When Dr. Murad began to develop formulas to help patients with specific concerns, he looked to basic tenants of The Science of Cellular Water™ and discovered three common issues that had to be addressed in order to optimize skin health, regardless of a patient's skin concern: hydration, inflammation and oxidation. Through a "recipe" of ingredients that addresses these issues, Murad products improve and preserve the strength of the cell membrane which is the foundation upon which healthy beautiful skin is built.
Because the single most common skin issue is dryness, Dr. Murad added fundamental hydrators
to his formulas. These ingredients improve the skin's ability to attract and hold water both at the
surface and at the cellular level. To maximize effectiveness, Dr. Murad frequently includes both
water-based such as Sodium PCA and Hyaluronic Acid and oil-based essential fatty acids and
ceramides in his formulas.
Since uncontrolled inflammation leads to redness, edema and consequent tissue damage, as well
as formation of cell-damaging free radicals, Dr. Murad added anti-inflammatories to his formulas.
These compounds give his topical formulas the ability to soothe and quiet the skin and help his
internal supplements to reduce the chronic systemic inflammation that can lead to serious health
issues for skin and for all systems within the body. Licorice Extract, Arnica and Zinc are some of the
anti-inflammatories commonly featured in Dr. Murad's formulas.
The last, but perhaps most critical common issue, was free radical damage. Whether externally
generated from UV radiation and other environmental assaults, or generated internally from
pathogens, metabolic processes or inflammation, free radicals are constantly assaulting the cells of
the skin and the entire body. By adding free radical scavenging antioxidants to his internal and
topical formulas, Dr. Murad was able to offer an entirely new level of protection against cell damage.
In addition to the commonly known antioxidants, like Vitamins C and E, Dr. Murad has incorporated
powerful antioxidant compounds derived from plants used in traditional healing such as Turmeric,
Goji Berry, Pomegranate and Durian into his formulas.
