Hyaluronic Acid is naturally found within the human body, within every cell – It’s the main substance that gives our skin the natural dewy youthful look we all strive for.
Its highest concentration is found within skin tissue but it also makes up the fluid between our joints (synovial fluid) and the fluid in our eyes.
What is Hyaluronic Acid?
Hyaluronic Acid is a key molecule involved in skin moisture it has a unique capacity to bind water molecules to itself and retain water.
In humans, Hyaluronic Acid is the main constituent of the substance that supports our skin cells. This substance, along with other constituents including Growth Factors and Collagen, acts like mortar between bricks and gives the skin structure.
We know as we age our skin becomes more dry, this is partly because UV exposure results in a diminished amount of natural Hyaluronic Acid within the skin. Without adequate levels of Hyaluronic Acid, our skin’s collagen and elastin become more brittle and less effective at bouncing back. Without good Hyaluronic Acid levels we develop loss of elasticity and structure. With Menopause this process becomes more apparent which is why during this time we often see the most rapid onset of lines and wrinkles as well as sagging of the skin’s tissues.
So why should we use Hyaluronic Acid in skin care products?
Hyaluronic Acid skin care products can be very beneficial in preventing skin dehydration, dryness and slow down the degeneration of collagen and elastin – and of course for many years it has also been used as a filler injected into lines and wrinkles.
The types of Hyaluronic Acid skin care companies use vary so we need to keep an eye on ingredient lists to get the best results.
We need to look for Sodium hyaluronate which has a lower molecular weight than Hyaluronic Acid – it’s more easily absorbed into the deeper skin layers. It is often referred to as cross linked Hyaluronic Acid and is better for maintaining the skin’s hydration barrier and for keeping collagen in its hydrated state preventing its breakdown. Hyaluronic Acid itself in its non-cross linked state works more at the surface-level to smooth and hydrate. To have a combination of both types is optimal – a combination of low and high molecular weight HA ingredients in a skincare product can rapidly improve overall skin health, texture, and slow the degenerative processes that lead to skin ageing.
Find the product right for you
There are 100’s of serums, masques and creams on the market and it really is a matter of finding one that you like the texture of that actually works for you. The important thing is to get a product into your daily skin regimen that utilizes HA in the cross linked and non cross linked forms – some will combine with other hard hitting antioxidants like Vitamin C or Niacinamide (B3) which will help to improve the skin barrier function further and reduce redness and sensitivity. But it certainly is an ingredient your skin needs and can utilizes to prevent premature ageing.
My go-to Hyaluronic Acid product is from Image Skincare.
Their Ageless Hyaluronic Filler has 6 types of Hyaluronic Acid and Cross linked Hyaluronic Acid which gives both surface and deeper hydration.
Hyaluronic Acid in professional skincare treatments
As well as using Hyaluronic Acid in skincare it can also be introduced directly into the skin via a few methods. We know it’s used as a filler, but did you know it can also be used to flood the skin with hydration during facial treatments. The main method for this is Mesotheapy. Those of you skin boffins out there may have heard of the brand names Profilo or Teoxane. There are many out there to choose from, but the main emphasis here is to plump and hydrate the skin instantly whilst prolonging skin health and radiance. I only use CE marked products (Indicates the product has met safety standards) for this treatment and use products with a long history of effectiveness and safety, and of course results! We also want to place that Hyaluronic Acid substance in the right place within the skin so the delivery method and accuracy is also important.
So we need to get Hyaluronic Acid into our skins, however we choose to do that is a personal choice but it can definitely be an integral part of skin health and in our skins defense against ageing.
References
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0014305713001705
https://incidecoder.com/ingredients/sodium-hyaluronate
