This week I would like to discuss one of my favorite skin care secrets: Hyaluronic Acid. This substance is naturally present in the human body and is, interestingly enough, found in highest amounts in the eyes and joints.
So how exactly does Hyaluronic Acid benefit the skin? One word: MOISTURE. “Used as a serum each morning and night, Hyaluronic Acid is able to penetrate the skin’s upper layers. Hyaluronic Acid forms an air permeable layer and penetrates into the dermis, thus boosting the elasticity and hydration of the skin. The protective barrier on the skin locks in moisture, which gives the skin a youthful appearance”. In addition, Hyaluronic Acid also serves as protectant from UVB rays! This stuff is really a win-win.
Hyaluronic Acid and Collagen are vital to maintaining the skin’s elasticity and structure. Collagen gives the skin its firmness and Hyaluronic Acid nourishes and hydrates the collagen. My favorite analogies and explanation of the two: Collagen is like a rubber band, stretch that rubber band a million times, like what we do with our skin and without any moisture. Eventually that rubber band gets overstretched (saggy) and dried out and will most likely break. This is much the same way the collagen in our skin reacts leaving our skin in need of moisture. Now imagine that same rubber band stretched a million times while under water the whole time. Chances of that rubber band drying out and breaking are minimal. Consider the Hyaluronic Acid as the water that keeps the Collagen moist and elastic. Collagen is continuously surrounded and nourished by the gelatinous Hyaluronic Acid substance. Young skin is smooth and highly elastic because it contains high concentrations of Hyaluronic Acid, which helps skin stay healthy. As we grow older, the body loses its ability to maintain this same concentration in the skin. With decreasing levels of Hyaluronic Acid in the skin, so goes the ability of the skin to hold water. The result, the skin becomes drier and loses its ability to maintain its hydration. Hyaluronic acid acts as a space filler by binding to water and thus keeping the skin wrinkle free.
At New Leaf Wellness, we use this serum in several of our services, like Microneedling, it is a topic often brought up to educate our clients about ‘the best kept secret’. Juvederm is a family of injectable hyaluronic acid dermal fillers used to provide 9 months to one year of correction for moderate to severe facial wrinkles and folds, such as nasolabial folds (lines from the nose to the corners of the mouth).
We also suggest hyalo gyn containing Hyaluronic acid for vaginal dryness for our Natural Hormone Patients.
