April 11, 2019

Hyaluronic Acid & Anti Aging - Myths & Facts

aging skin

A while ago I read with some surprise in an article that hyaluronic acid is a 'hype' from a few years ago, but turns out to be here to stay. And that the ingredient is often extracted from rooster combs in an animal-unfriendly way, I was somewhat surprised. Because INDISHA has existed for more than eight years, we have products with hyaluronic acid in our range. That's more than a few years ago. Some research on the internet shows that hyaluronic acid has even been used in skin care since 1930! Hyaluronic acid is used by vegan brands such as Dr Baumann or INIKA, among others. So it can absolutely not come from cockscombs. Time for a blog to separate fact from fable.

Why is Hyaluronic Acid Important?

Hyaluronic acid is a substance that our body produces itself. It can be done up to 1000 times! maintain its own volume of moisture. As a result, joints, cartilage and your skin remain supple and your skin feels resilient. Half! of all the hyaluronic acid in your body is in your skin. Hyaluronic acid is the main 'filler' of the skin matrix - an important structure for healthy skin. And provides a skin barrier that retains sufficient moisture, so that your skin does not dry out, recovers from wounds, can literally take a beating and is protected against the penetration of harmful substances from the outside. Sufficient moisture gives volume, so you don't see fine lines or wrinkles. In short, hyaluronic acid is an indispensable substance in our skin.

Hyaluronic acid decreases - your skin ages

Unfortunately, the amount of hyaluronic acid in your body decreases as you age. By the age of 40, this has been reduced by no less than fifty percent! Your skin retains moisture less well, becomes thinner, drier and less soft, supple and resilient; fine lines and wrinkles appear. Exposure of the skin to sunlight accelerates the reduction of your hyaluronic acid supply, as this is necessary to build up skin protection against UV radiation.

Can you supplement hyaluronic acid?

Good news: you can supplement hyaluronic acid 'from the outside'. This can be done in three ways: injecting hyaluronic acid into the skin, applying creams to the skin. taking lotions or serums with hyaluronic acid or nutricosmetics - power food aimed at skin improvement. The only question is whether your body can do something with this hyaluronic acid. So that administration also has an effect.

  • Injecting hyaluronic acid : so-called hyaluronic acid fillers are injected directly into a line or wrinkle. Which fills it up. Unlike many other fillers, hyaluronic acid is 100% skin's own, so it can't hurt. Only it's not a 'keep'. After six to twelve months, the effect of the filler has disappeared, because the injected hyaluronic acid has been broken down by your body.
  • Lubricating hyaluronic acid - effect on the skin : on the skin, hyaluronic acid improves your skin structure and barrier, due to its moisture-binding property. Moisture is retained longer, your skin feels softer and smoother. Wrinkles and fine lines look less deep. Only wrinkles from sun damage do not diminish. Apparently they are not filled that easily. Hyaluronic acid on your skin also ensures that other ingredients from your skin care products can be better absorbed. They are, as it were, enclosed by hyaluronic acid, which gives them longer time to work.
  • Lubricating hyaluronic acid - effect in the skin : hyaluronic acid molecules are much too large to penetrate the skin. If you want the skin to absorb hyaluronic acid, the molecules must be 'cut up' into small pieces. Then, however, they lose their moisture-retaining properties. And therefore have no effect. In addition, research has shown that cut up hyaluronic acid can cause inflammatory reactions in the body . Which affects your immune system and accelerates skin aging. Recent research (2014) has shown that nano hyaluron molecules do have an effect in reducing wrinkles and improving skin hydration, firmness and elasticity. Of course in a sufficiently high concentration. But personally I am not in favor of nano technology until it is proven that it is not harmful to the body. In short: lubricating hyaluronic acid seems especially relevant to improve the function of hyaluronic acid on the skin. Not in the skin.
  • Swallowing hyaluronic acid: by swallowing hyaluronic acid, it does not have to pass through your skin first (so it does not have to be cut into small particles). So-called 'nutricosmetics' (power food for your skin) with hyaluronic acid are aimed at supplementing hyaluronic acid and stimulating its production. The latter by supplying building materials for hyaluron production. For example, glucosamine, chondroitin or vitamin C. Green tea extract also seems to stimulate the production of hyaluronic acid. SkinHydrate or Boost & Lift from LaVieSage are well-functioning nutricosmetics to stimulate hyaluronic acid production.

  • Inhibit hyaluronic acid degradation. This can be done by inhibiting the hyaluronic acid degrading enzyme 'hyaluronidase'. Among other things, a fabric in horse chestnut (horse chestnut) has this property. However, research in this area is still in its infancy. You can also limit the decrease in hyaluronic acid by taking enough anti-oxidants. These work preventively against skin damage, so you need less hyaluronic acid for its recovery.

    Hyaluronic acid from rooster combs?

    In the past, hyaluronic acid was indeed cruelly extracted from rooster combs. Fortunately, nowadays it can also be produced biotechnologically from the cell membranes of micro-organisms/a bacterium that produces hyaluronic acid. This hyaluronic acid is also of a better quality than that from rooster combs.

    Hyaluronic acid on the ingredient list

    Hyaluronic acid is listed as: Sodium Hyaluronate, Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolysed Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Acetyl Hyaluronate or Potassium Hyaluronate

    Alternatives for hydrated skin

    There are. A few examples can be found below.

    Liposomes in Dr Baumann's liposome serums . Liposomes consist of phospholipids filled with water. These phospholipids nestle between the skin cells and retain the extra water there, maximizing the skin's hydration. The skin is really improved by liposomes by maximizing the moisture content capacity of the skin. Research shows that liposomes have a greater moisturizing effect than hyaluronic acid in a care product. In addition, liposomes ensure that other active ingredients are absorbed more quickly through the skin. The Dr Baumann liposomes products also contain hyaluronic acid. For an even more powerful effect.

    The Abloom Organic Miracle Treatment Oil deeply hydrates your skin, Powerful anti-oxidants protect your skin. Aswaganda in the oil ensures that your skin barrier improves, so that you lose less moisture. The oil ensures a soft and supple skin. And reduces the visibility of scars.

    Shankara 's facial oils contain the skin's own fat squalene, which restores and protects your skin's barrier layer, so that you lose less moisture. A high content of anti-oxidants protect the skin, so that it needs less hyaluronic acid against negative external influences.

    The deMamiel Skin Recovery Blend contains, among other things, Cupacau butter: a very high-quality moisturizer that absorbs water easily. With a high content of essential fatty acids, which protect and moisturize the skin. Rich in phytosterols that improve the elasticity (resilience) and radiance of the skin.

    Conclusion

    Hyaluronic acid is indeed a mega important component in our skin to keep it hydrated, soft, supple and 'full'. This has been known in the skin care market for many years. Animal-unfriendly extraction of hyaluronic acid from cockscombs has not been necessary for a number of years now. Hyaluronic acid can be made biotechnically from microbacteria.

    Replenishing our hyaluronic acid supply or slowing down the decrease of hyaluronic acid in our skin can be done in various ways. On the skin from creams, serums, conditioners with hyaluronic acid. Into the skin by injection - six to twelve months effect - or supplement by nutricosmetics. In addition to products with hyaluronic acid or ingredients that stimulate its production, there are also alternatives such as liposome products to optimize skin hydration.

    Mentioned moisturizing products from our range

    Sources: drBaumann, PubMed, ATS Journals, PMC, honestforyourskin.co.uk, livestrong, beautylab, wikipedia, ortho health foundation

    Written by Jeanine Wolthuis