About Hyaluronic Acid
Hyaluronic Acid is a vital component (key to cartilage, hyaluronan joint lubricating liquid and skin).
It plays a key role in our epidermis serving as a vital part of the extracellular matrix of the basal kertinocytes. It also assists in the passage of nutrients throughout the skin, plays an important role in skin healing particularly after UV damage, hydration and free-radical scavenging. Its key skincare attribute is that it can hold over 1,000 times its weight in water, making it an excellent hydrator and able to plump out fine lines. Hyaluronic Acid found in our skin decreases in production as we age, enter Hyaluronic Acid Serums.
The Caveat
A product’s absorption depends on the size of its molecules. Imagine your skin as a chain-link fence: smaller objects can pass through it and be absorbed while larger molecules cannot.
Hyaluronic acid is one of the LARGER molecules. Substances with a molecular weight of 500 Daltons or more cannot penetrate the skin’s outer layer. The hyaluronic acid in most skin creams weighs between 10,000 and 10,000,000 Daltons!
What does this mean? It cannot be absorbed. In contrast, lighter substances such as glycolic acid, vitamin C and vitamin A derivatives such as retinoids can be absorbed.
The Solution
Before spending your money on over the counter Hyaluronic Acid Serums do your research.
Hyaluronic Acid is too large a molecule (3,000nm) to pass through the skin where intercellular space is only 15-50nm, and can not be absorbed by or penetrate the skin – it’s like trying to get a basketball through the eye of a needle.
This is where Sodium Hyaluronate comes in – a sodium salt of Hyaluronic Acid – with an array of smaller molecular weights enabling full and deep penetration into the subdermal layers.
The smaller molecular weights deeply penetrate to fully hydrate the dermis, visually plumping out fine line and wrinkles as it does so. It also acts as an effective anti-oxidant and aids skin healing, so ideal for any skin suffering from inflammation, sunburn, grazes or any sensitivity.
Medium sized molecules penetrate to a degree and will also give a degree of film-forming effect. This holds onto moisture below the Stratum Corneum in a similar way to the low molecular weight material but won’t be as deep into subdermal layers.
The larger size molecular weights sit on the surface of the skin cells providing an excellent barrier, attracting moisture from the atmosphere so keeping the skin’s surface hydrated. Ideally, the best products contain a variety of molecular weights.
Contact us if you need any guidance!