Hyaluronic acid is contained in numerous cosmetic products. But what is behind it and how does the ingredient affect the skin? In the case of weak connective tissue, dry skin or skin prone to wrinkles, hyaluronic acid can help the skin to regenerate and give it more freshness.
What exactly is hyaluronic acid?
Hyaluronic acid is a product produced naturally in the body and is a polysaccharide. You carry a lot of hyaluronic acid in your body. It can be found, for example, in the bones or in the skin, it acts as synovial fluid and occurs in cartilage. The vitreous humor in the eye also contains hyaluronic acid. In fact, it is even a main component of connective tissue. Here, hyaluron has a filling and supporting effect, as it has a water-binding effect. In medicine, hyaluronic acid is used to reduce the effects of osteoarthritis on the body.
An important property of hyaluronic acid is its ability to bind liquid. Up to six liters of water can be bound by one gram of the acid. When hyaluronic acid and water combine, the result is a material with a gel-like consistency. This ensures that hyaluronic acid has the effect of a lubricant in the body. Your connective tissue needs a lot of fluid to maintain sufficient elasticity. The water-binding hyaluron as the main component therefore has a comprehensive task. Weak connective tissue indicates, among other things, that it does not contain enough hyaluronic acid.
However, it is not only hyaluronic acid that works in your body as joint lubricant and ensures that the joints can move smoothly. We are actually talking about synovia. Synovia is a combination of hyaluronic acid, lipids, proteins and hyaluronic acid. The lubricant ensures that cartilage and joints are well supplied, do not rub against each other and do not become inflamed. Synovia is therefore also known as synovial fluid or joint fluid.
With increasing age, the body is less able to produce hyaluron. The signs of this vary. It may start to crack a little in the joints. The skin becomes wrinkled and loses elasticity. This is a normal effect, but you don't have to put up with it.
Important: From a purely scientific point of view, the term is not "hyaluronic acid", but "hyaluronan". However, the terms "hyaluron" and "hyaluronic acid" still prevail. The term always stands for the same ingredient.
Differences between short-chain and long-chain hyaluronic acid
In order to better understand how hyaluronic acid works in cosmetics, it is good to know that hyaluronic acid is available in different sizes and therefore has different effects on the body.
In the body, hyaluronic acid is usually found as long-chain hyaluronic acid. The molecular mass here is very high. However, studies have shown that skin care benefits more from short-chain hyaluronic acid. It has a lower molecular mass. This allows it to break through the skin barrier and penetrate deep into the skin.
Low-molecular hyaluronic acid and high-molecular hyaluronic acid can therefore be processed. If the ingredient contains small hyaluronic acid chains, the ingredient penetrates much deeper into the skin. This makes it effective.
In cosmetic products, the use of hyaluronic acid is indicated by the designation "sodium hyaluronate". It is not clear whether it is long-chain or short-chain hyaluronic acid.
How the individual variants affect the skin
But how do you find out whether you should opt for products with long-chain or short-chain hyaluronic acid? It all depends on what effect you are hoping for from the cosmetic product.
High-molecular hyaluronic acid as a moisturizer
High-molecular hyaluronic acid is not optimally absorbed by the skin. However, it still has an important function. When products with high-molecular acid are applied to the skin, a reaction occurs. There is keratin in your skin. Together with the hyaluronic acid, the keratin forms a compound and attaches itself to the skin.
This film that now forms gives your skin both elasticity and moisture. The short-term effect calms the skin and has a soothing effect. Hyaluronic acid also has an anti-inflammatory effect. So if you suffer from reddened skin or minor inflammation, cosmetic products with high-molecular hyaluronic acid are recommended.
Low-molecular hyaluronic acid as a booster for the skin
Low-molecular hyaluronic acid penetrates the skin barrier much better. It supports the binding of water in the skin and provides it with additional moisture. This makes the skin appear firmer and plumper when used regularly. The first small wrinkles that appear on your skin are reduced.
The application of low-molecular hyaluronic acid not only moisturizes the skin. This moisture is also stored in the skin. This means that the effect is particularly long-lasting.
Do you suffer from very dry skin? Does your skin look less firm and tight? Do you notice a lack of moisture? In this case, the short-chain acids are a great help.
A special feature: oligo-hyaluronic acid
Oligo-hyaluronic acid is another unusual variant. This version is extremely short-chain. This makes it even more capable of penetrating the skin barriers. However, oligo-hyaluronic acid can only be found in very few products to date, as it is considered particularly exquisite and is difficult to obtain.
A look at the concentration of the effect of hyaluronic acid
To what extent does the concentration of hyaluronic acid in a product actually affect the effect of hyaluronic acid? We recommend taking a look at the respective products.
The concentration is usually specified using terms such as 10 %. However, this specification mainly refers to the mixture consisting of water and hyaluronic acid. A high-quality serum should have a concentration of 1 %. This 1 % stands for pure hyaluronic acid.
The higher the content, the more uncomfortable the active ingredient feels on the skin. The problem with this is that although the hyaluronic acid starts to work, the skin becomes very sticky. This is also the case when long-chain hyaluronic acid is used.
Areas of application for hyaluronic acid
Hyaluronan has a wide range of applications in cosmetics. However, often only the areas of application against wrinkles and dry skin are known. For comprehensive information on where the hyaluronic acid effect actually unfolds, we take a closer look at the individual areas:
- Folds
There are many promises in the fight against wrinkles, but only a few active ingredients that have a proven effect on the skin. One of these active ingredients is hyaluronic acid. There are various studies that have looked at its anti-wrinkle effect and have already confirmed this.
The effect is primarily that the active ingredient provides a lot of moisture and thus visually plumps up the skin. In addition, you should take further precautions.
Your skin needs good UVA protection every day to prevent UV radiation from accelerating skin ageing. Avoid stress and use products that provide your skin with vitamin C and vitamin E.
- Eye care
The skin around the eyes in particular is very sensitive. This is where your skin is thin and susceptible to barrier disorders. To prevent this from happening in the first place, you should use an eye cream with hyaluronic acid.
The skin around the eyes needs active ingredients that strengthen the barrier. In addition to hyaluronic acid, this also includes substances with a high lipid content. Squalane, for example, has proven to be useful.
- Dry skin
The effect of hyaluronic acid on dry skin should not be underestimated. It is an excellent moisturizer and can also provide short-term relief. However, remember that your skin can only retain moisture if it is healthy and has a stable barrier. Therefore, build up and strengthen your skin's barrier. This works with active ingredients such as ceramides.
Use our serums with hyaluronic acid correctly
A serum is an intensive care product for the skin. Our skin is exposed to various influences throughout the day. Added to this is the natural ageing process, which also has an effect. Intensive care is therefore highly recommended.
Your daily routines have a big impact on how your skin develops and looks. Incorporate a hyaluronic serum so that your skin receives a high level of active ingredients.
A serum has a very light consistency. This is an advantage as it allows them to penetrate deeper into the skin. This is also important so that the active ingredients can penetrate the skin and take effect.
The care molecules contained in serums are tiny. As with hyaluronic acid itself, small molecules can penetrate the skin barrier more easily.
This makes serums ideal for:
- dry skin
- Skin with pigmentation spots
- Skin with spots
- First skin folds
Who is a serum suitable for?
Experts suggest that everyone should use a serum. This applies to both men and women. However, it should be borne in mind that every skin has different requirements. This brings us back to the reference to the different types of hyaluronic acid.
Many serums are suitable for all skin types. However, there are also products whose composition has been designed so that the treatment focuses primarily on a specific problem with the skin.
A serum with hyaluronic acid and aloe vera has a soothing, cooling and refreshing effect. At the same time, the effect of hyaluronic acid has an immediate lifting effect that can be seen after just a few applications.
Supporting collagen production helps your skin to help itself and rebalance the skin's moisture content.
How to apply a serum correctly
In order for the hyaluronic acid to take effect, it is important that your serum is applied correctly. The following steps are recommended here:
- Cleanse your face with a suitable product and remove make-up, dirt and dead skin cells. You can also use a scrub, which will make the skin much more receptive.
- Make sure that your skin is completely dry.
- Now apply the serum. However, only apply a little to the skin. It is sufficient to apply one drop to the cheeks, neck and forehead.
- Now take your time and apply the serum. Use your fingers and work the active ingredients into your skin with circular movements.
- Now apply the care cream that is part of your routine.
How often and when you use a serum with hyaluronic acid depends entirely on the product and the individual needs of your skin.
We recommend applying the serum in the evening so that your skin can regenerate optimally and absorb and process the active ingredients it contains. However, a serum can also be used in the morning.
Injections with hyaluronic acid
In cosmetics, hyaluronic acid is not only used in serums or dietary supplements to improve the appearance of the skin. There are also preparations that are used for wrinkle treatment in the form of injections.
Wrinkle injections are intended to make the skin appear firmer. The water-binding effect is also used here.
Hyaluronic acid injections can be carried out in various areas of the face. However, it is often decided to inject the nasolabial fold in particular. It starts at the nose and extends to the chin.
However, the effect itself does not appear immediately after the wrinkle treatment. Depending on how your skin layers react, the effect may only appear after two weeks.
It is fundamentally important that wrinkle treatment by injection is only carried out by doctors who have undergone special training.
How useful are food supplements with hyaluronic acid?
Let hyaluronic acid work from the inside? Even if you have hyaluronic acid in many areas of your body, such as the vitreous humor in the eye and cartilage, this does not mean that it works any better when taken as a dietary supplement.
A major problem with food supplements is that although hyaluronic acid is processed in the body, it does not reach the individual skin layers and therefore cannot have any effect here. It is therefore more effective to apply hyaluronic acid to the skin for supple skin. This can directly benefit the skin's appearance.
What is the difference between collagen and hyaluronic acid?
When it comes to skin hydration and elasticity, you will hear the terms 'collagen' and 'hyaluronic acid'. But what is the actual difference?
Collagen is a so-called structural protein that is produced by your body and is found in cartilage, teeth, bones and skin. Its function in the skin is to provide elasticity. Especially when you are still very young, your skin has a high level of elasticity thanks to a high proportion of collagen. However, the production of collagen in your body decreases as you get older. This is a similarity to the production of hyaluronic acid.
Did you know that even wounds can take longer to heal in old age?
Cosmetic products do not contain collagen, but active ingredients that support your skin in the production of collagen. If you use the products regularly, this can have a positive effect on the appearance of your skin.
Collagen has a number of advantages:
- It stabilizes the skin and maintains its elasticity.
- Collagen makes your skin look plump, smooth and radiant.
- Your skin remains elastic.
Hyaluronic acid compared to collagen
Hyaluronic acid is also produced in the body and has an effect in the fight against skin ageing. Hyaluronic acid is found in joints, cartilage and the skin - or directly in connective tissue. It is the main component of connective tissue. Without hyaluron, the cells would not be able to exchange fluids or nutrients.
If hyaluronic acid is added via products, then hyaluronic acid is actually used here. It supplies the skin with moisture and ensures that this moisture can be stored in the connective tissue for longer. The skin appears fuller and smoother. Very dry skin in particular benefits, as it needs a special level of moisture.
Hyaluron or collagen - which is better for skin care?
But which of the two active ingredients has a better effect on the skin? There is no clear answer to this question. Experts therefore recommend looking for a preparation that is enriched with hyaluronic acid but also supports the production of collagen in the body.
It is not always possible to find preparations that really contain both. You can therefore use a combination of several products.
It is important that you pay attention to the reactions of your skin. Hyaluronic acid is normally very well tolerated and has no side effects. However, it is often used in combination with other active ingredients to support the effect of hyaluronic acid. Your skin may react to this.
Pay attention to your skin
Your skin experiences a lot every day and is therefore always working at full speed. It therefore needs attention. Give your skin this attention with high-quality skincare products, which you can use to nourish your skin and finally make it glow again.
