8 Important Benefits of Hyaluronic Acid

Impaired barrier, inflammation and breakouts can be treated with Hyaluronic acid.
Yet few understand that molecular size matters.

There is one ingredient that is the superstar of the skincare world.

That has a vast laundry list of skin-enhancing benefits.

Enter hyaluronic acid. Ta-da.

It’s a buzzword that gets thrown around a lot without much explanation to go with it.

Yet, it is an essential humectant for your skin.

It works like tiny moisture magnets binding cells together.

It creates the perfect protective barrier and keeps your skin plump and youthful.

To find out how to get more of this good stuff into your skin.

Keep reading our under-the-radar ‘facial fountain of youth guide.

#1: Understanding Hyaluronic acid

Your skin naturally contains 15% hyaluronic acid.

However, in a cruel twist of fate, it becomes seriously depleted when you hit your late thirties. This is why it is so important to replenish it topically.

Weirdly, hyaluronic acid (or HA for short) isn’t an acid; it’s a naturally occurring sugar called Glycosaminoglycan. A class of molecules that can hold onto water exceptionally efficiently due to its polar nature, which forms a vital component of connective tissue in your body.

Hyaluronic is everywhere, including your skin, hair, eyes and nerves. It also lubricates joints and boosts collagen and elastin levels.

We liken it to internal scaffolding for your skin; it plumps and cushions, keeping it hydrated and youthful.

Our bodies contain approximately 15 grams of hyaluronic acid, one-third of which is turned over, degraded, and resynthesized daily.

One gram of HA can hold onto 6 litres of water, which equals a whopping 6000%; wow, now that is impressive—no wonder it is known as the super moisture magnet.

#2: How Hyaluronic Acid is Produced

It is primarily produced fbythe fermentation of gGroupA sstreptococci

The manufacturing and purification process eliminates bacteria and bacterial fragments; therefore, it results in a sterile product.

In manufacturing hyaluronic acid products for cosmetics, microbiological testing is the final step before release to market.

#3: Hyaluronic Acid Helps Ingredients Penetrate

We like to think of this clever humectant as a molecular chaperone, especially in micro-needling, where the skin barrier is penetrated.

Using other actives by first applying a layer of hyaluronic acid can help prevent the degradation of these delicate ingredients by keeping them moist and in contact with the stratum corneum, your outer layer of skin.

#4: You Can Apply it Topically and Ingest it

Applying it topically has many benefits for your skin.

Moisture is at the core of dewy, healthy skin. So, you should use topical hyaluronic acid regularly to lock in as much moisture as possible and keep your skin moist and plump.

As discussed above, it is also important to remember that when using a water-based hyaluronic serum, you must layer it.

Daily hyaluronic acid supplements: These can help lubricate your skin, as this research (1) found; hyaluronic acid metabolites increase skin moisture by affecting skin cells.

Thus, consuming hyaluronic acid will affect your skin cells, especially if your skin is dehydrated.

#5: Hyaluronic Acid Serum Versus  Moisturiser

These are two completely different formulas. Hyaluronic acid serums (2) act quite differently from lipid-based creams, which, due to their size and molecular weight, provide better short-term surface hydration.

On the other hand, Moisturisers contain oils and emulsifiers; their occlusive nature helps keep skin more moisturised.

So, whilst they bring two very different things to your skin, they complement each other and can significantly help rebuild your skin barrier.

#6: Molecular Size Matters

This is an important subject when treating your skin with HA.

Not all molecules are the same because they span a continuum of molecular weights, from very low to very high, expressed in Daltons.

High molecular weight hyaluronic acid has a larger molecular size and is always >1,000 kDa. Anything lower than that (10-1000 kDa) is considered medium and low molecular weight HA, which is formed by chopping it into smaller fragments.

High molecular weight (HMW) HA

This is a natural, physiologic ingredient in human skin and has many benefits. The primary role is to form a protective film within the skin’s keratin (protein) upon evaporation, keeping the barrier function intact and the skin balanced and healthy.

We have created a high-molecular-weight serum that is pure, unadulterated, and free of microbes, in the form of an H2O-hydrating skin shot.

Low molecular (LMW)-HA

Studies have found that low-molecular-weight hyaluronic acid acts as a bio-signal in the opposite direction: the smaller the molecule, the deeper it can penetrate.

LMW HA can increase inflammation and prevent the production of healthy, non-scarring matrix; for this reason, we don’t use it in our formulas.

• High molecular weight hyaluronic acid is associated with providing a hydrating, protective layer, repairing the barrier, promoting healing and regeneration, and calming inflammation.
• Low molecular weight penetrates your skin more deeply and is associated with inflammation & scarring.

Therefore, if your skin is sensitive or compromised, it will get further irritated if the molecular size is wrong.

Many skincare specialists treat post-procedure skin with low-molecular-weight HA, which can impair the protective barrier function and cause a whole host of skin conditions; we often see this with microneedling treatments.

So, as you can see, molecular size matters when it comes to the type of hyaluronic acid used in your skincare products. This will determine whether the hyaluronic acid sits on your skin’s surface or penetrates deep into the subcutaneous layers.

#7: The Perfect Post-procedure Treatment

Because hyaluronic acid for the skin is a native human molecule, it is the ideal treatment for those whose natural defence barrier has been compromised or whose skin barrier function is out of whack.

After many years of working directly with the skin, we firmly believe that PURE, UNADULTERATED HYALURONIC ACID is the ONLY INGREDIENT you should use DURING and at least up to 36 HOURS AFTER-TREATMENT to PROMOTE SKIN HEALING and PREVENT CONTAMINATION and INFECTION.

Other formulas have many by-products; yet after skin treatments such as microneedling, laser, or peels, many skincare specialists offer ingredients like vitamin C, aloe vera, and even snail slime.

These ingredients contain microbial byproducts that can cause various skin problems and irreversible skin damage. Some of these case studies are due to the topicals used during and after treatment.

If you think about it, micro-needling creates small micro-channels in your skin; therefore, the last thing you want to do is introduce foreign ingredients it doesn’t recognise, which can lead to granulomatous infections, as discussed here.

Using a pure, unadulterated, high-molecular form can be highly beneficial during micro-needling, helping the automated pens glide when being “dragged” across the skin and post-procedure to encourage skin healing.

#8: Hyaluronic Acid Is Affected by Climate

Hyaluronic acid is typically praised for its ability to attract and retain moisture, making it a popular ingredient in skincare products. However, its effects can vary depending on environmental factors and individual skin characteristics.

In certain climates with low humidity, such as arid or desert environments, hyaluronic acid may draw moisture from the deeper layers of the skin to the surface, where it can evaporate more readily.

This can leave the skin feeling dehydrated or dry, primarily if adequate hydration is not maintained.

While hyaluronic acid doesn’t inherently dry out the skin, external factors like climate and humidity can influence its effectiveness. Combining hyaluronic acid with occlusive moisturisers, such as Fortify barrier repair cream, is essential for locking in moisture and preventing water loss.

This can help create a protective barrier on the skin’s surface, reducing water loss and maintaining hydration levels.

This combination can effectively address the potential drying effects of hyaluronic acid in certain climates, keeping the skin moist, healthy, and hydrated.

Our Recommendations

• H20 hydrating skin shot is a pure, unadulterated hyaluronic acid serum. The gel’s high molecular structure is highly regenerating and healing.
• The B+ Niacinamide complex is a unique, multitasking gel-based serum targeted at premature ageing and pigmented skin. It balances oily and combination skin types.
• Reset age-defying cream is a unique skin-identical formula with many natural ingredients that your skin depletes with age.

To Conclude. The naked truth

In conclusion, hyaluronic acid (HA) is crucial in maintaining skin hydration and overall health. Naturally occurring in the body, it’s a sugar molecule that can hold a remarkable amount of water, contributing to the skin’s plumpness and moisture. As we age, our natural HA levels decline, making it essential to replenish them through topical applications.

HA isn’t an acid but rather a glycosaminoglycan, a component of connective tissue. It’s found throughout the body, not just on the skin, and helps lubricate joints, boost collagen and elastin levels, and provide moisture to various tissues.

The production of HA, particularly for cosmetic use, involves fermentation and purification processes to ensure its safety and effectiveness.

HA can also facilitate the penetration of other skincare ingredients, acting as a molecular chaperone, which is particularly beneficial in treatments like micro-needling.

Both topical application and oral supplementation of HA offer benefits for skin health. While topical application directly moisturises the skin, oral supplements can help hydrate the skin from within.

When selecting HA products, it’s essential to consider their molecular size. High-molecular-weight HA forms a protective barrier on the skin’s surface, while low-molecular-weight HA can penetrate deeper but may increase inflammation, particularly in sensitive or compromised skin.

In post-procedure skincare, pure, unadulterated HA promotes skin healing and prevents complications.

So we think you’d agree we need a little hyaluronic acid love in our lives.

References

1. Ingested hyaluronan moisturises dry skin

2. Efficacy Evaluation of a Topical Hyaluronic Acid Serum in Facial Photoaging