ABSTRACT
The skin forms an efcient barrier against xenobiotics entering our body and protects from the harmful environment, encompassing exposure to solar ultraviolet radiation (UVR) and air pollutants. Such exposure results in the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and other free radicals including reactive nitrogen species (RNS), which may subsequently react with skin biomolecules. The skin is equipped with a variety of antioxidants forming an antioxidant network intervening at different levels of oxidative processes by scavenging and removing free radicals or oxidatively damaged biomolecules in order to counteract ROS and RNS induced oxidative stress.1,2 However, the antioxidant defense in cutaneous tissues can be overwhelmed by exposure to exogenous sources of oxidative stress, ultimately leading to skin damage. Well-documented solar UVR-induced skin damage includes sunburn (erythema, edema), and exfoliation, followed by tanning and epidermal thickening. Premature skin aging (photoaging) and photocarcinogenesis are the consequences of chronic UVR exposure.
