What Are Free Radicals?

Learn how a tiny social uprising can have a big impact on your skin

Free radicals sound pretty cute. When I first heard the term in a college chemistry class I instantly imagined a furby like creature that looked cuddly, but acted like it'd just stuck all its fingers in a light socket. It's a FREEEE RADICAL!

Unfortunately the creature I imagined was far from the truth. Free radicals are not cute, cuddly, or endearing in any way. I did have the lightsocket part right, though. Free radicals certainly do bounce around like ping pong balls, but the path of destruction they leave in their wake is anything but funny.

Free radicals were once molecular compounds. These compound split for some reason, kicking all the molecules that formed it out on the curb. This leaves the free radicals very hungry - actually ravenous would be a more fitting term for their rabid, chaotic behavior.

They're not hungry for just any type of food either. Free radicals are hungry for electrons and will beat up and steal one if need be. Usually they pick the closest victim and jack an electron as soon as the unwitting compound is looking the other way. This caused the once perfectly normal compound to become a free radical, hungrily looking to steal someone else's electrons.

As you can see this rampant thievery can only leave to the degradation of society and a general upheaval of cellular peace. Eventually the cell, in which all these compounds are supposed to be working happily, has to shut down because all the compounds are turning into free radicals and not doing their jobs.

Cells are supposed to work together to build healthy human bodies. When too many cells have to shut down because of rioting free radicals the body gets sick. Free radicals are just the screwdriver jammed in the gears of the giant machine that make everything work properly. Take out the screwdriver and you'll feel better!

This is how free radicals make us age so quickly. Most people see wrinkles and age spots as just normal signs of aging when in fact it's actually free radical damage. Almost all sunscreens are terrible free radical generators. This can have a huge impact on your skin because the cells are constantly being bombarded by free radicals that force them to wither and die.

You can't totally stop free radicals from forming, however. The body needs to be able to break compounds down, and often the digestive system intentionally forms free radicals in order to battle viruses and bacteria. The trick is having extra, free electrons floating around so that free radicals can get their fix of negative charge without having to resort to a life of crime.

Antioxidants are exactly what free radicals need in order to become safe, law abiding compounds. These sheriffs of the cellular realm seek out and donate electrons to free radicals. Antioxidants have the magical ability to donate electrons freely without turning into a criminal free radical themselves.

Two of the very best antioxidants are Vitamin E and Vitamin C, both naturally found in many fruits and vegetables. These micro superheros will save your cells and keep your body healthy from the ravaging effects of free radicals! L'Bri Pure n' Natural skin care products contain high quantities of healing antioxidants help fight the effects of free radicals on the skin. By investing in natural, effective skin care products you can slow the effects of aging and work to reverse the signs of free radical damage you already have.

One of the best products to help your skin fight free radicals is the new Pure Radiance Hydrating Mist. This soothing spray will hydrate, firm, calm, and protect your skin from the daily damage of free radicals on your skin. Pure Radiance's superior formulation contains a number of powerful ingredients that will increase your skin's moisture level while also increasing cellular rejuvenation - helping to reduce the visible signs of aging. Fight free radicals and dehydration in your skin with L'Bri Pure n' Natural!

© Leah Day Online: What Are Free Radicals?