Skin Care Flashcards
Describe UV light
A high-energy radiation which can cause skin damage, including photoageing
How can sunblocks physically protest people?
By reflecting UV radiation
How can sunscreens chemically protect people?
By absorbing UV radiation
Explain how UV radiation causes wrinkles
UV radiation causes harmful free radicals, which react with proteins in our skin to form wrinkles
Describe free radicals
Single atoms or groups of atoms with unpaired electrons, and are very reactive
What does the formation of free radicals initiate?
Initiates chain reactions
Name the three stages of a free radical chain reaction
Initiation, propagation and termination
Describe how free radicals scavengers work
Free radicals scavengers react with free radicals, preventing free radical chain reactions taking place
What are free radical scavengers also known as?
Antioxidants
Why are antioxidants added to cosmetic products?
To prevent free radical damage to skin tissue
Why are antioxidants added to foods?
To prevent them from spoiling and to improve shelf life
Why are free radical scavengers added to plastics?
To slow down degradation by Uv light and oxygen
