Once an unpronounceable word that no one had heard of, hyaluronic acid is now all the rage and seemingly in every beauty product on the shelf. But do you really know what it is and how it benefits you?
Answering all your questions about this powerful ingredient, Dr. Robert Skaggs at Kentucky Skin Cancer Center believes that education and information are the most important part of any treatment you receive. The more you know, the better you’re able to make decisions that are best for your health and aesthetic goals.
With that in mind, Dr. Skaggs has compiled this list of hyaluronic acid’s benefits.
Benefits of hyaluronic acid
Just so we’re all on the same page, let’s define hyaluronic acid (HA). A naturally occurring substance found throughout your body, HA acts as a lubricant in your eyes and joints. But it also plays a key role in the health of your skin! And as a board-certified dermatologist, Dr. Skaggs has a keen interest in HA for its beneficial properties for your skin.
Hydrates
Like a sponge, hyaluronic acid can hold up to 1,000 times its own weight in water. You may have seen the term “humectant” on your lotion label — HA is one of the best humectants around. When HA gets into your skin, it binds water together with your skin cells and keeps your skin hydrated.
Tightens
Over the years, your skin loses elastin, a protein that makes your skin bounce back when pinched, stretched, or tugged by gravity. While hyaluronic acid can’t replace that protein, it can plump up your skin enough to make it appear more taut.
Protects
Your skin does a great job protecting what’s inside your body, but it also works hard to protect itself from harmful toxins and forces, like the sun’s rays. To do this, it relies on fatty acids called lipids in your top layer of skin.
But as you age, your lipid production slows down, and this natural protective shield becomes compromised. Hydration from hyaluronic acid bolsters that shield so it can continue to ward off smoke, pollution, sun damage, and wrinkles.
Best ways to get hyaluronic acid into your skin
While many beauty and skin care products contain some form of synthetic hyaluronic acid, by definition, your skin does its best to stop substances from penetrating the outer barrier. This means that not much gets through. HA is much more effective when you get it into the deeper layers of your skin. Here’s how Dr. Skaggs accomplishes this.
Dermal fillers
Juvéderm® and Restylane® are brand names of dermal fillers that contain hyaluronic acid. These specially formulated serums are injected in strategic areas of your face at precise depths to supply the inner layers of your skin with HA.
Once past the outer barrier, hyaluronic acid has even more benefits than topical versions:
- Plumps up your skin by adding volume
- Smooths texture
- Reduces appearance of fine lines and wrinkles
- Promotes skin cell regeneration
- Facilitates proper moisture and prevents overproduction of oils
Microneedling
In this treatment, Dr. Skaggs creates thousands of micro punctures in your skin to trigger your body’s natural healing process and increase its production of collagen and elastin.
Microneedling alone is a great way to improve the look and health of your skin, but Dr. Skaggs takes it a step further and coats your face with hyaluronic acid before he rolls the Collagen P.I.N. device over your skin. This way, every tiny puncture creates a channel that carries hyaluronic acid directly to your inner skin, where it can boost the healing process.
Now that you know more about hyaluronic acid, let’s talk about what it can do for you. Call us at either our Bowling Green or Franklin, Kentucky, office to schedule a face-to-face or telehealth appointment with Dr. Skaggs today.
