What causes skin aging? With years and as a consequence of the action of some external agents, especially UV rays, cigarette smoke and pollution, the cutaneous tissues lose their moisture and therefore water that, on the contrary, guarantees tone, elasticity and mobility. The key molecule involved in the hydration level of the skin is hyaluronic acid, a constituent not only of skin, but also of the connective tissues and eyes. This substance is produced by the body and is able to retain water, however, with time, tends to decrease especially in the more external layer of the skin, the epidermis, by promoting in this way wrinkles formation (Papakonstantinou et al, Dermatoendocrinol, Jul 2012). For this reason, when hyaluronic acid decreases, a good choice may be to add it again in the body. Let’s see how.
Supplements, serums and creams
There are several methods to supply the body with hyaluronic acid. For example, there are oral compresses, able to moisturize the skin and to reduce visibly the signs of skin aging. Another possibility is given by injections, but these are expensive and should be done only by doctors in specialized centrums, or, and this is the easiest choice, for everybody and that can be performed every day, you can apply on skin creams and serums that act against wrinkles and result also beneficial to counteract dermatitis, redness and to heal wounds. Indeed, it is possible to find on the market different creams and serums prepared with hyaluronic acid, and sometimes on the label you can find written that different hyaluronic acids are used. In this case it is always the same substance but present with different molecular weights and, therefore, different characteristics. In general, all the types of hyaluronic acid result beneficial to the skin, however, according to scientific studies, hyaluronic acid with low molecular weight, 50 and 130 kDa, is the best to go deeper into the skin and to smooth the wrinkles. Higher molecular weights guarantee moisture, freshness and elasticity, for this reason a good choice as a powerful anti wrinkle product is given by cosmetics prepared with a mix of hyaluronic acids with different molecular weights (Kawadae et al, Nutr J, Jul 2014 - Schwartz et al, Clin Interv Aging, Jul 2012 - Pavicic et al, J drugs Dermatol, Sep 2011). Finally, a curiosity that may be interesting. Although hyaluronic acid is best known for its anti wrinkle action, it has also other functions. For example, you can buy eye drops, helpful in case of dry eye, and, since hyaluronic acids is abundant in the joints, the latest methods in the medical field use hyaluronic acid to heal osteoarthritis, a degenerative disease of the joints (Bowman et al, Clin Transl Med, Feb 2018). For this reason, hyaluronic acid-based supplements have been demonstrated to be useful to reduce the pain and the mobility in case of keen osteoarthritis.
Be careful
Hyaluronic acid is produced by the body and is in general well tolerated and considered safe. However, due to the lack of studies about the safeness during pregnancy and breastfeeding it is better to ask your doctor for advice before taking any supplements with hyaluronic acid. Ask your doctor for advice also in case of tumor because there are studies that observe that the hyaluronic acid may be able to promote cancer cell growth. In any case, this effect is linked to a high dosage of hyaluronic acid, as the case of oral supplements, not the low levels of a cream (Itano et al, Cancer Science, 2008 Jul).
