Hyaluronic acid, praised by doctors, dermatologists and beauticians alike, has come into focus over the past few years and has quickly become a regular ingredient in everything from nutritional supplements to skin care. Hyaluronic acid is loved for its powerful moisturizing and strengthening properties in joints and tendons, and its moisturizing anti-aging properties for the skin.
5 short stories about Hyaluronic acid:
- Can hold 1000 times its own weight in water
- Moisturizes the skin from the inside out
- Reduces wrinkles and increases the elasticity of the skin
- Aids wound healing and reduces scarring
- Lubricates the joints, eyes and organs
Incorporating hyaluronic acid into your daily beauty routine is an important step in maintaining healthy, elastic and glowing skin, and is often the answer to the question of how to combat dry, dehydrated skin. In addition, Hyaluronic acid has moisturizing properties for e.g. joints, tendons, internal organs, the eyes, and is given, for example, to patients with osteoarthritis, which is the most common joint disease.
What is Hyaluronic Acid?
Hyaluronic acid is a naturally occurring molecule in the body and skin and is also known as hyaluronic or HA. In the places in the body where hyaluronic acid is found, it functions as a connective tissue in e.g. skin, joints and eyes. Hyaluronic acid is also involved in a wide range of functions. If you get a wound or damage to the skin, hyaluronic acid contributes to healing. Hyaluronic acid also activates the cells that have an anti-inflammatory effect, with which the immune system is put to work to stop any bacteria from developing.
Hyaluronic acid maintains collagen and elastin (the foundation of youthful-looking skin) by helping them retain moisture. Each molecule has the capacity to hold 1000 times its own weight in water, making it a powerful moisturizer: filling the skin from within to reduce the appearance of wrinkles.
Over 70% of our body is made up of water, so keeping moisture levels high is the key to beautiful skin and general well-being, and Hyaluronic Acid helps with that.
Hyaluronic acid is also found in food, primarily animal foods. This also means that the hyaluronic acid used in care products and nutritional supplements is often of animal origin. Hyaluronic acid is primarily found in meat such as liver. However, there are also amounts of hyaluronic acid in bananas, citrus fruits and leafy vegetables.
Both Hyaluronic acid and Collagen are effective moisturizers for our skin. Both Hyaluronic acid and Collagen are naturally occurring in our body, where Collagen is a protein found in joints, bones, teeth, cartilage and skin. Collagen production decreases with age – in fact already from the age of 30. This is also why you start to get fine lines on your face and eventually wrinkles. Hyaluronic acid and collagen have in common that they both play an important role in keeping the skin moist, supple and elastic.
Supple, youthful skin
The majority of Hyaluronic acid – about 50% – is found in the skin. Here it works in the space between the skin cells, where it fills in gaps between the skin's collagen and elastin.
It also has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, so as well as helping to hydrate and firm skin, it can also help protect skin from the aging effects of damaging free radicals and soothe stressed skin.
Renewal
Hyaluronic acid is converted after only 2-3 days in the skin, and we break down around a third of our hyaluronic acid every day. Although our bodies naturally replenish it, the amount decreases as we age. The amount of Hyaluronic Acid typically starts to decrease after the age of 40, and some people over 60 have virtually no Hyaluronic Acid left in their skin. External factors can also reduce the levels, such as pollution, smoking and alcohol.
To counteract these aging effects, it is crucial to support the skin's Hyaluronic Acid levels with application in skin care form or supplements to maintain youthful, plump and glowing skin.
Size matters
Hyaluronic acid is available on the market in different molecular sizes. This will have an impact on how far into the skin the Hyaluronic acid gets. If the molecules are large, they will settle on top of the skin, whereas the smaller molecules can penetrate into the deeper skin layers, this is desired if the Hyaluronic acid is to have an anti-aging effect in addition to just being moisturizing.
Hyaluronic acid can also be used incorrectly and actually have the opposite effect than expected. Hyaluronic acid can dehydrate the skin if the product is not surrounded by enough moisture. In an environment with dry air or a lack of moisture in skin care, the Hyaluronic acid will find the moisture "from within" and this can cause dehydration of your skin. If it is used as a booster, serum or in a mask, always finish with a day or night cream to seal in the moisture. Use a cream suitable for your skin type for best results.
Look for products that contain "low molecular weight" Hyaluronic Acid - sometimes this appears on ingredient lists as sodium hyaluronate. These smaller molecules have been shown to reach the lower layers of the skin and deliver moisturizing, anti-aging properties.
Moisture from the inside
Wellness starts from within, and if you want, in addition to elastic, youthful skin, also well-lubricated joints and optimal moisture for eyes, tendons and organs, Hyaluronic acid fulfills all these goals.
Dietary supplements with Hyaluronic acid benefit the skin all over the body, and it also provides extra lubrication for the eyes, joints and tendons. To get the best anti-ageing results, you can advantageously combine nutritional supplements and skin care with hyaluronic acid.
There are several dietary supplements on the market already that contain Hyaluronic acid, for example collagen powder, capsules and shots.
