Hyaluronic acid is perhaps one of the most well-known beauty ingredients. Even people far from the beauty industry have heard about it. However, knowledge about hyaluronic acid is often limited to the fact that it reduces wrinkles. In reality, everything is not so simple.
What is hyaluronic acid?
Hyaluronic acid is the most versatile "beauty molecule. " It was discovered in 1934 by Carl Meyer and his assistant John Palmer.
Hyaluronic acid is found in bones, connective tissue, cartilage, hair follicles and skin. At the same time, almost half of hyaluronic acid is present in the skin, where it binds water like a magnet, slows down its evaporation and helps cells retain moisture. Just 1g of hyaluronic acid has the impressive ability to hold up to 6L of water. Add to this the ability to regulate moisture levels in the cells and you have a phenomenal cellular component. It allows the skin to maintain high moisture levels, remain elastic and healthy.
Thus, hyaluronic acid has three main effects:
- anti-aging;
- moisturizing;
- wound healing.
Hyaluronic acid can be destroyed by free radicals under the influence of ultraviolet radiation, tobacco smoke and a polluted environment.
This is how you know that your skin needs hyaluronic acid
After 25 years, skin cells produce less hyaluronic acid. This happens due to a slowdown in the ability of cells to divide and retain moisture. Dehydrated skin has an uneven texture, is covered in fine wrinkles and looks dull.
To keep the skin soft, elastic and radiant, you can include creams and preparations with hyaluronic acid in your daily care from the age of 25, and hyaluronic serum from the age of 30.
Hyaluronic acid supplements
If you are deficient in hyaluronic acid, we recommend taking appropriate dietary supplements. Studies have shown that taking 120-240 mg of hyaluronic acid per day for at least a month significantly improves skin hydration and reduces dryness. Dietary supplements with hyaluronic acid can be taken from the age of 20.
Why don't hyaluronic acid products work?
If the skin is sufficiently moisturized, products containing hyaluronic acid may clump when applied, so use of this component is not necessary at this time.
If the feeling of a film appears on the skin after using a cream or serum with hyaluronic acid, the skin does not need hyaluronic acid.
What skin type are products with hyaluronic acid suitable for?
There are three main skin types:
- normal;
- dry;
- greasy.
Any type of skin can experience dehydration and sensitivity. That means both oily and normal skin can be dehydrated. It is important not to confuse dehydration with dry skin type. The cause of dry skin is a lack of lipids, not water.
What names can hyaluronic acid have on the packaging?
Hyaluronic acid has the following names:
- hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid;
- acetylated hyaluronate;
- sodium hyaluronate;
- Sodium salt of hyaluronic acid.
Which skin care products contain hyaluronic acid?
Serums
They have a light texture, minimal composition and are characterized by the highest concentration of hyaluronic acid. In addition, the texture of the serum allows hyaluronic acid to penetrate the skin more quickly. It's best to use a combination of large and small molecules to provide instant hydration to the top layer of skin and longer lasting hydration to the lower epidermis.
How to use hyaluronic acid serum correctly
It is very important to use the hyaluronic acid serum correctly. The fact is that if you apply a serum with hyaluronic acid to dry skin in a humid room without applying cream afterwards, the serum will draw moisture from the air and create a feeling of tightness without drying out the face. When the skin is moisturized and the room is dry, the hyaluronic acid present on the surface of the face draws water from the skin and evaporates it into the air, creating a feeling of dryness.
Therefore, it is important to apply a hyaluronic acid serum to slightly damp skin - you can spray your face with thermal water or not dry it completely with a towel and immediately apply a moisturizer after the serum to "seal" the hyaluronic acid on the face. Skin. OnThis way the moisturizing effect is maximum. This scheme is suitable for every skin type.
Cleaning products
Syndents with sodium hyaluronate help remove makeup, dirt and excess sebum. The product is applied to damp skin and then washed off.
Lotion with sodium hyaluronate
Can be used for both face and body.
Gel with sodium hyaluronate
The gel should be applied to the skin until completely absorbed.
Face cream
Hyaluronic acid is a "team player" that works best in combination with a cream.
What side effects can the use of hyaluronic acid have?
Hyaluronic acid is perhaps the most harmless ingredient for the skin in terms of side effects. Since hyaluronic acid is a normal component of the skin, an allergic reaction to it is very rare.
The use of this acid, unlike glycolic acid, salicylic acid and others, is not aimed at renewing the epidermis, but at moisturizing and maintaining the hydrolipidic mantle of the skin. This means that the skin is not "exposed" and redness does not occur. When applied topically, the application does not stimulate the skin’s exfoliating processes.
If side effects occur after using a product containing hyaluronic acid, you should pay attention to the composition of the product - allergies to other ingredients may occur. This reaction can be caused by using too high a concentration of hyaluronic acid. Therefore, to avoid irritation or dryness, it is recommended to avoid hyaluronic acid concentrations above 2%.
It is also advisable to do a "patch test" beforehand - apply a small amount of a new product to the back of your wrist and check for side effects for 24 hours. If side effects occur after using hyaluronic acid, you should take oneVisit a dermatologist.
The use of external preparations containing hyaluronic acid is safe during pregnancy or breastfeeding.
What should be hyaluronic acid?
The benefits of hyaluronic acid directly depend on its molecular weight and concentration. The diameter of the hyaluronic acid is also important as it determines the ingredient's ability to penetrate the skin.
Molecular weight is measured in so-called atomic mass units – Daltons or kDa. Hyaluronic acid weighing 50 to 1000 kDa is the most beneficial for the skin; A weight of around 130 kDa is considered optimal. Exceeding this indicator has no qualitative significance.
Why does the 130 kDa weight have the maximum effect?
In one study, researchers examined the skin effects of hyaluronic acid with different molecular weights, including 50, 130, 300, 800 and 2000 kDa. A month after starting to use topical preparations with different acidity, experts found that the use of 130 kDa was the most effective - skin elasticity increased by 20%. There was a significant reduction in wrinkle depth and skin roughness after 60 days in both the 50 kDa group and the 130 kDa group. All other molecular weights also increased skin elasticity and moisture, but to a lesser extent.
Which components can hyaluronic acid be combined well with?
If you are looking for a pair of active ingredients for optimal skin care, choose hyaluronic acid and vitamin C. They complement each other and promote maximum hydration, protection and restoration of the skin.
There's another reason these ingredients work well together: Too much vitamin C can lead to irritation, dry skin, and even acne, and hyaluronic acid not only soothes and repairs skin and helps build a moisture barrier, but also acts as an excellent courierand delivers moisture vitamin C into the cells.
Other medical benefits of hyaluronic acid
In addition to its excellent cosmetic effects in skin care, sodium hyaluronate has other medical applications.
Osteoarthritis of the knee joint
Hyaluronic acid is found in synovial fluid and cartilage. However, with osteoarthritis, the level of sodium hyaluronate in the joints drops. A sodium hyaluronate injection can help with knee osteoarthritis. The medicine is injected directly into the knee and helps relieve pain in that area.
Eye surgery
Sodium hyaluronate drops are useful in the following procedures:
- corneal transplant surgery;
- correction of glaucoma;
- secondary implantation of an intraocular lens;
- Cataract surgery.
Thanks to its anti-inflammatory and moisturizing effects, sodium hyaluronate reduces dry eyes that can occur after surgery.
Nasal spray with sodium hyaluronate
This product is effective for moisturizing and regenerating the mucous membrane of the sinuses.
Hyaluronic acid injections
Injectable wrinkle fillers can give the skin a lifted appearance in a gentler way than a traditional facelift. Most fillers or fillers fill cavities, lines and wrinkles in less than 30 minutes and provide results that can last 4 months to a year.
What effect do injections have?
The scope of application of hyaluronic acid gel is wide:
- Wrinkle smoothing
- Lip augmentation
- Facial contour modeling
- intensive skin moisture
The most popular category of wrinkle fillers is hyaluronic acid. Each type of medication works differently and produces different results.
Side effects
Side effects from these injections are rare but may include:
- redness;
- Edema;
- Bruising at the injection site.
The filler may also be visible as small bumps under the skin, but these will disappear within a day.
If you take blood thinners, the injection site will bleed longer and you may bruise easily.
What you should know before injecting hyaluronic acid
- You should not be guided solely by the price of the procedure.
- If you are offered wrinkle correction at a significantly lower price, the workmanship or quality of the product may leave something to be desired.
- The procedure can only be carried out in a medical center.
- Procedures may only be performed in a medical setting, regardless of who is performing them.
- Always ask for the name of the medicine.
- Before the injection, the specialist must announce the name of the medicine and show how to open the new package. If the specialist does not provide this information, it is better to refuse the procedure.
Use sunscreen daily. This helps to prolong the effects of the filler and protect against post-inflammatory pigmentary changes that may occur at the injection site.
Special precautions when performing hyaluronic acid injections
pregnancy
There are no data confirming the safety of hyaluronic acid injections during pregnancy.
Breastfeeding
There is also no data yet on the safety of injections with hyaluronic acid during breastfeeding and their effect on the child.
Associated visible skin diseases
The use of hyaluronic acid can worsen the skin condition in people with scleroderma. With this pathology, the topical application of products containing hyaluronic acid is unsuitable.
How is a hyaluronic acid injection done?
Hyaluronic acid is injected under the skin in small amounts using a thin needle. Depending on the pain sensitivity and the injection site, it is possible to apply an anesthetic cream in advance or to perform local anesthesia in the form of an injection of an anesthetic into the skin. When using a local anesthetic, the anesthetic effect occurs within 2-3 minutes.
Where on the face are hyaluronic acid injections used?
- Glabellar wrinkles in combination with botulinum toxin;
- nasolabial folds and "marionette folds";
- fine wrinkles around the mouth and lips.
It is important to remember that superficial or very deep wrinkles are difficult to treat. In these cases, the doctor may recommend a combination of hyaluronic acid gel with another medication and subsequent skin care selection.
How long does the hyaluronic acid injection take?
The procedure takes 15-60 minutes. Since the lip area is significantly smaller compared to other injection sites, the processing time is also shorter.
How long does the effect of hyaluronic acid treatment last?
The duration of action varies from patient to patient and depends on many factors, including lifestyle, skin type, age and injection technique. For example, after lip augmentation, at least six months must pass before the next injection of the drug.
What skin care treatments can hyaluronic acid be combined with?
Hyaluronic acid combines with most other ingredients, including exfoliants, retinols, vitamins and other acids. The only exception are acids with a low pH value, such as glycolic acid, as they inhibit the effects of hyaluronic acid and can significantly reduce its effectiveness.
What to do after injecting fillers at home?
- Avoid massaging or rubbing the treated areas for the first 48 hours after treatment.
- For the first eight hours after the procedure, you should not touch the treated areas of your face unnecessarily. Later, you can wash your face with soap and apply light makeup.
- Until the initial redness and swelling of the skin subsides, extreme heating of the skin (tanning beds and sunbathing) and hypothermia should be avoided.
Is it possible to remove hyaluronic acid after treatment?
No. If you are not satisfied with the result, you can carry out the treatment gradually until the desired effect is achieved.
What is biorevitalization?
Biorevitalization is a form of mesotherapy that uses higher concentrations of hyaluronic acid. It should not be confused with filler, which acts as a filler for wrinkles and does not provide nutrients to the skin.
Biorevitalization can be used on the neck, décolleté, arms, hands and in the knee area.
The main goal of therapy is to fill the skin with hyaluronic acid, which stimulates the natural production of collagen and hyaluronic acid, as well as active metabolism under the skin, which contributes to its rejuvenation.
For this purpose, purified hyaluronic acid of non-animal origin is injected into the skin. This means that it is synthesized from bacteriological strains of streptococci, is completely organic for the human body and does not cause any side effects. This method of skin rejuvenation is considered simpler than other cosmetic procedures, but no less effective.
Biorevitalization is recommended after 25-30 years, when the amount of native hyaluronic acid decreases significantly and the skin intensively loses moisture. This leads to loss of tone and elasticity, increased dryness and a tendency to inflammation. The result is visible after the first procedure, but treatment is required for the optimal effect.
What is mesotherapy?
Mesotherapy is the rejuvenation of tired tissue. The main goal of the technique is to enrich the skin with beneficial substances and nutrients. Thanks to injections, this process goes deeper and more intensively than when using creams and masks. Depending on the goals of the correction, the doctor selects a ready-made solution or composes it individually, taking into account the characteristics of the patient's body.
Components of mesotherapy can be:
- hyaluronic acid;
- vitamin and mineral complexes;
- amino acids, antioxidants;
- peptides;
- Phytoextracts.
The procedure is carried out using very thin needles. Mesotherapy has a long-lasting effect after the first injection session and allows to solve a whole range of problems. The aim is to improve the general condition of the skin, normalize microcirculation in cells and the intercellular space, increase tissue elasticity and eliminate various aesthetic defects. The youthfulness and freshness of the skin lasts up to ten months and can be maintained with repeated injections.
What to choose - mesotherapy or biorevitalization
There is no clear answer. Injections for biorevitalization contain exclusively hyaluronic acid, which is primarily necessary for moisturizing and restoring damaged tissues.
Mesotherapy cocktails are a whole complex of biologically active components that have a complex effect on tissues and can solve several aesthetic problems at once.
Mesotherapy also helps with specific problems, such as:
- dark circles and bags under the eyes;
- cellulite;
- hair loss;
- Scarring.
Mesotherapy includes both superficial injections of medication to a depth of 2 mm and deep punctures.
Therefore, mesotherapy is optimal for patients over 30 years old, which is especially relevant when solving cosmetic problems associated with acne and scars, and for patients over 25 years old, biorevitalization is the best option.