Your Guide to Hyaluronic Acid
Hyaluronic acid has become one of the most well-known skincare ingredients on the market for good reason! Hyaluronic acid, or HA, reduces the appearance of deeper wrinkles, speeds wound healing, moisturizes surface skin layers, and replenishes cell hydration. It’s non-irritating, generally safe for all skin types, and is especially beneficial for those with dry/dehydrated skin conditions. HA pairs beautifully with other anti aging ingredients such as vitamin C and glycolic acid. But before we get too fan-girl over HA, let’s review what it actually is and does.
It’s a molecule produced in the skin as well as the body's connective tissue. A naturally occurring polysaccharide, HA acts as a lubricating agent for skin, hair, eyes, joints, and nerves. The main benefits are its ability to keep skin moist and lubricated and it’s a hero ingredient for alleviating dry/dehydrated skin conditions. HA is a moisture binder, it can bind up to a 1000 times its weight in water making it a superior ingredient helping to plump skin cells and retain moisture. It is most commonly used as a topical serum or lotion and is also used for dermal fillers.
The reason it's gained so much popularity from the beauty industry is its tremendous ability to bind with water molecules and dramatically increase skin hydration. Moisture depletion is one of the main culprits behind skin aging making HA a must-have for maintaining a healthy barrier.
Main Benefits
Moisture retention - helps hold cellular moisture resulting in plump, hydrated skin
Rapid absorption - absorbs quickly into the skin requiring less product
Safe Injectable - HA is a naturally occurring substance in the body making it an ideal filler option for adding volume to areas of the face
Non-irritating- HA is non-irritating even for those with sensitive skin and is generally safe for use with most skin types
Widely available - unlike tretinoin and other powerful skin care ingredients, high-quality hyaluronic acid products can be found in most medspas and retail beauty establishments
Are there different types of HA?
There are many products on the market containing HA that claim to drastically improve skin hydration but understanding whether these claims are valid requires taking a deeper look at the type of HA in a formulation.
Hyaluronic acids come in roughly six different forms and are categorized into high and low molecular weights. Smaller molecular weight HA can penetrate deeper into the skin allowing for greater moisture sustainability, giving it a more lasting effect on overall skin hydration. Those products containing high molecular weight adhere to the skin's surface and work more superficially, delivering a visible plumping effect but for a shorter period of time.
Large molecule HA cannot penetrate the skin barrier, instead it forms a film-like structure with the skin's keratin helping to moisturize the outer layer and reduce surface tension. For superior skin hydration and prolonged plumping effects look for a product that contains both high and low molecular weight HA.
Are there any side effects?
When applied topically to the skin, there aren’t any known side effects from using hyaluronic acid. HA is used as a dermal filler, which by nature can cause mild side effects like swelling and erythema, but those effects are rare. Because HA so closely resembles the naturally occurring GAG’s (glycosaminoglycans) in our bodies, most reactions a patient will experience are due to the actual injection itself, not the HA.
Can HA make you break out?
We don't think so! The term acid can be misleading as people think HA is similar to other exfoliating acids like salicylic or glycolic acids. HA however doesn’t increase cell turnover. It’s purely a hydrating ingredient that helps to increase the amount of water within the skin. If you experience breakouts after using HA it’s highly unlikely to be due to skin purging unless the product also contains additional exfoliating ingredients.
Can topically applied HA replace fillers?
Nope! There is a lot of false and misleading advertising marketing topical HA products as having “filler-like-effects” but the reality is that topical HA will never be as effective for replacing lost volume as fillers. As previously stated, topical HA is an excellent moisturizer and skin plumper but if the goal is to treat lost volume and skin laxity injecting HA versus topical application is the preferred method.
How/when should HA be applied?
Due to its ability to dramatically increase skin hydration we recommend applying HA two times daily for maximum effectiveness. It is advisable to apply HA to damp skin which provides a reservoir of moisture to pull from. Applying HA to dry skin will draw moisture from the deeper layers causing it to evaporate and increasing dehydration. In the mornings apply on clean, damp skin after antioxidants and before moisturizer and sunscreen. For evening use apply on damp skin after your retinoid (ideally 30 minutes) and before moisturizer and/or face oil.
Before introducing any new ingredient or treatment into your beauty arsenal it's important to speak with a skin health expert to create a customized plan that meets your individual needs. Whether you’re new to skincare or curious if dermal fillers are right for you, we're here to help! Book your appointment with one of our highly trained experts and let us help you love the skin you’re in.
Learn more about our skincare services here or contact our San Francisco office and call us at 415.409.6500.