Hyaluronic acid – particularly the salt it forms with sodium – is a popular agent against wrinkles and other concomitant effects of the aging process, and sometimes the most frequently used. The substance is produced naturally by the body, which makes it a very tolerable Active. For example, it is mainly responsible for ensuring that the vitreous body of the eye, with its high water content, remains stable in the eye and can function, boosting its specific qualities and enabling us to see. However, it is also present in the skin. Young skin contains particularly high quantities of hyaluronic acid. With age, the content decreases, and the skin seems less firm and elastic. Fine lines start forming from the age of 25 onwards, followed later by wrinkles and furrows.
Mode of action
The way hyaluronic acid works differs according to its molecular mass – in other words, according to size and weight. More densely interlinked units and, therefore, larger molecules (>2000 kDa) are found alongside medium-sized molecules (approx. 1500–1800 kDa) and small ones (<50 kDa). Because of their different sizes, these natural macromolecules penetrate the skin to various depths, transporting moisture deep into the skin on account of the aforementioned OH groups.
Even though hyaluronic acid with a low molecular weight is the most effective for long-term anti-aging treatment, a combination of hyaluronic acids of varying weights yields the best results in a cosmetic product.
A versatile Active, hyaluronic acid has several other effects besides reducing certain visible side effects of age, including inhibiting inflammations, promoting tissue repair, reducing skin irritations, or treating dry eye syndrome. For these reasons, besides its use in cosmetics, hyaluronic acid is also used in medical products.