Lycopene

[lahy-kuh-peen]

Categories: Antioxidant, Plant Extracts, Skin Repairing

Benefits:
Antioxidant
Photoprotection
Skin Repairing

Lycopene is derived from tomatoes, watermelons, papayas as well as other red fruits and vegetables. It is characterized as a bright red carotene which has commercial uses as a food coloring. Having a high intake of lycopene-containing foods has been accompanied by a reduced risk from many varying internal diseases due to its antioxidant properties which have been experimentally confirmed.1

Since it is such an efficient antioxidant, its use can protect skin.2 Since skin is the body’s largest organ, it is responsible for being the foremost line of defense against disease as it covers most of our external body from pathogens such as bacteria. This makes measurements to protect the skin to be essential.3

It is important to note that lycopene promotes protection against skin damaging oxidation while contributing to upkeep the appearance of healthy skin. It was found that micronutrients such as lycopene were able to show other benefits including better skin moisturization, skin texture, skin elasticity, and skin superficial structure.4 It is no wonder that this natural compound can be found in many topically applied cosmetics in regards to optimizing skin care.

  1. Gajowik, Aneta, and Małgorzata M. Dobrzyńska. "LYCOPENE – ANTIOXIDANT WITH RADIOPROTECTIVE AND ANTICANCER PROPERTIES. A REVIEW." National Institute of Public Health (2014): n. pag. Web. 11 Feb. 2016
  2. Gammone, Maria Alessandra, Graziano Riccioni, and Nicolantonio D'orazio. "Carotenoids: Potential Allies of Cardiovascular Health?" Food & Nutrition Research 59.0 (2015): n. pag. PubMed. Web. 11 Feb. 2016
  3. Ascenso, Andreia, Tiago Pedrosa, Sónia Pinho, Francisco Pinho, José Miguel P. Ferreira De Oliveira, Helena Cabral Marques, Helena Oliveira, Sandra Simões, and Conceição Santos. "The Effect of Lycopene Preexposure on UV-B-Irradiated Human Keratinocytes." Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity 2016 (2016): 1-15. PubMed. Web. 11 Feb. 2016
  4. Stahl, W., and H. Sies. " B-Carotene and Other Carotenoids in Protection from Sunlight." American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 96.5 (2012): n. pag. PubMed. Web. 11 Feb. 2016