an important event, to reduce the risk that you will have sunburn or peeling on the big day. It is also important to avoid experimenting with tanning beds in the weeks leading up to a major event, in case you have an undesired reaction to the UV light.

Before selecting a treatment, you must have a solid understanding about acne, and determine the exact type of acne that you have. In addition to this, it is also important to set goals for your acne treatment. Here are some points to keep in mind when thinking about acne, and when selecting the best acne medication for yourself.

Goals of acne treatment:

- You should understand how much acne and what type of acne you have.

- To stop new acne blemishes from developing with appropriate treatment.

- To treat acne scars and prevent new scars from forming.

- Points To Remember For Selecting Your Best Acne Treatment:

- The severity level of your acne

- Your personal goals for therapy

- The effectiveness of the treatment and possible side effects

- Your personal preference.

Points you should remember:

- You can control and cover the visible lesions and avoid embarrassment.

- Treatment is available that can prevent acne scarring.

- You should get help for your acne as soon as you notice it. Early treatment minimizes the severity of acne. This is important especially if one of your parents had severe acne.

- Treatment may last for months and often years.

- You should understand that improvement can be slow, and will often take months (not weeks) to work. There may even be an initial flare of your acne.

Other Circumstances Specific To Girls And Women:

- The severity of your condition

- The type of acne (comedonal vs. inflamed) lesions you have

- Any previous experience you have had (and your skin’s response) to other treatments

- The degree of oiliness or sensitivity of your skin

- Any history you may have of sensitive skin or extreme irritation to specific products.

- help to make the skin smooth and supple
- duplicate and enhance the skin’s natural moisture retention mechanisms
- are good to sensitive skin - hypoallergenic, non-sensitizing, fragrance free, non-comedogenic (Read about Sensitive Skin Other Skin Conditions.)
- absorb rapidly and last long

Remember, too, just because a product has a certain ingredient, that doesn’t necessarily mean it has enough of it to make a difference. Dermatologists look for a number of substances to complete a moisturizer’s make-up:

- Emollients such as plant and mineral oils, shea and cocoa butter, petrolatum, cholesterol, silicones or animal oils (including emu, mink and lanolin). These lubricating ingredients soften and smooth skin while helping it to retain moisture.
- Water-binding agents that keep water in the skin, called Humectants, are important for skin damaged by sun and dehydration, but they won’t help your skin retain water.
- Occlusives, which are substances that physically block water loss in the stratum corneum, or layers of the skin, include: Petrolatum (in a minimum concentration of five per cent is the most effective occlusive), followed by lanolin, mineral oil, and silicones such as dimethicone, which act as a protective part of skin barrier creams.
- Soothing agents and anti-irritants, such as bisabolol, allantoin, burdock root, aloe, licorice root, glycyrrhetinic acid, green tea and chamomile extract, are added to many moisturizers to help skin handle ingredients that may cause irritation.
- Pure mixtures of amino acids are useless as moisturizers, while pure solutions of glycerin are ineffective, and propylene glycol by itself is irritating. However, alpha hydroxy acids, such as lactic acid or glycolic acid, appear to help reduce roughness and scaling.
- Vitamins and antioxidants, including vitamins A, C and E, get mixed reviews. Some experts say these ingredients have the ability to heal and hydrate, while others insist there’s little evidence of their effectiveness when applied topically, especially in the quantity found in most moisturizers.

Moisturizers aren’t without their side effects. If you have these symptoms, see your doctor:

- sweat retention (miliara rubra, i.e.: petrolatum and lanolin)
- irritation (urea; lactic acid; propylene glycol; solvents)
- allergic contact dermatitis (fragrances, preservatives, i.e. parabens, formaldehyde, Quaternium 15 and Imidazolidinyl urea; lanolin; additives, i.e.: vitamin E and aloe vera
- photo contact dermatitis (fragrances, UV filters)

- Study the active ingredients listed on labels in order of the amount contained. If soothing aloe vera or vitamin C is 15th on the list, you’re not getting much of it
- Be wary of claims that products will increase your own natural collagen or elastin, whose job is to keep skin plumped up and youthful-looking. The molecules in these products are too big to actually penetrate the skin.
- Wash your face no more than twice a day with a gentle cleanser formulated for dry skin. Washing more often can dry your skin.
- Add a few teaspoons of olive oil or lavender-scented oil to your bath.
- Steer clear of added fragrance, preservatives and botanicals, which may irritate already dry skin

Get your money’s worth
Which is better? High-end brands or low-cost brands? Drugstore shelves seem to have an overwhelming choice of products, with each company vying for your dollars. Experts say that often low-cost brands are just as effective. You can stretch your money’s worth of product by applying your moisturizer on damp skin - it will absorb better.