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Most of us know that antioxidants are good for us, in both our diet and our skin care. They even get highlighted as key anti-aging ingredients. But when it gets down to the nitty-gritty of what they do and what they prevent (like oxidative stress and free radicals), things are a little less clear. To better understand what antioxidants actually do for our skin, we’re breaking down the phenomenon of oxidative stress and the role it plays in skin aging.
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What Is Oxidative Stress?
“Oxidative stress happens when free radicals—unstable molecules from UV light, pollution, smoking and even stress—outpace the skin’s natural antioxidant defenses,” explains national telehealth dermatologist Anna Chacon, MD. “This imbalance damages collagen, lipids and DNA, speeding up skin aging and inflammation.”
Free radicals are unstable molecules. They have unpaired electrons and will steal one from other molecules in order to become stable. In the process, they damage and can even destroy healthy cells. We actually produce free radicals within our bodies as byproducts of certain cell activity. But they also enter our bodies through external sources, including through UV light and lifestyle habits like smoking and alcohol.
“Environmental factors like smoking and excessive alcohol consumption significantly increase oxidative stress,” notes Omaha, NE dermatologist Joel Schlessinger, MD. “Smoking introduces thousands of chemicals that generate free radicals, while alcohol depletes the body’s natural antioxidant reserves. These lifestyle choices create a perfect storm for accelerated skin aging.”
How Does Oxidative Stress Show Up on Skin?
“The visible signs of oxidative stress are what we typically associate with aging,” explains Omaha, NE dermatologist Daniel Schlessinger, MD. “We see fine lines and wrinkles develop as collagen and elastin fibers become damaged and break down. There’s also a loss of skin volume and firmness as the underlying support structure weakens.”
“We also tend to see dark spots, inflammation, redness and laxity in skin with free radical damage and oxidative stress,” adds New York dermatologist Jody Levine, MD.
Environmental stressors and lifestyle choices can worsen those signs of aging.
“With your skin being on the front lines of defense, and your biggest barrier, it is affected by the environment and your daily habits and lifestyle,” explains Dr. Levine.
“A landmark study in the British Journal of Dermatology followed smokers and non-smokers for decades and found that smokers developed significantly more wrinkles and had poorer skin texture,” Dr. Joel Schlessinger says. “The study showed that smoking a pack a day for 10 years ages the skin equivalent to 2.5 years of chronological aging.”
However, there’s more to be concerned with than just aesthetics.
“What concerns me the most is the increased risk of skin cancer,” Dr. Daniel Schlessinger continues. “Free radical damage to DNA in skin cells can lead to mutations that result in basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and melanoma. This is why consistent sun protection is so critical for long-term skin health.”
How to Heal Oxidative Stress
You can, however, create a skin-care routine designed to address this kind of damage. Dr. Chacon suggests prioritizing ingredients like “retinoids or retinol to stimulate collagen and improve texture, peptides and growth factors to support repair and exfoliants like AHAs or BHAs to brighten and smooth skin.”
Dr. Joel Schlessinger adds that increasing skin-cell turnover with gentle chemical exfoliants, like LovelySkin LUXE Exfoliating Gel Mild 11% ($90), will remove those damaged surface cells.
For more severe oxidative damage, there are a host of in-office treatments available.
“Fractional laser resurfacing and chemical peels can dramatically improve skin texture and reduce fine lines. For volume loss, we use dermal fillers like Juvederm, while Botox addresses dynamic wrinkles. Emerging treatments like platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and growth factor therapies show promise for stimulating the skin’s natural repair mechanisms, though more research is needed to establish their long-term efficacy. Also, lasers, such as the Sciton HALO or MOXI, alongside BBL HEROic, can provide remarkable benefits to sun-damaged skin patients.”
How to Prevent Oxidative Stress
Sun protection is absolutely key to preventing oxidative stress.
“Daily broad-spectrum sunscreen of at least SPF 30 is essential to preventing oxidative damage,” Dr. Chacon says. “Topical antioxidants like vitamin C, vitamin E, ferulic acid, resveratrol and green tea extract help neutralize free radicals, and niacinamide strengthens the skin barrier and reduces inflammation.”
Prevention can also start from the inside out with an antioxidant-rich diet, avoiding smoking and managing stress and sleep.
“My go-to recommendation, in addition to topical sunscreen, is Heliocare ($31),” says Dr. Daniel Schlessinger. “The polypodium leucotomos extract in Heliocare products has been clinically proven to prevent free radical damage from within. It’s like having an internal extra layer of protection that works alongside your topical protection.” For those with a personal or family history of skin cancer, he recommends Heliocare Advanced ($38), which contains nicotinamide. “A recent study published in JAMA Dermatology analyzing over 30,000 veterans confirmed that nicotinamide provides significant protection against non-melanoma skin cancers. Participants taking the Heliocare Advanced supplement showed a 23 percent reduction in new skin cancer development compared to placebo. This makes Heliocare Advanced not just an anti-aging tool, but a legitimate skin cancer prevention strategy.”
“Most importantly, sticking to a daily routine is vital to protecting your skin against oxidative stress,” says Dr. Levine. “You should consult with a board-certified dermatologist to get a customized skin regimen that is suitable for your skin.”
