Hyaluronic acid: benefits for the skin and uses in beauty

YakobchukOlena | Istockphoto

In the fight both of the cosmetic industry itself against aging and in the beauty in itself, the discovery of hyaluronic acid It has been an authentic and true anti-wrinkle revolution, being very used nowadays by many cosmetics companies.

Hyaluronic acid is a molecule that can be found in different tissues of all special animals, including even the human body itself. It is especially concentrated in the epidermis, the vitreous humor of the eyes, and in the synovial fluid that lubricates the joints. However, with the passage of time these molecules decrease in quantity, deteriorating their function.

What is hyaluronic acid?

Hyaluronic acid consists of a substance, specifically a carbohydrate, that we find completely and completely naturally in a very wide diversity of tissues and organs of our entire body.

For example, we can find hyaluronic acid in tissues such as the epidermis, cartilage, connective tissue, eyes or synovial fluid, to name just a few examples.

As we will see in the section dedicated to what are the benefits and properties that hyaluronic acid offers to the skin, its main capacity is to attract and retain water, so it is essential for these tissues to remain in optimal conditions .

What are the benefits of hyaluronic acid on the skin?

When the amount of hyaluronic acid decreases, something that usually occurs during the process of natural aging of our body, the skin tends to lose hydration, which results in the loss of elasticity and firmness of it.

As a result, the skin becomes more flaccid, at which point certain wrinkles and other signs so characteristic of aging begin to appear.

But the decrease in hyaluronic acid is not only evident in the skin. Internally, although obviously we can not see it, the amount of this polysaccharide is also reduced in the joints, causing the cartilages to become stiffer and break down more easily. It is, for example, a common cause of pain when moving the joints, as a result of friction between the bones.

For all this, the use of hyaluronic acid is common when it comes to reducing wrinkles in certain areas of the face, even going so far as to replace the also popular botulinum toxin (botox).

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Its main uses in beauty

Precisely for its great ability to attract and retain water, and especially for the results obtained in its surgical application through injections, Hyaluronic acid has become very famous, can be applied even topically through facials and creams.

Topical application tends to be less aggressive than the first, since the effect produced by the injections are visible more quickly it is an invasive method, so topical application tends to be much more natural.

However, the application of this acid by intradermal injection has been shown to be able to stimulate and activate the fibroblasts, which are a type of cells found in the connective tissue that tend to produce anti-aging substances in the skin. Even in elderly people, stimulating the formation of collagen.

In addition, its effects are much more positive, since with hyaluronic acid in its topical form the production of elastin and collagen, so the skin is intensely hydrated.

For example, hyaluronic acid is commonly used in the cosmetic clinic as a treatment to eliminate wrinkles located in the area around the nose and sides of the mouth, the contour of the lips and in the corners of the mouth, between the eyebrows, in the area of ​​the forehead and those known as crow's feet.

Other uses

But this acid is not only used in cosmetics as a way to reduce wrinkles. Did you know that it is also used in medicine? For example, it is usually used in the medical treatment of degenerative joint diseases, such as arthrosis, by performing infiltrations in order to reduce and relieve pain and aid in the regeneration of cartilage.

While, in dentistry, hyaluronic acid is used to regenerate the gums and improve the natural healing of the oral mucosa. ThemesSkin Wrinkles

How Does Hyaluronic Acid Work? | The Makeup (April 2024)