Oxidation, glycation, and inflammation: the three main causes of skin aging

It is in everyone’s nature to love beauty, and we take care of every inch of our skin every day in order to slow down the aging of the face, resist the traces of age, and be a beauty favored by time!

When dullness, sagging, acne recurs, many people blame “skincare products are not expensive enough” or “bad genes” for not taking care of skin seriously, but ignore the real lurking enemies: oxidative stress, glycation, chronic inflammation.

The International Society for the Study of Dermatology (ISID) 2023 report points out: these three mechanisms will form the “iron triangle of aging”, resulting in 80% of skin aging problems.  

First, how the three mechanisms destroy the skin barrier

1. Oxidative stress: the skin’s “rust reaction”.

2.✅ Principle of action (“Antioxidants” 2023, DOI:10.3390/antiox12020456)

UV-induced production of free radicals attacks collagen, destroys cell membrane lipids, and activates the NF-κB inflammatory pathway.

 ✅ Laboratory evidence: 1 hour of UV exposure increases lipid peroxides in the skin by 230% Free radical scavenging is 47% more efficient during the nighttime skin repair period (22:00-2:00) than during the daytime , and this is the main reason for accelerated skin aging of the scalp and face.

Typical signs of skin aging:

Yellowish skin color (lipofuscin deposition), loose pores (collagen fiber breakage), deepening of fine lines on the face and neck.

2. Glycation: “charring” of collagen.

 ✅ Principle of action (Glycoconjugate Journal 2024)

Excess glucose cross-links with collagen to form AGEs (Advanced Glycosylation End Products), which leads to hardening of the skin’s elastic fibers.

 ✅ Key data: 12.7% rise in skin AGEs fluorescence per 100g of fried food consumed (vs steamed food) Skin’s ability to metabolize AGEs declines by 3.7% per year after age 30.

Typical signs of aging skin:

Line/nose yellowing, loss of skin resilience, roughness of the stratum corneum

3. Chronic inflammation: the “accelerating engine” of aging.

 ✅ Principle of action (Journal of Investigative Dermatology 2023)

Inflammatory factors (IL-6, TNF-α) stimulate the overproduction of metalloproteinases (MMP-1), which accelerate the breakdown of collagen.

 ✅ Laboratory Findings: Excessive cleansing (pH > 7.5) increases skin microinflammatory factors by 54% Collagen density in the dermis of patients with chronic inflammation is 38% lower than in healthy skin.

 Typical signs of skin aging:

Redness, recurrent acne, external oil and internal dryness, sensitivity and tingling

Second, without doing medical beauty, how to anti-aging?

Here are three habits to slow down skin aging

 [Antioxidant] day and night synergistic defense

 ① Daytime protection formula 10%-15% prototype VC: verified by Dermatologic Surgery to enhance sun protection by 22% Broad-spectrum sunscreen (SPF30+/PA+++): blocks 80% of UV free radicals . In addition to sunscreen, don’t forget to spray your scalp with sunscreen spray.

② Night Repair Combination Ergothioneine: 14 times more capable of scavenging hydroxyl radicals than glutathione (2023 IFSCC data) Astaxanthin: 28% increase in skin water content after 6 weeks of oral intake (Nutrients clinical study)

③ Dietary fortification Frozen berries: 95% higher anthocyanin retention than fresh fruit Steamed broccoli: 3 times higher bioavailability of carrot sulfide than raw food

 【Anti-glycation】Critical Control Strategies

① Dietary intervention Low GI diet: oats (GI 55) instead of white porridge (GI 88) reduced blood glucose fluctuations by 43% Acidic flavoring: addition of 1 tablespoon of vinegar reduces the production of food AGEs by 37% (Food Chemistry)

② ② Skin care ingredients Muscle peptides: 53% reduction in glycated collagen in 4 weeks (French patent FR3074966B1) Glucagon: 2.3 times more efficient at breaking down AGEs than ordinary ingredients (“International Journal of Cosmetic Science”)

 ③ Behavioral management Walking for 20 minutes after a meal: muscle metabolism of AGEs is increased by 40% Cooking temperature <120℃: AGEs content of fried food is 12 times higher than that of steaming

 Anti-inflammatory] Graded Response Program

① Acute inflammation management Olea europaea leaf extract: 40% concentration of the product reduces redness by 61% in 48 hours (“Clinical Cosmetic Investigation Dermatology”) Gelatinous sulfur: precise inhibition of Propionibacterium acnes without destroying the probiotic flora ② Chronic inflammation management Omega-3 fatty acids: weekly intake of 200g of deep-sea fish. Inflammatory factor TNF-α decreased by 34% Probiotic skin care: glucan ingredients can increase the diversity of the skin flora by 29

 ③ Environmental lightning Water temperature ≤ 38 ° C: more than 40 ° C will dissolve the skin’s natural moisturizing factor (NMF) Air humidity ＞ 60%: dry environment (humidity <30%) lead to inflammatory factor release increased by 2.1 times

 Third, common misconceptions and scientific countermeasures

 Myth 1: “Antioxidant only need to use skin care products”

✅ Scientific truth:

Skin surface antioxidants can only neutralize 7% of free radicals, need to be combined with oral antioxidants (such as astaxanthin) and physical sunscreen.

 Myth 2: “Anti-glycation = quitting sugar completely”

✅ Scientific truth:

The body needs basic glucose for energy, the key is to control blood sugar fluctuations (peak blood sugar <7.8mmol/L).

 Myth 3: “Inflammation subsides = problem solved”

✅ Scientific truth:

Chronic inflammation creates an “inflammatory memory” that needs to be stabilized with continued use of ingredients such as Centella Asiatica Glycoside and Excedrin.  

  Oxidation, glycation, and inflammation are the three scissors that cause skin to age, and as time passes, these three scissors continue to cut through the skin’s youthful network.

The essence of anti-aging is scientific intervention , according to their age, through medical and scientific care, anti-aging better results.   

Defense strategies need to be followed:

1️⃣ Precise blocking: targeting and inhibiting the reaction chain with ingredients such as VC and carnosine;

2️⃣ Cross-dimensional synergy: combining dietary modification, environmental management, and skincare intervention;

3️⃣ Long-term monitoring: observing objective indicators such as the darkness and yellowness of lines and pore patterns.

Anti-aging does not rely on a single product or genetic luck, but rather scientific intervention to rebuild the skin’s defense network. Scientific care of the neck, facial skin starts before wrinkles appear!