Does hyaluronic acid help bring back youth?

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

Beauty injections and anti-aging creams with hyaluronic acid are incredibly popular today. But few people know what this magic substance is and how it works.

Was hyaluronic acid just recently discovered?

No. Back in 1934 (and not at all recently, as the advertisement assures), German biochemist Karl Meyer and his colleague John Palmer published an article in which they described a very high molecular weight polysaccharide they found in the vitreous humor of a cow's eye. The substance was named hyaluronic acid (hyaluronan). Since then, great minds began to study this chemical compound, its structure and principle of action.

It has nothing to do with acids in the everyday sense, since it does not have a dissolving property. Hyaluronic acid is involved in the retention of water in the tissues.

Molecules of this substance are able to retain water in quantities that significantly exceed their own volumes.

Hyaluronic acid is an important component of synovial fluid and is responsible for its viscosity level, is present in biological lubricants and participates in the process of skin regeneration. Its greatest concentration falls on the connective tissues of the joints.

That is, hyaluronic acid is in the human body?

Yes. But with age, the amount of hyaluronic acid produced by the body decreases. It is possible to compensate for the deficiency with the help of creams, lotions and serums, subcutaneous injections, procedures using a laser, ultrasound and microcurrent.

Hyaluronic acid makes the skin more elastic and elastic, reduces wrinkles, adds volume to the lips and other parts of the body, and is even able to heal dermatitis.

German dermatologists were the first to reveal these magical properties of hyaluronan; a little later, cosmetologists from the United States conducted their studies.

Where does the acid in creams and injections come from?

At first, hyaluronic acid was obtained only from animal raw materials: cock combs or umbilical cords of animals. Over time, science has come to the artificial production of hyaluronan in the laboratory. The second acids are obtained with a purer composition and more similar to human ones in properties.

They say that hyaluronic acid in creams is useless: its molecules are too large to get into the deep layers of the skin. This is true?

Hyaluronan molecules are indeed several times larger than the distance between skin cells. However, the acid does not need to penetrate too deep to moisturize. It is enough to stay on the surface of the skin for a while in order to exert its water-retaining effect. In addition, for creams, lotions and serums, the molecules are specially split into small fractions.

Why then inject?

Then, that the effect of them is more noticeable and lasting. The use of professional acid gels and creams guarantees smooth skin in just 10–20 days. The effect of the injections lasts on average 6–12 months (depending on the type of drug).

In the case of injections, hyaluronic acid acts as a filler. The substance, as it were, inflates the skin from the inside, thereby smoothing out wrinkles and enlarging the lips, chest or other parts of the body (but more often acid is still used for face plastics). That is why injections should be done only in specialized salons with an experienced master. If you inject too much of the drug, instead of a doll's face and sensual lips, you risk getting cheek pillows and rollers instead of a mouth.

There are other dangers as well. Sometimes drugs cause allergies, and during the injection, an infection can be introduced into the body. Therefore, doctors do not recommend injections if you have an inflammatory condition, are pregnant or breastfeeding. After chemical or laser peeling, it is also better to postpone the procedure: the dermis needs time to recover.

Does hyaluronic acid trigger acne?

The use of hyaluronan is included in the complex therapy against acne. The acid normalizes the functioning of the sebaceous glands, eliminates inflammation and helps the regular renewal of skin cells.

For acne, you can take rashes that appear after injections due to improper care. The puncture violates the integrity of the skin and allows bacteria to enter the body unhindered. If you do not follow the rules of disinfection and care, small white pimples may appear in the puncture sites.

Does it cause addiction?

Only psychological. After hyaluronan stops stimulating hydration, the skin gradually returns to its original state. And the stimulation ends for quite natural reasons: the hyaluronic acid that has entered the body is included in the metabolic process and is gradually absorbed.

And the patient goes to the next injection session or buys another jar of cream. But the condition of his skin did not deteriorate - it just became what it was before hyaluronan.

Does hyaluronic acid stop the aging process?

Hyaluronan deeply moisturizes the skin, restores its tone, smoothes wrinkles. But skin aging is such a complex process that it cannot be reduced to dehydration alone. Using hyaluronic acid in creams or subcutaneous injections can visually rejuvenate you, but not stop things from happening naturally.

Hyaluronic acid is not a cure for aging. It just doesn't exist.