Asian J Beauty Cosmetol. 2009; 7(2): 51-62.

A Study on Skin Aging Caused by Free-Radical and on Efficacy of Antioxidant Vitamins

A theory of aging proper for explaining skin aging is environmental etiology. Out of them, the free-radical, which is generated through ultraviolet radiation and breathing, is being regarded as the most important factor to skin aging. Free-radical leads to damaging skin cell and tissue, thereby resulting in speeding up skin aging that is characterized by reduction in elasticity, wrinkling, and revelation in liver spots& freckles. A method, which can prevent and delay this skin aging, is to inhibit free-radical or make antioxidant system strong. However, what inhibits free-radical, which is generated by breathing or external environment, is unreasonable. Accordingly, a method of making antioxidant system strong needs to be sought. In ourbody, the antioxidant vitamins(vitamin C, vitamin E, β-carotene) available for a supply from the out side to the inside of the body, are forming antioxidant system along with its enzymes(enzymes such as SOD,CAT,GPX). These antioxidant vitamins are available for increasing quantity, thereby being able to allow antioxidant system in aliving body to be strong by taking it. In addition, the antioxidant vitamins remove free-radical inside and outside of cell membrane, thereby having effect on a esthetics of inhibiting damage in collagen and elastic fiber and of preventing pigmentation and wrinkling in the skin. For this reason, the absorption in the body of antioxidant vitamins is becoming an important research task in preventing and putting off skin aging. Accordingly,in the aspect of preventing and delaying skin aging even in an aesthetics research of keeping and managing beauty in the skin, the customer management will need to be developed in line with it along with an extensive research of seeking for solution by grasping a fundamental cause for a change in the skin.

Keywords : Skin aging, Free-radical, Antioxidant system, Antioxidant vitamins, Aesthetic