In the world of skin care, trendy ingredients come and go, but research shows that Hyaluronic Acid (or HA) is not just a trend. In fact, it’s one of the best skin care ingredients you can use to replenish and hydrate.
Aging and the importance of HA
Premature aging of skin is the result of repeated and extended exposure to UV radiation. Approximately 80% of facial skin aging is attributed to UV-exposure. UV radiation induced skin damage is an extremely rapid event – as little as 5 min exposure is enough. Skin aging is associated with a loss of skin moisture.
The key molecule involved in skin moisture is hyaluronan or hyaluronic acid (HA) which has a unique capacity to bind and retain water molecules. In fact, the skin contains 50% of the body’s HA. Among ingredients that improve skin hydration, HA stands out with its ability to retain moisturization.
Why should you use HA?
Why is it a prime component and part of almost every other serum you ask? Interest in using hyaluronic acid as a cosmetic ingredient in skin care products occurred with the discovery that the amount of HA found in natural skin diminishes with age, and when reintroduced into skin care products, it keeps skin hydrated, attenuates the appearance of wrinkles, and smooths the skin. HA has many qualities that make it superior to other substances used in skin regeneration, with pronounced moisturizing and anti-ageing effects.
It plays a multifaceted role and exhibits remarkable anti-wrinkle, anti-aging and face rejuvenating properties. HA, alone or in combination with other co-agents, has shown promising efficacy in skin tightness and elasticity, face rejuvenation and reducing the wrinkle scars. HA is a valuable ingredient to improve facial appearance in women with poor skin plumpness, decreased skin hydration, and photoaging.
HA helps to rejuvenate the skin because it increases viscosity, contains moisture, and makes extracellular fluids less permeable. Because of its excellent water-holding capacity, HA increases the youthfulness, moisturization, and smoothness of the skin and reduces the degree of wrinkles.
Why do we need supplements or serums with HA?
Unfortunately, the level of HA in the skin naturally decreases with age. People between the ages of 19 and 47 have twice as much HA in their skin as those in their 50s and 60s. And of course, sun damage hastens this. This makes HA supplements even more important, as they help replace what the skin loses with the passage of time.
It has been used both topically and orally for appearance improvement. Orally, it has been shown to increase skin’s hydration, aid in the transport of nutrients in skin, visibly improve elasticity, and complement the plumping, wrinkle-smoothing results topical hyaluronic acid provides.
It is also one of the most efficient and safe ingredients used frequently in cosmetics. HA is also of particular importance as a delivery system of active ingredients. In fact, it has been proven that HA enhances the penetration of the active ingredient through the stratum corneum (SC), which behaves as a barrier to the entry of the molecule into the deeper layers of the skin.
So now you know. Don’t just take our word though: try this for yourself.
