To our surprise, we realised that many women are not familiar with hyaluronic acid benefits and uses in cosmetics. Some of them are calling it Hydraulic acid, Hydronic acid?
Let us shed some light on this hot skincare ingredient. What is hyaluronic acid indeed?
It’s the body’s own hydrating molecule, able to absorb up to 1000 times its own weight in water and responsible for keeping our skin plump, smooth and supple. However, one-third of our Hyaluronic acid is created daily, whereby the average life span of our naturally-occurring Hyaluronic acids lasts only 24 hours in the epidermis and eight hours in the dermis. As we age, naturally occurring levels of Hyaluronic acid decreases, with almost 50% loss by the age of 50.
While collagen and fibrin provide the general structure and organization for the skin, HA is what fills in the remaining space and gives healthy skin the ideal supple and elastic feel and smooths out fine lines or wrinkles. On the other hand, degradation of HA, resulting from wound or aging, is what leads to the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. HA is capable of binding massive amounts of water. In fact, its water-binding capacity is greater than any other natural or synthetic polymer, a property which makes it attractive for use in topical applications to increase hydration of the skin, in anti-aging cosmetic creams, and to provide wound healing support.
Hyaluronic Acid and Skin
Hyaluronic acid has many functions throughout the body, especially in the connective tissue. In the skin, some of its known roles are the following:
- Holding moisture
- Increasing viscosity and reducing permeability of extracellular fluid
- Contributing to mechanical resilience and suppleness of the skin
- Regulation of tissues repair
- Regulation of movement and proliferation of cells
- Regulation of immune and inflammatory responses
Hyaluronic Acid and Anti-aging
As we mentioned, the skin content of hyaluronic acid decreases with age (after peaking in adolescence or early adulthood). This contributes to the loss of moisture; the skin becomes thinner and less supple. The loss of HA may also impair the skin’s ability to repair itself and possibly affects the synthesis and deposition pattern of other skin matrix components.
Efficacy of a New Topical Nano-hyaluronic Acid in Humans .S. Manjula Jegasothy, MD,a Valentina Zabolotniaia, MD,b and Stephan Bielfeldt, DIPL. BIO.-INGc J Clin Aesthet Dermatol. 2014 Mar; 7(3): 27–29.PMCID: PMC3970829
Hyaluronic Acid and Topical Use
Topical hyaluronic acid in the form of gels, serums, creams and so forth is widely available.
HA can provide effective skin surface moisturizing, either alone or in combination with other moisturizing ingredients.
Hyaluronic acid promises healthier looking skin as the added moisture it provides helps to plump up the skin’s surface and, in turn, diminish the intensity of fine lines and deeper wrinkles. Hyaluronic acid is so effective, because it reaches well into the deepest layers of the dermis. Products containing Hyaluronic acid, even synthesized, are considered safe for use.
If you really want to give your skin a treat we highly recommend to use Hyaluronic acid serum. The results will be noticed immediately!
