Skincare Product Ingredients Explained: Lycopene

Choosing skincare products can be overwhelming. With so many different types and ingredients you can’t even pronounce, it can be overwhelming. The Aesthetic Center by Medical Associates is here to help. Today we’re taking a closer look at a popular ingredient called Lycopene. Read on to learn more about how this antioxidant can help your aging skin.

What is Lycopene?

Lycopene belongs to a group of plant compounds known as carotenoids. It gives many fruits and vegetables their bright red, orange, and yellow color. Aside from performing vital functions during photosynthesis, it also an antioxidant. Antioxidants are both man-made or natural substances that may prevent or delay some types of cell damage. As an antioxidant, lycopene protects organisms from overexposure to damaging UV-light by counteracting oxidative stress within the body.

What is oxidative stress? Good question. It’s a process within the body that can trigger cell damage, and it is thought to play a role in a variety of diseases including cancer, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and eye diseases such as cataracts and age-related macular degeneration. The bad news is, some oxidative stress is unavoidable, and some is not. For example, when your body converts food to energy or you exercise, highly unstable molecules called free radicals naturally form. Free radicals can cause oxidative stress. Your body can also be exposed to free radicals from a variety of environmental sources, such as cigarette smoke, air pollution, and sunlight.

Anti-Aging Benefits

Lycopene’s powerful antioxidant action provides UV protection that is equivalent to approximately SPF-3. While this isn’t adequate sun protection on its own, it’s still an added benefit for your skin.

More importantly, when the harmful effects of UVB radiation do reach your skin, a study conducted by the Department of Dermatology at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City found that topical application of lycopene offered significant protection to cellular DNA. By stabilizing DNA structure, lycopene negated the need for the body to activate its internal DNA repair pathways.

The same study also revealed that UVB radiation depleted an important substance in your skin that is vital for DNA synthesis and cell repair. The topical application of lycopene was found to reverse this by a significant degree. By inhibiting the activity of cell damage, lycopene may help to reduce inflammation and encourage new cell renewal. It may also strengthen your skin by preventing the destruction of collagen fibers within the skin cells.

Sources of Lycopene

Some of the fruits and vegetables rich in lycopene include pink grapefruit, papaya, guava, mangoes, and tomatoes. The best way to consume lycopene through food though is with cooked tomato products like tomato paste or sauce. This is because the lycopene in raw tomatoes is tightly bound to indigestible fiber that prevents much of the nutrients from being absorbed by the body.

While it’s highly recommended to maintain a diet high in fruits and vegetables, after lycopene-rich foods are digested, only a small fraction of the antioxidant will reach your skin. However, the fat-soluble nature and relatively small molecule size of this powerful plant nutrient make it easily absorbed when applied topically in a cream or lotion. We recommend scheduling a Lycopene Detox Facial with us. We use several lycopene products that will improve your hydration, reduce appearance of wrinkles, and ward off those signs of premature.

Although there is no magic cure for aging, a preventive and consistent strategy can delay the process. Through its role in protecting skin from damage and contributing to the maintenance of healthy cells, lycopene has shown to be a valuable weapon in the battle against aging skin. Make sure this natural compound is a part of your skincare routine!

Sources:
https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/antioxidants-in-depth
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1207/s15327914nc4702_11#preview
https://www.lifeextension.com/magazine/2012/9/topical-lycopene-improves-skin-cellular-function
https://health.clevelandclinic.org/23-foods-good-skin/