Your Guide to Hyaluronic Acid

What It Is and How to Use It

The human body manufactures a surprising number of substances. From certain nutrients that the body can synthesize all on its own, to an array of materials like teardrops, plasma and fat, our bodies are productive little wonders. Hyaluronic acid (pronounced Hi-Al-Er-Onic) is another substance that the body makes, and it is quite remarkable, too.

In this article, we are going to look at the ways you can use it to improve your health and appearance. As you might already know, it is an ingredient in many beauty formulas, but it is also used medically for an array of issues. So, let’s first learn just what it is, and explore if it will be of benefit to you in some way.

SPOILER ALERT: It is of benefit to everyone, and the goal here is to just help readers figure out how to add it to any daily regimen to enjoy its many remarkable properties.

What is Hyaluronic Acid?

So, just what is it? Hyaluronic acid is a clear and somewhat gelatinous or gooey material. Now, that is not at all scientific, and for those eager for the more accurate explanations, here goes. It is an acid that is synthesized by a group of proteins and enzymes. Similar to collagen, it is produced in greater quantities in our earlier years and then begins to drop off as part of the aging process.

It is needed by and found most in connective tissues, the eyes and the skin. Hyaluronic acid is remarkably good at holding on to hydration, which is why it benefits things like joints and eyes. It grabs up to 1000% its own weight in water and binds to the water molecules as a way of reinforcing “the epidermis and its hydrolipidic barrier, which functions as a shield over the skin: retaining moisture and protecting against bacteria.”

Unfortunately, our bodies and skin take a “one-two punch” during the aging process since we produce less hyaluronic acid and collagen. Hence, fine lines and wrinkles and a loss of elasticity. Does this mean that one of the benefits of hyaluronic acid is that it can help to restore moisture and “dewiness” to the skin? Yes, but that’s not all.

Related: Tips on Wrinkle Prevention and Reduction

What Are the Benefits of Hyaluronic Acid?

Medical experts will explain that hyaluronic acid is found at its highest levels in the joints of the body and the eyes, and that “People take hyaluronic acid for various joint disorders, including osteoarthritis. It can be taken by mouth or injected into the affected joint by a healthcare professional…The FDA has approved the use of hyaluronic acid during certain eye surgeries including cataract removal, corneal transplantation, and repair of a detached retina and other eye injuries. It is injected into the eye during the procedure to help replace natural fluids.”

That illustrates quite a few benefits, but it is also a frequent filler used in plastic surgery on the lips and it is a common topical treatment for wounds, burns, and skin ulcers. If you suffer from sores in the mouth, such as canker sores or sores from dental work, it is also very helpful in treating them and causing rapid-fire healing.

Yet, for most of us, it is this natural ingredient’s behaviors as a “fountain of youth” that marks out its key benefit. Applying it to the skin before signs of aging occur can actually reduce the impact of such symptoms of the passage of time, and using it after fine lines and wrinkles have appeared can help prevent them from worsening or new ones from forming.

Scientists indicate that there are seven benefits to be enjoyed from the use of hyaluronic acid, including:

1. Healthier and suppler skin
2. Faster wound healing
3. Joint pain relief
4. Remedying acid reflux symptoms
5. Dry eye relief
6. Bone strengthening
7. Reduce bladder pain

How could it possibly offer such a diversity of benefits? It can do so because it can be administered in so many ways. The most common are topically and orally through daily supplements, and either will work in a similar way.

How Does Hyaluronic Acid Work?

The body can produce up to 15 grams of hyaluronic acid daily, and it is then broken down by the liver to give the entire body a good supply each day. However, it must also be turned over by the body in order to create a break down and replacement process (identical to the way that bone production works). Your body actually consumes or turns over around five grams, or more, of HA each day.

The body uses basic building blocks like magnesium, zinc, iron, sulfur and vitamin C to produce it. Once released into the blood stream by the liver it will head to its natural resting places including skin, joints and eyes. It is why oral supplements of HA can be very helpful to overall bodily health, especially if your diet is not as nutrient-dense as it could be.

However, we also know that if applied topically to the skin, it will bind and attract moisture from the environment and the deeper, fattier layers of the dermis. This deeply hydrates and plumps the skin, while also locking it into the skin for a period of time. As one expert explains of using a topical hyaluronic acid on freshly washed, damp skin, “you’ll firm the skin around the eye area, increase moisture to get rid of puffiness, and soften fine lines on the rest of the face… hyaluronic acid penetrates easily, which is why it works so well when applied topically. Our skin is the largest organ in the body and absorbs up to 60 percent of nutrients we apply to it.”

Clearly, this means you can benefit your bones, eyes and joints by eating a daily diet high in hyaluronic acid’s building blocks, drinking plenty of water, and performing daily skin care that includes use of a hyaluronic acid serum and other formulas with the acid as one of the ingredients. And as the renowned Dr. Oz points out, you can also “give grown-up skin a younger, fresher, more supple look… through hyaluronic acid fillers, which a dermatologist or plastic surgeon injects directly into sunken or wrinkled areas to plump them up.”

What is the Best Way to Use Hyaluronic Acid?

So, what is the “best” way to use it? That is not a question that we can answer here. That is because everyone’s skin condition is unique, as well as their general level of health, activity and the diet they consume each day.

What we can say is the right way to choose what will work best for you is to begin with some clarity about why you want it in the first place. For example, are you eager to add hyaluronic acid to your daily routine to supplement natural HA supplies and combat even the first signs of aging? Maybe you’ve detected a more noticeable decline in elasticity? Maybe you are finding more and more fine lines as the winter heating season progresses?

These are all different issues, and though a serum is a generally good solution, you’ll find they are designed for:

• Hydrating – Helping to keep skin properly moisturized or alleviating dry skin issues
• Plumping – Filling in fine lines and wrinkles
• Working in combination with other ingredients, such as an “anti-aging” solution

Introduce Into Your Daily Routine

If you are someone who wants to introduce hyaluronic acid into the daily cleansing, serum and moisturizing routine, you can just purchase a pure serum and apply it before the moisturizer. Are you looking for plumping action, the same applies, but you may want to apply it only during the daytime hours.

If it is a combination formula, though, you’ll need to be careful. As one expert says of formulations boasting HA as an ingredient, “Hyaluronic acid is a big molecule, and if not formulated well, it may just sit on the skin’s surface. I would also look for other ingredients along with the hyaluronic acid. For example, look for other things like ceramides, peptides, niacinamide or other antioxidants. I also prefer products that are paraben-free, fragrance-free and propylene glycol–free.”

And always remember that the facial or skincare regimen does have a specific order of events:

• Exfoliate (This can be through exfoliating treatments, peels or other options)
• Cleanse
• Tone (Dry skin types may not need toning, though this is useful in deep cleaning and shrinking pores)
• Serum
• Moisturize
• Sunblock (daytime only)

Give each step a chance to sink in and dry a bit before applying the next, and always seal it in with a moisturizer – day or night – to make the most of each serum, but particularly the HA.

Related: To Use or Not to Use – Facial Cleansing Brushes

How Often Can or Should You Use Hyaluronic Acid?

And as you might already realize, you can use it twice a day, or more. Generally, applying it just before moisturizing is best, but if you are dealing with a bit of dry skin or patchy dryness, a dab of pure HA with a bit of beauty oil and/or moisturizer is a great touch up.

One concern often noted is that people with naturally oily skin fear that they will only irritate the issue by trapping moisture. This, however, actually opposite of what occurs. As one expert has indicated, “HA will provide a gentle moisturizing action. It won’t irritate your skin, like so many products for oily skin. It also is lightweight and will not clog your pores, which can lead to breakouts. Finally, it doesn’t contain any ingredient that adds more oil to your skin.”

In short, the best way to use it is by first identifying the results you hope to see from it. Whether that is eliminating risks from drying due to weather, summer sun exposure, heating season, aging or even travel, or you want to undo a bit of aging, it is best to be honest with the results you want.

Then, choose a topical formula. We suggest this because it is the one way of using it that is widely available to all. And again, as Dr. Oz notes “Applied topically, it increases hydration, improves elasticity and also reverses free radical damage, so it may have some benefit in protecting from UV damage. Bonus? Hyaluronic acid is one ingredient that works across the board. Every skin type, even oily, can benefit”

Look for a pure HA product using the criteria we noted above. This is true whether it is marketed as a pure form of hyaluronic acid or if HA appears in the ingredients.

Then, apply it at least twice daily – once in the morning and once again in the evening, and always seal it in with moisturizer soon after applying.

Related: The Truth About Apple Cider Vinegar

Are There Any Side Effects from Hyaluronic Acid Use?

Topical HA has no known side effects. The only time there are any concerns about side effects are when it is used as an injectable filler for cosmetic treatments. According to WebMD, HA is likely safe, “when taken by mouth, applied to the skin, or given by injection and appropriately. Rarely, hyaluronic acid may cause allergic reactions,” but they do warn that it is possibly unsafe if used as an injectable when a woman is breast feeding or during pregnancy.

General Hyaluronic Acid Tips and Tricks

No matter what age you are, or even what condition your skin might be, you will always benefit from a good skincare regimen and healthy diet. A big part of that regimen should be hyaluronic acid serums or solutions. The skin can become dehydrated for almost any reason, and two daily applications of this natural compound will help to trap moisture and keep skin in prime condition.

Just be sure that your HA does not have potentially harmful additions like alcohol, parabens, sulfates, or other similar ingredients. Drink an adequate amount of water each day to also boost natural hydration in the skin cells, and you will find that a hyaluronic acid regimen creates nearly instant benefits and results.

More Great Resources on Hyaluronic Acid:

What Is Hyaluronic Acid, and How Does It Benefit Your Skin?

The Top 26 Things You Should Know About Hyaluronic Acid

Why You Should Care About Hyaluronic Acid