One of the body’s most important connective tissue components is glycosaminoglycan hyaluronic acid (HA). Glycosaminoglycans refer to Polysaccharides or lengthy unbranched carbohydrates.
To get that moisturized and plump look, your skin needs HA, which gives your skin structure. You may have heard about collagen, and hyaluronic acid is the new collagen.
With all the hype about anti-aging, it’s about time we talk about hyaluronic acid and its advantages for our skin. Our ability to repair wounds diminishes with age, rendering us more vulnerable to wrinkles and drooping.
Types of Hyaluronic Acid
Here are the three kinds of hyaluronic acid for skin:
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Hyaluronic acid broken into small enough fragments to permeate the skin is called hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid.
However, because it’s not the most moisturizing choice, it works best for those with oily or mixed complexion who don’t want to over-moisturize their skin.
Sodium Hyaluronate
Sodium hyaluronate is a great option for those who want to get the most out of their products. Normal skin types benefit the most from sodium hyaluronate since it allows moisture to permeate, but they don’t require a long-lasting or powerful impact.
Serums are likely to include this component.
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
In addition to the advantages of sodium hyaluronate, acetylated hyaluronate provides longer-lasting effects. People with dry skin or those seeking a solution for the dry winter months can benefit most from it.
How Safe Is Hyaluronic Acid for Skin?
It’s best to maintain HA concentrations below 2% whether making your goods or buying HA products that specify the proportion.
Why? With the molecular weight of just five kDa of HA’s capacity to permeate the skin, additional potentially harmful compounds, chemicals, and germs may be introduced deeper into the skin.
This might be terrible news if your skin is already in a bad state. Fortunately, allergic responses to HA are rare because our bodies also produce it.
It’s good that cosmetic chemists are experts in this field, so we can rely on their knowledge and the opinions of others when it comes to HA products.
But if you’re manufacturing your HA serums, you need to know that not all types of hyaluronic acid are equal.
There’s a chance that finding the fountain of youth of hydration will have unexpected consequences. Increasing amounts of HA are connected to inflammatory skin illnesses like psoriasis.
The Science behind Hyaluronic Acid
Because of its high molecular weight and concentration, hyaluronic acid benefits the skin. As measured by its molecular weight, the HA molecule’s mass determines its molecular weight.
Unified atomic mass units, or daltons (kDa), are used to quantify this. A wide range of HA concentrations is advantageous to the skin, with around 130 kDa proving the most effective.
Anything more than that won’t have much of an impact. Inflammation might occur at a lower level. It was observed that the most effective therapy was HA at 130 kDa, which increased skin elasticity by 20%. Skin wrinkle depth and roughness significantly decreased after 60 days for the 50 kDa and 130 kDa groups. The flexibility and moisture of the skin were still enhanced by all the other molecular weights, although to a lesser extent.
Hyaluronic Acid’s Benefits
Helpful to Ease the Symptoms of Acid Reflux
According to new research, hyaluronic acid supplementation may help lessen acid reflux symptoms. A common symptom of acid reflux is discomfort and damage to the esophageal lining.
The esophagus’ injured lining may be soothed and recovered faster with hyaluronic acid. A test tube investigation discovered that treating acid-damaged throat tissue with a combination of hyaluronic acid and chondroitin sulfate accelerated the healing process significantly.
Can Hasten the Healing of Wounds
Wound healing is another important function of hyaluronic acid. When there is an injury to the skin, the quantity of hyaluronic acid in the skin rises.
To speed wound healing, hyaluronic acid regulates inflammatory levels and signals the body to grow new blood vessels in the affected region.
Skin wounds may be treated with it, and it has been found to minimize the size of wounds and soothe pain more quickly than a placebo or no therapy.
When applied directly to open wounds, hyaluronic acid’s antimicrobial characteristics can help lower the risk of infection.
Additionally, when used topically in the mouth, it is beneficial in fighting gum disease and helps to speed up the recovery process following dental surgery and removing oral ulcers.
It’s unknown whether hyaluronic supplements may deliver the same advantages as hyaluronic acid serums and gels.
Since oral hyaluronic acid supplements raise skin hyaluronic acid levels, there is some reason to believe they might be beneficial.
Encourages the Development of Supple and Healthy Skin
Supplementing with hyaluronic acid can improve the appearance and feel of your skin. Hyaluronic acid is found in your skin, and it binds with water and helps keep your skin soft and supple.
As we age, our skin’s ability to produce vitamin D decreases, as does our exposure to sunlight, cigarette smoke, and pollution.
One way to take hyaluronic acid supplements is to prevent this loss by providing your body with another hyaluronic acid to absorb into the skin.
Taking 100–200 mg daily for nearly a month has been found to improve skin hydration and reduce dryness in adults dramatically.
In addition to reducing wrinkles, supplementing with hyaluronic acid has been shown to improve skin look. A hyaluronic acid serum can minimize wrinkles, rashes, and dermatitis when applied to the skin.
Injecting hyaluronic acid fillers into the skin can help maintain a youthful appearance.
Wrapping Up
It’s a well-known fact that hyaluronic acid for skin has many skin-plumping properties, including a reduction in the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines and a speedier rate of wound healing.
For those who suffer from osteoarthritis, it can assist in alleviating their discomfort. Hyaluronic acid can also be used in the form of eye drops for dry eyes, and an injection of hyaluronic acid is used to treat bladder pain.
Hyaluronic acid supplements have several health benefits, particularly those connected to skin health.