What To Know About Hyaluronic Acid Skin Treatments
Genevieve Miller
Staff Writer
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Sample products ingredient lists including hyaluronic acid
Many people have bought a product or searched for one at least once in hopes of hydrating skin. Hyaluronic acid was created to help retain moisture. Companies heavily advertise it in skin care products because of this.
Is it really beneficial? Master esthetician and skin care therapist, Megan Ball said, “Hyaluronic acid while it is an acid it doesn't act like other acids it actually the compound of it grabs on to other substances and it helps to bring other substances down deeper into the skin.”
Hyaluronic acid can hold up to one thousandths times its weight in water.
There are three layers of skin: the top layer of skin is the epidermis, the next layer of skin is known as the dermis where all of the live cells function, then the bottom layer reticular dermis is where our subcutaneous fat cells sit.
“We actually have hyaluronic acid that sits in the middle layer of skin, and this is where our collagen and our elastin fiber sit. There is a third compound in this layer that are called rectilliar fibers,” Ball said.
Rectilliar fibers are hyaluronic acid which is also known as glycosaminoglycans (GAGs).
“When applied to the skin properly, hyaluronic acid holds and binds water almost like a fishing net. It grabs the substance, so it's going to grab the water,” Ball said.
Hyaluronic acid holds onto the water in the environment, from the skin, pulls it down and transports it to the dermis (second layer of skin) allowing the skin to plump and hydrate which initially helps the skin create more collagen and strengthen the elastin.
“It is pretty innate, and what I mean by that is there are no side effects like it really is not going to cause anyone any irritation or any kind of rashes. It's really great for all skin types,” Ball said.
Companies advertise hyaluronic acid in their products as sodium hyaluronate, a cheaper derivative of hyaluronic acid and one of the ingredients consumers may see on the back of their hydrating face wash.
Ball said, “Sodium hyaluronate is hyaluronic acid and like I said it is a very innate substance. It's not going to harm your skin. Our skin and our body naturally has a lot of sodium in it. We actually need that in our body to function properly, so don't let the name fool you into thinking it's bad or that it's actually going to dry out your skin because it's not just the chemical compound of it.”
Ball recommends ingredients consumers watch out for parabens. Parabens are put into products to help preserve them longer and keep the product “shelf stable.” Parabens are also extremely bad for the endocrine system.
Other safe substitutes for hyaluronic acid contain ingredients like glycerin in products like sunscreen.