Beauty Buzzword: Hyaluronic Acid Explained

It's a Beauty Buzzword but how much do you know about Hyaluronic Acid? We have the lowdown on the anti-ageing saviour.

Hyaluronic Acid was discovered in 1934. Initially used during eye surgery and for treatment of joint diseases, it wasn't long before aesthetic uses were found.

Hy-al-uron-ic Acid You've seen it listed on skin care products and in every beauty magazine. And you'd be forgiven for thinking Hyaluronic Acid is a harsh, skin stripping agent. In fact, this gentle wonder-molecule attracts over 1,000 times its weight in water and keeps skin plumped, hydrated and happy. Welcome to your skin's best friend!

Is Hyaluronic Acid Natural?

The answer is yes, in fact it's already produced naturally by the body. Cosmetic sources are considered completely safe for everyone (unless pregnant or breast-feeding) and are FDA approved in the US.

Why Should I Use Hyaluronic Acid?

Well as we age (you guessed it) we produce less and less HA. This means skin loses that plump, firm look and lines become deeper. So by replacing it, you can temporarily plump up the skin. Lines appear smoother and the skin looks more full with a healthy glow. Combine that with serums to increase collagen and elastin and you have the recipe for younger looking skin.

How Do I Use It?

Creams & Serums: The easiest way to harness the power of Hyaluronic Acid is by using anti-ageing creams and serums that contain it, directly on the skin. To see best results you'll need to use these daily, however you should see an improvement from day one. And intensive treatments such as Filorga are ideal for anyone seeking a noticeable difference.

Fillers: A trained clinician injects a small amount into the skin to instantly plump up lines, even heavy ones, for a fresher appearance. It's more extreme but the effects are virtually instant, making it a good option if you have an event coming up. HA is what's used in dermal fillers such as Juvederm and it's also the main ingredient of lip fillers such as Restylane, so can be used at any age to alter your appearance. If you do decide to use fillers, then injectable HA is a temporary treatment that simply breaks down and is expelled from the body after a period of time.

Supplements: You can take Hyaluronic Acid in supplement form. However the jury is still out on whether this is effective or not so do your research before trying this method.

Hyaluronic Acid is suitable for women and men. If you're over 30 and beginning to think about anti-ageing solutions, then make sure this a part of your skincare routine!