A beginner's guide to the ingredient you're seeing in many beauty products.
In the skin care universe, popular ingredients come and go. Records show that hyaluronic acid is not a one time frenzy but one of the best skin care ingredients you will fall in love with.
Hyaluronic acid - the key to plump fine lines and to moisturize skin with glow. It can be found in many products including serums to facial cream and even injectables.
What Exactly is Hyaluronic Acid?
Hyaluronic acid (HA) is a glycosaminoglycan, a sugar naturally found in our skin to support the skin’s youth-sustaining matrix. HA works to keep every aspect of skin stable, safeguarded, and constantly renewed.
HA within our bodies holds a thousand times its weight in water to not only retain all that moisture in our skin and joints, but also prevent all that moisture from evaporating into the air.
HA is also a humectant often found in water-based moisturizers, serums, and other topical skin care products because of its ability to help boost hydration for all skin types, which is beneficial for dehydrated skin.
Hyaluronic is Related to Skin Microbiome?
According to the online resource: "HA is also a postbiotic, which is an ingredient that naturally occurs as probiotics found in skin's microbiome break down. Researchers believe that this synergy with skin is another reason application of hyaluronic acid leads to healthier, younger-looking skin: it strengthens and helps rebuild the unique microbiome on your skin." Find out more here
The amount of naturally-occurring hyaluronic acid in our bodies decreases over time. However, there is way to retain it by consuming great amount of fresh fruits and veggies with high antioxidants can protect the skin from inflammation and help the skin to retain it.
What Does Hyaluronic Acid Do To Your Skin?
The science-based magic lies in HA’s ability to replenish a GREAT amount of water. One gram of hyaluronic acid can hold more than 3 LITERS of water. More importantly is that HA can do this for skin without tipping the limits giving skin too much water (which, surprisingly, can be a problem because it breaks down key substances that normally hold skin’s surface intact) according to the article published here at Paula's Choice website.
Hyaluronic acid can enhance moisture content beyond comparison. It also revitalizes skin’s outer surface layers, so they look and feel softer, smoother and radiantly hydrated. This instantly improves the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
HA's Other Functional Benefits:
Over the past 2 decades there was considerable evidence presented that unraveled the functional role of HA in molecular mechanisms and indicated the potential role of HA for the development of novel therapeutic strategies for many diseases.
Functions of HA include the following:
Hydration
Lubrication of joints
A space filling capacity
Preserve Bone Strength
Could Prevent Bladder Pain
Anti-Aging Benefits
Hyaluronic acid’s moisture-binding characteristic is exceptionally important when it comes to skin aging. When we’re young, our skin can hold onto water and retain a balanced amount of moisture, but it loses this ability as we age resulting in a visible loss of firmness, pliability, and a diminished appearance of plumpness and suppleness.
Unprotected sun exposure and environmental assault weaken skin’s surface and cause premature aging. In recent years, a daily use of a broad-spectrum sunscreen and avoiding harsh skin care ingredients have been broadly advocated by opinion leader group and skincare experts as a must for combating aging. Yes, HA’s antioxidant and skin-replenishing properties do the job toward mitigating these issues as well. A real multi-tasking and powerful skincare ingredient that you don't want to miss.
References for This Information:
Hyaluronic acid: A key molecule in skin aging: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3583886/
How Hyaluronic Acid Benefits Skin: https://www.paulaschoice.com/expert-advice/skincare-advice/anti-aging-wrinkles/how-hyaluronic-acid-benefits-skin.html
7 Surprising Benefits of Hyaluronic Acid
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