Hyaluronic acid is a promising anti-aging skin care technology. It’s what makes babies’ skin so plump and soft and supple. And in the right delivery mechanism, it can add softness and suppleness to aging skin, too.
The Extracellular Matrix
To tell you your skin is made up of layers is nothing new. The terms dermis and epidermis are fairly commonplace, especially among people who are savvy about their skin care. But there’s more to your skin than just layers of skin cells. There’s “stuff” between those cells—the extracellular matrix.
The Extracellular Matrix (ECM) lends support to skin cells, so it is largely responsible for giving skin its structure. The ECM is made up of fibers—collagen and elastin, primarily—which make skin a firm but stretchy barrier.
The ECM also contains other substances that provide nourishment and hydration for the cells and fibers. Hyaluronic acid is one of those substances.
The Function of Hyaluronic Acid
Hyaluronic acid is essentially a lubricant and hydrator, locking water (moisture) where is it needed most. Hyaluronic acid is a major component of synovial fluid around the joints, lubricating the surrounding tissues and allowing them to move smoothly. It is also found in eye tissue and, of course, the skin.
In the skin, hyaluronic acid’s ability to lock in moisture helps combat dryness, flaking, scaling and scarring.
Hyaluronic Acid and Aging
Babies’ skin contains large amounts of hyaluronic acid. Unfortunately, the amount of hyaluronic acid in the skin diminishes with age. The decrease in the skin’s ability to hold moisture can cause it to sag and wrinkle.
However, restoring hyaluronic acid to the skin can combat the signs of aging. There are two possible ways of increasing hyaluronic acid:
- Internally by taking a dietary supplement, or
- Externally through hyaluronic acid-containing skin care products
The results of ingested hyaluronic acid on skin are not well documented. Hyaluronic acid doesn’t know where you need it most, so your body will likely distribute it to =all the places it is normally present—your joints, your eyes as well as your skin. That means that if there are any noticeable benefits from hyaluronic acid, will likely you take you much longer to see them.
Topical delivery is much more likely to give you the anti-aging effects you desire. It is most effective in reducing the appearance of lines and wrinkles around the eyes, but it can be an all-over-face aid to soothe and regenerate skin after a chemical peel, sunburn or laser treatment.
If you are interested in reducing the signs of aging by giving your skin more of what it uses already, check out Dermist M3HA from Hale Cosmeceuticals. Our Dermist M3HA contains medical-grade hyaluronic acid and is gentle enough for twice-daily application.
