Oxygen & Skin
Like many things in life, oxygen has both an upside and a downside. And It all comes down to the two different physiological actions–oxygenation and oxidation. Oxygenation helps tissue revival, blood flow, and breathing. It's also essential to cell health and maintenance. However, with age, skin loses its ability to utilize oxygen, causing a degradation of collagen and elastin tissue that provides structural integrity to the skin. On the other hand, oxidation is the decaying process when cells metabolize oxygen. For example, hyperpigmentation and sun damage are signs of oxidation. And while oxidation is vital to cell turnover, cells can get damaged in the process and turn into free radicals.