It’s almost impossible to talk about men’s skincare these days without talking about free radicals too. For those who slept their way through chemistry at school free radicals are molecules that occur naturally in the body as a result of metabolic processes. Unfortunately, these molecules can be damaging to the cells if the body’s natural defences are reduced or if there are just too many and the cells are swamped.

When the body is healthy it can cope quite well with free radicals and has mechanisms in place to ensure destruction is controlled and that they can't wreak havoc. If, however, additional free radicals are introduced either internally or externally then it's quite a different matter.

Free Radicals

Additional free radicals can find their way into the body from pollution, either breathed in or absorbed through the skin from chemical additives or sprays in foodstuffs and water, through alcohol, smoking and Ultra Violet radiation. Fried food can produce free radicals and they can even be produced as a by-product of the body's reaction to stress.

When the cells are overloaded and the cell protection breaks down serious illness can occur. The first sign of free radical damage, however, is often to be seen in the skin with the appearance of wrinkles and sagging, discolouration and uneven texture.