Hyaluronic acid (HA) may sound a bit dangerous because has the word acid in it but is actually really good for your skin according to many cosmetic companies. It is known scientifically as glycosaminoglycan and is a gooey type substance which is made of part sugar and is found in connecting tissues throughout the body.
A fun fact is that it helps keep the shape of our eyeballs.It has a great capacity of retaining moisture. Apparently 1 g of HA is able to hold up 6 L of water .
Moisture content is important in having younger skin because as we get older the HA in skin will decrease thereby our skin will start to lose its firmness and wrinkles will start showing. Thus adding Hyaluronic acid in many anti-aging and skin care products(creams and lotions) seems to be the simple solution in helping fight old age? The hype nowadays is that it helps prevent wrinkles.
A Big Concern
What you have to understand is that when Hyaluronic Acid is applied topically (meaning on top of the skin) it does not penetrate the top layer of our skin (the epidermis).
Actually it works best when injected into the skin. It is a popular ingredient for injectors “Fillers” as it is a naturally occurring substance in all our bodies so it does not get rejected but does get depleted over time.
Where can I find HA?
HA is found in many cosmetic products such as serums or moisturizers. So you will have no problems finding it.
What type of Skin is it good for?
HA have a silky texture and pretty much any skin type will be able to use it even if you have very oily skin or very sensitive skin.
Effectiveness against Eczema?
Skin dryness is often the issue with eczema. When applied to the skin, Hyaluronic-acid has the ability to plump and help retain moisture by drawing moisture from the air and holding up to “1,000 times its weight in water” (Dawson, 2010, para. 9). Therefore, it helps improve the skin texture . In fact, it forms a barrier on the skin giving a smoothing effect by plumping the skin, as in not getting rid of wrinkles since it does not penetrate the skin (para. 11).
