Hyaluronic Acid
The use of hyaluronic acid in both the cosmetic and medical
industry is gaining momentum as its properties of scar reduction and
aiding wound and ulcer healing are becoming well known. Cosmetic
products containing hyaluronic acid hydrate the skin allowing it to
appear smoother and more radiant.
Hyaluronic Acid Cosmetic Products
Hyaluronic Acid Wound Care Products
Product background and chemistry: Hyaluronic acid (HA) was
discovered by Meyer and Palmer in 1934. It is a linear polysaccharide in
the glycosamino glycan family. It is composed of repeating disaccharide
(sugar) units of N-acetyl-glucosamine and D-glucoronic acid. Unlike
other glycosamino glycans such as condroitin or condroitin sulfate it
has no covalent bonds to proteins or sulfates, thus it has very low
anti-genicity (the body does not mount an immune response against it).
Molecule of (HA) hyaluronic acid
HA products are commercially available and safely used in eye
surgery, joint surgery, and rheumatoid arthritis patients by
ophthalmologists, orthopedics, and rheumatologists. It is extensively
used by the cosmetic industry and by dermatologists in anti-aging and
moisturizing products as HA is very hydroscopic (absorbs and retains
water).
Hydration of the Skin
Hyaluronic acid (HA) can absorb over 1000 times it weight in
water allowing it to hydrate to skin and other areas that it
contacts.
Prevention of Scarring and Aiding Wound Healing
High concentrations of HA, Particularly in fetal skin, have long
been noted to be associated with rapid healing with little scarring.
It is postulated that HA is the extra cellular matrix (fluid between
skin cells) that is the natural transportation system for the events
of wound healing (inflammatory cell migration, fibroblast cell
migration, cytokine migration and epithelial cell migration) to
smoothly occur.
Skin Care Glossary A-M
Skin Care Glossary N-Z
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