Oxidative stress is an important part of the biological aging process and plays a major role in skin aging. As we have touched on in previous articles, there are two major types of skin aging: intrinsic and extrinsic aging. These are both exacerbated by oxidative stress.
Of the two forms of skin aging, extrinsic aging is most driven by oxidative stress. Extrinsic aging refers to the aging of the outermost skin layer (the epidermis), normally caused by external factors such as UV radiation, environmental toxins, and diet.