Hyaluronic Acid

Why You Should Add It To Your Skin Care Regime

Read why you should be adding Hyaluronic Acid in your skin care regime once you reach 30 years of age irrespective of skin concern or skin type.

Hyaluronic acid (HA) is actually an amazing molecule found in almost all living organisms and also most definitely found in humans (present in connective tissue throughout the human body) and specifically in our skins. Its main aim is to absorb water molecules but it should rather be seen as a super water sponge: One HA molecule holds a thousand water molecules!

WATER MOLECULES

If we think about it that is pretty incredible.

HA is what keeps our skin moisturised and full of water and therefore nutrients. Unfortunately as we age HA production decreases (from about 30 years onwards) but the breakdown of the HA in our skins keeps on happening. So very simply: As we get older we need to supplement our skins with HA.

We have the ability to manufacture our own HA but we also have an enzyme called hyaluronidase whose main aim is to break the HA down. Typically when we are younger (in our teens and twenties) we manufacture new HA every 24 to 48 hours but as we get older the rate of production decreases but the enzyme breakdown continues. What this means in a nutshell is that our skins become less moisturised or has a reduced ability to hold moister or water.

Why Is Hyaluronic Acid Important for Our Skin?

Hyaluronic acid is a GAG or glycosaminoglycan a molecule often referred to as a sugar based protein. Hyaluronic acid is actually a natural structural component of skin and its main benefit for our skins lies in its ability to retain moisture. To date there is no other ingredient that can hold as many water molecules in our skins than HA.

[quote author=”Dr Alek Nikolic”]One of the main distinguishing factors of youthful skin is its moisture content as we age our skin loses moisture resulting in a loss of plumpness, firmness, nutrients, growth factors and a softer texture typically seen with younger skins.[/quote]

Hyaluronic Acid Benefits: 

• Dramatically improve your skin’s moisture content
  

  HYALURONIC ACID MOLECULE MODEL

• Strengthens the skin barrier or the outer layers of your skin
• Improves the skin barrier structure and function
• Maintains the skins integrity
• Provides antioxidant protection from free-radical damage
• Helps to reduce inflammation in the skin
• Safe on all skin types and all skin concerns
• Retains moisture in the skin’s uppermost layers down to its deep dermal layer
• It temporarily plumps up wrinkles and fine lines
• Improves tolerance to retinoids and other topical agents
• Supports new tissue formation or regeneration of cells
• Helps with wound repair

One can clearly see from the above that hyaluronic acid has many benefits and specific actions

HYALURONIC ACID

within the skin all helping to repair the skin and to slow down ageing within the skin. 

In a nutshell we need to use moisturisers that contain hyaluronic acid and more specifically as high a concentration as possible (I would look for 10% or more).

Dr Alek’s Recommended Hyaluronic Acid Skin Care Products:

See below our full list of hyaluronic acid skin care products with Dr Alek Nikolic’s favourite picks.

Final Thought:

Studies have shown that almost every skin concern from acne and breakouts, rosacea, sensitivite skin, and even sun damage has some form of skin barrier damage so adding HA to our skin care regimes will help heal and repair this layer and slow down the ageing process.

I hope you found the article on hyaluronic acid interesting and beneficial in understanding why HA is so important and why we should add it to our skin regimes. Please feel free to send me comments or any questions you may have with your skin concerns or skin care regimes. 

HYALURONIC ACID

Kind regards

DR Alek Nikolic

Recommended Extra Reading:

Collagen, Ageing, Skin and Body Health

The Pros and Cons of Retinol

How Antioxidants Work

Treating Dry Skin: Choosing The Right Ingredients

Are Your Wrinkles Caused by Dry Skin?

Dr Alek’s Top Picks:

SKINCEUTICALS H.A. INTENSIFIER

DERMACEUTIC HYAL CEUTIC 

DERMAQUEST ESSENTIAL B5 MOISTURE MATT 

DERMAQUEST ESSENTIAL B5 HYDRATING SERUM 

SKINCEUTICALS HYDRATING B5 

DERMAQUEST STEM CELL 3D HYDRAFIRM SERUM 

Recommended Hyaluronic Acid Skin Care Products:

From Dermaceutic:

1. DERMACEUTIC REGEN CEUTIC
2. DERMACEUTIC HYAL CEUTIC

From Exuviance:

1. EXUVIANCE ANTIOXIDANT SERUM PERFECT 10
2. EXUVIANCE TRIPLE BOOST COLLAGEN SERUM
3. EXUVIANCE AGE REVERSE HYDRAFIRM

From Dermaquest:

1. DERMAQUEST HYDRATING GEL MASK
2. DERMAQUEST C INFUSION EYE CREAM
3. DERMAQUEST C INFUSION SERUM

From SkinCeuticals:

1. SKINCEUTICALS H.A. INTENSIFIER

2. SKINCEUTICALS PHYTO CORRECTIVE GEL

3. SKINCEUTICALS RETEXTURING ACTIVATOR

From NeoStrata:

1. NEOSTRATA SKIN ACTIVE INTENSIVE EYE THERAPY
2. NEOSTRATA SKIN ACTIVE LINE LIFT STEP 1 + 2
3. NEOSTRATA EYE CREAM 

References:

1. J Drugs Dermatol. 2016 Apr 1;15(4):434-41. Pilot Comparative Study of the Topical Action of a Novel, Crosslinked Resilient Hyaluronic Acid on Skin Hydration and Barrier Function in a Dynamic, Three-Dimensional Human Explant Model. Sundaram H, Mackiewicz N, Burton E, Peno-Mazzarino L, Lati E, Meunier S.
2. J Drugs Dermatol. 2016 Jan;15(1 Suppl 2):s24-37. Rejuvenating Hydrator: Restoring Epidermal Hyaluronic Acid Homeostasis With Instant Benefits. Narurkar VA, Fabi SG, Bucay VW, Tedaldi R, Downie JB, Zeichner JA, Butterwick K, Taub A, Kadoya K, Makino ET, Mehta RC, Vega VL.
3. J Drugs Dermatol. 2016 Apr 1;15(4):434-41. Pilot Comparative Study of the Topical Action of a Novel, Crosslinked Resilient Hyaluronic Acid on Skin Hydration and Barrier Function in a Dynamic, Three-Dimensional Human Explant Model. Sundaram H, Mackiewicz N, Burton E, Peno-Mazzarino L, Lati E, Meunier S.
4. J Wound Care. 2011 Sep;20(9):424, 426, 428-30. Wound healing through synergy of hyaluronan and an iodine complex. Cutting KF1.
5. Paula’s Choice