The word “acid” brings a whole host of negative things: fruit, say, or the burn of a bad sunburn. But not all acids are the same—and that’s the case with hyaluronic acid, which has become one of the buzziest skincare ingredients.
Are you tired of seeing older people with wrinkled skin? Then as a business, you need to have beauty products or injections to make the skin better and younger-looking in appearance.
Remember, not many people can boast about their glowing skin, but when they start using hyaluronic acid or injection, they will see the change and improve their appearance, sometimes even giving them a look that’s ten years younger.
And if you’re a fan of the all-natural skincare movement, there’s a good chance you’ve heard of or dealt with hyaluronic acid (HA). This humectant helps skin attract and retain moisture — it is naturally produced in the body to cushion joints, nerves, hair, skin, and eyes. It also gives skin its youthful, plump look. So are you clear on how to use hyaluronic acid properly?
But let’s first find out what it is:
What is Hyaluronic Acid?
If you’ve been keeping up with the latest skincare trends, you’ve likely seen it pop up on a label or two. This ingredient has taken the beauty world by storm, and for a perfect reason: it’s pure magic when it comes to hydration.
You can find hyaluronic acid as a standalone product or as an ingredient in serums, moisturizers, cleansers, and even lip balms.
Hyaluronic acid (HA) stands among the most effective skincare ingredients. Naturally produced by the skin, it excels in locking in moisture.
However, as we age, our body’s HA production decreases, leading to a loss of skin plumpness and elasticity.
This is where HA products shine — by restoring skin hydration, they promote a plumper and more youthful appearance.
Hyaluronic acid is extremely good at holding onto water (up to 1,000 times its weight!), making it an excellent hydrator. It sits on top of the skin and attracts moisture from the air into the skin’s cells, leaving the surface smooth and plump.
How Hyaluronic Acid functions
In recent years, the buzz around hyaluronic acid (HA) has been building. It’s a key ingredient in countless serums and moisturizers, touted to hydrate the skin and reduce visible wrinkles.
Different types of hyaluronic acid can have varying molecular sizes, affecting how deeply it penetrates the skin.
A super-humectant capable of holding 1,000 times its weight in water, HA draws moisture from the environment into the skin.
The catch is that HA molecules are too big to penetrate the skin’s surface. So while topically-applied HA can bind to moisture on the skin’s surface and create a nice feel and temporary plumping effect, it doesn’t work below your skin’s surface.
Research shows that smaller-sized HA particles absorb more quickly and efficiently into the skin than larger ones because they have an easier time making their way through the layers of the skin (stratum corneum).
The smaller size also allows for greater penetration into deeper layers of the skin, where HA can provide long-lasting moisturization by drawing and absorbing water from the atmosphere and deeper levels of the skin.
Types of Hyaluronic Acid
While there are numerous types of hyaluronic acid supplements available in the market, three stand out as the most popular:
- Sodium Hyaluronate. As the name suggests, sodium hyaluronate is the sodium salt of hyaluronic acid. The compound is commonly used in cosmetics and as a humectant. It’s also used in foods such as pickles and fermented vegetables to add viscosity and moisture to foods.
- Hydroxylated Hyaluronic Acid (also known as HA2). The chemical structure of HA2 is similar to sodium hyaluronate, but it has undergone additional chemical changes to create a more stable molecule. Many companies sell HA2 as a supplement or cosmetic ingredient.
- Hyaluronic Acid (also known as HA). It is the most common type of hyaluronic acid found in skincare products and some dietary supplements, where it’s usually sold as a powder or premixed with other ingredients. It’s important to note that while all forms of hyaluronic acid have similar functions, they’re chemically different, so they have different absorption rates, specific uses, and side effects.
Benefits of Hyaluronic Acid
Absolutely, hyaluronic acid, or HA, is hands down the most beautiful ingredient in skincare. What it does and why it’s so effective is a bit of an enigma wrapped up in the science of skin biology.
Hyaluronic acid as previously mentioned is a powerful humectant that can absorb and retain moisture in the skin – hence its nickname “the moisturizer in your makeup bag” – without causing any irritation. It’s a natural laxative for the skin (think: detoxifying) and has been used as an ingredient in pharmaceuticals for a long time.
Its benefits are many, but here are just four discussed reasons why you should be using hyaluronic acid:
1. Hydration
In short supply, our bodies tend to overcompensate for the lack of water by producing more oil to hold onto what little it is left. And it’s not just our faces where dehydration can lead to dryness. Dehydrated eyes can lead to dark circles under the eyes, which distract from your appearance and, worse yet, make a face look older than it is.
2. Protection
Blame it on your DNA or something else entirely, but some people are predisposed to aging prematurely. For most people, though, skin starts losing elasticity early. So it protects the skin from premature aging, giving you younger-looking skin.
3. Medication purposes
Hyaluronic acid is versatile. It’s not just a cosmetic ingredient you see in products like wrinkle cream. It’s also used in medical practices to treat severe diseases like cancer or help people with severe joint pain or arthritis.
4. Removes Facial Lines and Wrinkles
Hyaluronic acid is efficient in removing facial lines and wrinkles. In clinical trials, it reduced wrinkles by about 50% and the inflammation associated with joint pain by about 65%.
Other benefits are:
- reduce inflammation in the joints
- support joint function
- help maintain healthy hair, skin, and nails
Note: It’s a great addition to anyone’s skincare regimen.
Who Should Use Hyaluronic Acid?
Hyaluronic acid works for all skin types; however, there are some instances where it may not be appropriate. When it comes to dryness, advise clients to employ hydrating serums or moisturizers that contain hyaluronic acid to help provide the skin with some added moisture.
Products containing hyaluronic acid are also great for those with oily skin because they act as a humectant, which means they attract water from their environment (i.e., the air) rather than pull moisture from the lower layers of your skin.
Those with dry or rough skin should incorporate products with hyaluronic acid into their regimen to help remedy that issue. The same goes for dullness — since hydrated skin is usually more radiant.
For those in the medical supplement business, hyaluronic acid is essential as a supplement to treat osteoarthritis, especially in the knee. It also might be helpful for dry eyes and some skin conditions, but there isn’t enough evidence to show this yet.
How to Use Hyaluronic Acid
Hyaluronic acid has anti-inflammatory effects, hence can be a good choice for skin treatments for acne, rosacea, and other inflammatory skin conditions. If your clients are looking for a skincare product with a specific benefit like improved hydration or anti-inflammatory properties, hyaluronic acid should be high on their list of ingredients.
It’s harmless to use with various skin products such as retinol and vitamin C serums. So, here’s how to do it:
- After cleansing and toning the skin, apply a few drops of hyaluronic acid serum onto the fingertips and gently tap into the skin until fully absorbed.
- Follow up with a moisturizer (if the client has dehydrated skin) or an oil-free moisturizer (if they have oily or combination skin). Tell them to mix their hyaluronic acid serum with a favorite moisturizer or foundation for added hydration!
- Hyaluronic acid doesn’t just sit on top of the skin as oils or moisturizers do — it penetrates deep into the epidermis (the top layer of the skin) to deliver long-lasting moisture. The skin’s surface can only absorb so much water, but hyaluronic acid also binds with water molecules already present in the body for deeper hydration. If they’re looking for a genuinely plump and hydrated product, this is the one!
Side Effects of Hyaluronic Acid
Afer get familiar with how to use hyaluronic acid, we should learn about its side effect. While hyaluronic acid treatments are generally safe, they do carry some risks. It is crucial for customers to be aware of potential side effects before considering the use of hyaluronic acid injections.
Common side effects of hyaluronic acid injections include redness and discomfort at the injection site. Swelling, bruising, or firmness may also occur in some cases. Fortunately, these side effects usually subside within a few days. Applying ice to the affected area immediately after the injection can help ease any discomfort.
Although rare, hyaluronic acid injections may lead to infection or allergic reactions. To minimize these risks, it is essential to visit a reputable doctor who uses sterile needles and techniques.
Are Hyaluronic Acids All Equal?
Not all hyaluronic acids are created equal. The molecular weight of hyaluronic acid can significantly impact the skincare routine and the results obtained from the products.
Like how all snowflakes are not the same, all hyaluronic acid is not created equal. Many skincare ingredients are derived from nature, but the purity of the ingredients is essential when it comes to skincare.
Hyaluronic acid is one such ingredient that is commonly used in skincare products. In fact, according to a market research company called Mordor Intelligence, the global skin care products market size was valued at USD 140.92 billion in 2020 and is growing at a CAGR of 4.69% between 2021 and 2026. In other words, there will be an increased demand for hyaluronic acid now and in the future.
While hyaluronic acid is well known for its ability to plump and moisturize skin, many products today claim to contain this powerful ingredient but deliver minimal to no results.
The secret is in the size of the molecule.
In most products on the market today, hyaluronic acid molecules are too large to penetrate deep into the dermis layer of the skin where they can deliver results. While these products can temporarily boost hydration by sitting on top of the skin’s surface, they do not offer long-term benefits. Why? Because they don’t deliver smaller hyaluronic acid molecules deep into your skin where they can make a difference.
Ingredients to Look For in Hyaluronic Acid Products
After knowing how to use hyaluronic aid, we need to learn about Hyaluronic acid products. Many skincare products also contain hyaluronic acid as a thickener, making them creamier and more pliable (and thus more effective).
The hyaluronic acid in these products is synthetic — it’s made in a lab by combining sugar with bacteria. It’s cheap and widely available, so it’s the go-to ingredient for most skincare companies. You can find such from Yastrid.
But there are other options if they’re looking for healthy skin treatment. If they’re made from natural ingredients, they may be gentler on the skin and have several other benefits that can’t be found in a bottle of prescription pills.
Conclusion
Hyaluronic acid is a popular skincare ingredient. This substance can do everything from moisturizing skin to filling fine lines and wrinkles when used the right way. We have covered how to use hyaluronic acid for different treatments to get the best results possible.
Try any of our injectable hyaluronic acids and let us know in the comments how clients loved it as you order more injectable hyaluronic acids from us! We are always ready to serve you!
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