Hyoluronic Acid and Beauty

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Chemical Structure of Hyaluronic Acid? 

Its consistency, friendliness to the tissues allows it to be beneficial in cosmetic products for skin care as a magnificent moisturizer. As HA is one of the most water-loving molecules, with large number of  benefits for the human body, it can easily be described as "nature's moisturizer".

Hyaluronic acid is naturally produced in the human body. It is chemically classified as a Glycosaminoglycan and always presents itself as a large high molecular weight body molecule. HA is made up of a repetitive sequence of two modified simple sugars. One of them is called glucuronic acid, the other N acetyl glucosamine. They are both negatively charged and when put together, they repel producing an exceptionally long stretched out molecule. HA molecules are long, large in size and produce a high viscosity, a lubricative effect that resists compression and allows our joints and skin to bear weight.
Hyaluronic Acid is found naturally in most every cell in the body. It occurs in high concentrations in specific body locations where it serves a different function. For a pity, HA has a half-life, which is the time it takes for the molecule to get broken down and excreted from the body. It lasts less than 3 days and possibly even as little as one day in the skin. For this reason, it is needed the body continually replenish itself with HA.
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In the Skin

The skin is the largest organ in the body comprising about 15% of the body weight and roughly 50% of the Hyaluronic Acid in our body is found in the skin. HA and Collagen are vital to maintaining the skin’s layers and structure as it is the collagen that gives the skin its firmness but it is the HA that nourishes and hydrates the collagen. Imagine the collagen stretching its fibers that restoring the skin back to shape later. Collagen is like a rubber band but stretch that rubber band a million times. This is what we do with our skin without any moisture and eventually that rubber band gets overstretched or saggy and dried out and is going to most likely break. This is much the same way the collagen in our skin reacts leaving our skin in need of moisture, and if we imagine that same rubber band stretched a million times while under water the whole time. Minimal are the chances of that rubber band drying out and breaking.

If we consider the Hyaluronic Acid as the water that keeps the collagen moist and elastic, then collagen is continuously surrounded and nourished by the gelatinous HA substance. Do you know why is young skin is smooth and highly elastic? It is because it contains high concentrations of Hyaluronic Acid, which helps skin stay healthy. As we grow older, the body loses its ability to maintain the same concentration of HA and collagen in the skin. When levels of HA decrease in the skin, so goes the ability of the skin to hold water. The result is that the skin becomes drier and loses its ability to maintain it's hydration, so hyaluronic acid acts as a space filler by binding to water and thus keeping the skin wrinkle-free.

Hyaluronic Acid can be found naturally in almost every cell in the body, although it is found in the greatest concentrations in the skin tissue. Almost 50% of the bodies hyaluronic acid is found here. It is found in both the deep underlying dermal areas as well as the visible epidermal top layers, as with young skin is smooth and elastic and contains large amounts of HA that helps keep the skin stay young and healthy. The HA provides continuous moisture to the skin by binding up to 1000 times its weight in water, although with age, the ability of the skin to produce HA decreases.

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Scalp Tissue, Hair Follicles and consistence of HA

The scalp’s structure is identical to the skin tissue located throughout the body. It also contains about 100,000 hair follicles that give rise to hair as the hair and the hair follicle are a derivative of skin tissue. There are two distinctive skin layers, one is the epidermis, or the outer layer, which gives rise to the protective shield of the body and the other - the dermal layer or deep layer makes up the bulk of the skin and is where the hair follicle is located. This dermal layer is composed of connective tissue and the connective tissue, with its gelatinous fluid like characteristics provides support, nourishes and hydrates the deep layers of the scalp. As a result, we have a healthy lustrous hair and a moisturized scalp. All of this is made possible because of the presence of Hyaluronic Acid in the scalp.

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The Lips also contain Hyaluronic Acid

The lips are a core of skeletal muscle covered by skin tissue and the dermal layer of the lips is composed primarily of connective tissue. Its components hyaluronic acid and collagen give the shape (structure) and
 plumpness to the lips. The HA binds to water creating a gelatinous fluid that hydrates the surrounding tissue and keeps the collagen nourished and healthy. The result is healthy, well hydrated and plump lips that are well protected from the environment.


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                                                     Eyes and Hyaluronic Acid

Hyaluronic acid is highly concentrated inside the eyeball as the fluid inside the eye called the vitreous humor is composed almost completely of hyaluronic acid. The HA gives the fluid inside the eye a viscous gel like property and this gel acts as a shock absorber for the eye and also serves to transport nutrients into the eye. HA has been directly injected into the eye during procedures to help maintain the shape of the eye during surgery. As it has been said that after the 5th decade of life, our eyes stop producing the much needed hyaluronic acid resulting in various eye needs and even some diseases.
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Hyaluronic Acid in Gum Tissue

The Gums (gingivoe) are composed of dense fibrous connective tissue (ligaments) and they secure the teeth to the aveloar bone (jaw bone). Connective tissue is composed of a fibrous tissue surrounded by hyaluronic acid. Without the presence of HA, the gum tissue becomes unhealthy. Also if HA is present it helps to provide the tensile strength of the ligaments that secure the tooth in place by providing hydration and nourishment. The result is a healthy set of gums.
Hyaluronic acid is also used as a lip filler during cosmetic surgery. Personal-care products containing hyaluronic acid are also sometimes applied to the skin to promote healing of different reasons as burns and wounds. Sometimes it is claimed that topically applied hyaluronic acid can help reverse signs of aging in the skin.

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