Paula B. on Oxygen
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free skin care · Fri Nov 25, 2005 1:20 pm

Hello,
I ordered PSF's Oxygen serum two days ago and now I find the following article at Paula Begoun's website. Now I am worried that extra oxygen might actually cause more harm than good to my skin.

Dear Paula,
Contrary to what some people would lead you to believe, the term "antioxidant," when used in reference to cosmetics does not mean anti-oxygen. In actuality, it means anti-oxidation, to prevent the oxidizing or degeneration (aging) of the skin. Some people would foolishly have you believe that oxygen and its effects on the skin are detrimental. Science has proven that oxygen and its components play a key role in many of the processes of life itself. Molecular oxygen, whether it is being inhaled or applied topically, is basic for overall health, beauty, and healthy looking skin.

Some folks would also lead you to believe that topically applied oxygen-infused products cannot be absorbed by the skin; once again ... incorrect. Cosmetic products that contain time-released oxygen can certainly be absorbed by the skin, and this would indeed explain their effectiveness. Apparently, some people need to study the facts and clinical tests that have been initiated worldwide by professional doctors, dermatologists, and scientists before they start spouting off negatively on this subject. It is apparent to us that some individuals, for whatever reason, cannot seem to wrap their limited intellect around the fact that there are oxygen products on the market today that really work in retarding the aging process.

Some sources are indicating that oxygen itself causes free-radical damage to the skin, but in actuality, the greatest negative effects are from ultraviolet light from the sun and environmental factors such as smog and cigarette smoke. This has also been proven and is completely factual. Anyone who openly admits that oxygen is a free-radical factor in damaging the skin need only go to the public library or surf the Internet to be properly enlightened on this subject. We can only look upon this feeble attempt to derail what has taken years properly to develop, as perhaps some disgruntled plastic surgeon whose business has been faltering.

Valerie Dumont, President of Cosmetic Manufacturers Inc.

Dear Valerie,
Your information about oxygen and free-radical damage does not match any of the research I've seen. Further, your letter did not include any studies supporting your contentions, so there is no way to evaluate how you reached your conclusions [nor have I received any since I sent this letter to Ms. Dumont in March of this year]. Insulting the intelligence of those who recognize the damage oxygen can cause, citing unnamed dermatologists, and referring to unidentified test results does not establish, confirm, prove, or change anything.

Without question, published research on free-radical damage, and the many scientists researching it, confirms that oxygen, along with other factors such as sunlight, pollution, enzyme actions, and hydrogen peroxide, does cause free-radical damage. Oxygen is necessary for life, but so are the processes causing free-radical damage. Many human and plant systems would not work without it. However, oxygen (and other oxidizing agents) left unchecked (without the balance of antioxidants) can be problematic for the body and skin. I can quote from endless sources proving the problematic nature of oxygen; but here are just a few for your consideration.

Reproductive BioMedicine Online, January-February 2003, pages 84–96: "...many aspects of early mammalian development, from fertilization through to differentiation of the principal organ systems, take place in vivo in a low oxygen environment. This may serve to protect the embryo from free radical damage, from exposure of early embryos to ambient oxygen concentrations..."

Mutation Research, December 2002, pages 111–119: "However, it is known that exposure to high concentrations of oxygen may lead to oxidative stress and cause cell and tissue damage. Oxygen toxicity and possible cancer-promoting effects of HBO [hyperbaric oxygen] therapy have been a matter of serious concern."

Journal of Biological Chemistry, November 2002, pages 42563–42571: "...O2 [oxygen] and H2O [water] damage cells in different ways."

Toxicology Letters, July 21, 2002, pages 203–210: "Increased oxygen concentrations can also lead to an increased production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). If antioxidant defenses are not completely efficient, ROS can cause cell injury including DNA damage."

The Reporter, Vanderbilt Medical Center,www.mc.vanderbilt.edu/reporter, February 7, 2003: " ‘...oxygen is not as benign as many believe it is,' said Dr. L. Jackson Roberts II, professor of Pharmacology and Medicine... 'it [is] possible to study the oxygen-induced damage and to evaluate potential therapeutic interventions like antioxidants...' "

Life Extension Magazine, September 1998: "Free radicals are highly reactive molecules produced in the body, often derived from oxygen, that carry an unpaired electron on their surface, making them prone to causing damage to other molecules they encounter. The ongoing, damaging effects of free radicals may be involved in aging and degenerative disease."

You can search the Internet and find information that concurs with yours, but none of it is cited or identified, or when the information is sourced, it dates back to the ‘70s, well before the extensive research on oxidative damage started taking place. Valerie, any current evidence supporting your notion that oxygen does not cause free-radical damage would have been helpful to validate your viewpoint, but I suspect the reason you didn't include any is because there is none to be found.

What do you guys think about oxygen serum? There were some good reviews on PSF's oxygen serum, any updates?
Anything would help... Mad

free skin care · Fri Nov 25, 2005 8:30 pm

I would say, this reply is definitive. I don't have any comments to make.

free skin care · Sat Nov 26, 2005 7:11 am

I really like PSF's Oxygen Serum. It is excellent for healing!! I think the key thing is that it needs to be stabalized, which PSF's is. Smile

Sun Nov 27, 2005 1:10 pm

While we need oxygen in order to survive, it really is very toxic and it IS what eventually kills us in the end. Doesn't make sense, I know, but it's the price we pay for evolving on this planet.

The metabolic byproducts of oxidation produces free radicals which cause an enormous amount of damage to not only our skin, but all the soft tissues of our body. Think of free radicals as little molecules with knives that cut through healthy cells and cause a cascade called the inflammatory response. What's so great about anti-oxidants is that they effectively neutralize free radicals. This means you can use oxygen and stop the damage that free radicals cause. This is why a diet high in fresh fruits, vegetables, grains is so good for you. These things are chock full of anti-oxidants.

It's not that your skin is not getting enough oxygen, geeze, your skin gets plenty of oxygen. If it didn't, your skin would just become necrotic and slough off. If anything, you would want to put carbon dioxide on your face because when the body is deprived of oxygen, it produces more microcirculation in the form of capillaries in order to absorb more oxygen. When you put more oxygen on your face, the microcirculation recedes in order to prevent more oxygen absorption. But there is no safe scientifically proven way to put CO2 on your face. This is why exercise is so beneficial to your skin. You've noticed that after you exercise, your skin gets a nice glow, and that's because technically, you've deprived your body of oxygen and your capillaries open up to absorb more oxygen. That and your capillaries also open up in order to cool down your body. You would think that you could benefit from just sucking down more oxygen, but that defeats the purpose. Oxygen is extremely toxic. The problem is, we do need it. Just in very tiny amounts. It's a very delicate balance.

You don't need more oxygen on your skin, you need antioxidants even more so. You need to eat a diet high in anti-oxidants, and you need sunscreen and a good anti-oxidant serum to prevent the damage that oxygen does to your skin. And any serum that has a stablized O2 molecule is really very ineffective, and should be labled as inert.

Egccrn38

free skin care · Mon Nov 28, 2005 6:41 am

Agree whole heartedly! If you want oxygen for your skin, take a walk and breath deeply! Better yet, if you're near the ocean, thats even better!

free skin care · Mon Nov 28, 2005 11:02 am

Hmmm...since I already purchased the oxygen serum now I don't know what to do with it. I haven't receive it yet but I kind of feel stupid that I ordered it without doing further research first. I know there are people who have nice results with the oxygen serum but non of them can tell me what it does actually. I am sad about the money I paid for it Mad

free skin care · Mon Nov 28, 2005 11:10 am

I wish Darren would respond to this. I'd really like to hear his input.

WildCat- could you return it or exchange it?

free skin care · Mon Nov 28, 2005 11:15 am

Yes, I also really hope Darren, the owner of PSF would respond to this thread. It is a bit hard for me to believe that PSF would sell something that's not good since there are so many good reviews on their other products.

I checked the refund policy of PSF and they are very generous. A full refund can be granted less shipping and handling.

free skin care · Mon Nov 28, 2005 1:44 pm

WildCat,
I was intentionally staying out of this discussion, as I was afraid that any comments I made could be misconstrued as my trying to sell product. But since you asked me specifically to step in, I'll be happy to provide you with the information that our research scientists have discovered regarding the O2 Serum, as well as a brief overview on antioxidants & free radicals.
First, let me say that there are other oxygen products out there that are harmful to the skin. Mainly any product that oxygenates via the breakdown of hydrogen peroxide. Our O2 Serum works on a completely different scientific premise.
Also, the studies that Paula cites do not refer to a topical stabilized oxygen carrier, they relate to free radical damage due to oxidation. There is a difference between oxygenation & oxidation. Mainly it is the stability & charge of the electron & spinoff of a ROS (reactive oxygen species). They are based on old research & do not address current findings or apply to topical oxygen-loaded PFC emulsions, which are being used topically (and internally) in hospitals & burn units for their remarkable healing & repairative properties. Paula is comparing apples to oranges. Also, I have some problems with Egccrn38's oversimplification of antioxidant funtion. Also, the term "inert" when used in chemistry is not synonymous with "ineffective". The term inert in relation to biochemistry indicates a substance that exhibits great stability and extremely low reaction rates.
You can read more about this on a previous thread:
http://www.essentialdayspa.com/forum/viewthread.php?tid=6598&highlight=

But I will copy & paste my reply to Lucia about the safety & stability of our O2 Serum:

"Lucia,
Yes, you are correct about the O2 Serum. It does not work on the same premise as Hydrogen Peroxide. It is a stabilized form of oxygen that attaches to a free radical & neutralizes it. I don't mean to insult anyone's intelligence here, but maybe a quick overview on what a free radical is might help clear up any confusion:
A free radical is a toxic compound that has lost a negatively charged electron. It is produced in the body as a by-product of metabolic oxidation. It therefore carries a positive charge and is unstable. It is capable of attracting an electron away from a vital cellular site such as the electron-rich DNA. Loss of an electron can damage a cell and alter its ability to perform its special function or to replicate itself normally. By introducing an oxygen rich compound with a weak attraction to one of its electrons, O2 Rescue Serum has a spare negative oxygen, and readily surrenders an electron to a free radical. This stabilizes and neutralizes the free radical, which then becomes a stable compound and no longer poses a threat to cell structures.
This is the basic premise for the most effective and stable antioxidants. Traditional antioxidants, however (green tea, vitamin c, etc), still have a positively charged oxygen, so the negative bonds with the spare positive in the body, but then creates an unstable bond in the antioxidant. So then that molecule searches out another spare negative oxygen, and the process continues, but on a lesser & lesser scale. So in reality, there are still free radicals, but they are slightly less damaging, as they begin to act on the antioxidant instead of the biological cell structure of the body."

If you still are uneasy using this product, then please just contact customer service & we will be happy to accept a return. We stand behind all of our products 100% and would never offer something for our customers that we did not believe was not only extremely effective, but also 100% safe.
Best regards,
Darren www.psfskincare.com

free skin care · Mon Nov 28, 2005 3:55 pm

Thank you Darren for clearing things up for me.

free skin care · Mon Nov 28, 2005 5:52 pm

Glad Darren posted. I find the O2 serum very healing. I did a lit survey months ago and I can post some abstracts on the use of hyperbaric oxygen or stabilized oxygen treatments on the healing of wounds and burns. They are positive and there are many (I searched MEDLINE).

Fri Dec 02, 2005 11:01 am

Wow Darren...

Really, thanks for setting me straight. I can understand now how I confused oxygenation with oxidation. I apologize if I led anyone astray.

Egccrn

free skin care · Fri Dec 02, 2005 3:44 pm

Hi!

As Darren posted his reply to me regarding the O2 serum I just wanted to say that I have had good results with the serum, the main benefit I found that when I have a blemish it clears up loads quicker than blemishes usually do when I don't use it. (If you follow!).

Anyway, just thought I'd put my four pennith in!!

Very Happy

free skin care · Fri Dec 02, 2005 4:20 pm

Egccrn38,
No problem. I hope I was able to clear it up a little bit. It's confusing because it's not as black & white as some would like to believe. Also, there is the confusion inherent in the word "antioxidant". It would lead one to believe anti-oxygen, which tehnically is not entirely true.. We really should be calling them "anti-oxidatives"! LOL!

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