What Does Hyaluronic Acid Do?

What Does Hyaluronic Acid Do?

Younger skin has more hyaluronic acid, which looks softer and more hydrated. It forms a significant part of the skin’s structural support system, making it just as important as more well-known anti-aging tools like collagen. Hyaluronic acid makes your skin look younger, brighter, and more even. Moisturizers and serums can deliver effective doses of this valuable molecule, but not all hyaluronic acid works the same way. 

Which Hyaluronic Acid Should I Use?

When you examine a skincare product for hyaluronic acid, look for what form of the molecule it contains. Because polysaccharides are large molecules and can be modified, hyaluronic acid comes in different sizes that penetrate into the skin at different depths. Larger molecules will sit close to the surface while smaller ones, such as hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid, penetrate more deeply. 

When used as a dermal filler, hyaluronic acid comes in a form so large that the body does not absorb or remove it. That allows this filler to stay in the body for months, sometimes more than a year, without causing a reaction but without breaking down and vanishing. The versatility of this molecule lets manufacturers design different formulations for areas of the face like cheeks, lips, and around the mouth.