Hyaluronic acid has revolutionized the beauty and skincare industries due to its remarkable capacity for moisture retention. A naturally occurring compound, it holds over 1,000 times its own weight in water molecules – giving skin more hydration levels and resilience.

Eyedrops or creams play an integral part in maintaining eye health and wound healing, but selecting the correct type and concentration makes all the difference.

How Hyaluronic Acid Works

Hyaluronic acid is a naturally-occurring compound which has the power to improve the appearance of skin, eyes and hair while speeding healing wounds faster. Hyaluronic acid works by binding water molecules to your skin – keeping your complexion hydrated while decreasing fine lines and wrinkles – as well as offering additional wound care benefits. Available over-the-counter serums or even as pills taken orally for administration.

When selecting products containing hyaluronic acid, look for ones with a low molecular weight – the lower it is, the easier it will be for your skin to absorb. An optimal molecular weight for hyaluronic acid lies between 50 and 130kDa.

Some products contain multiple forms of hyaluronic acid for maximum efficacy. These multi-peptide formulas feature both high molecular weight HA as well as lower molecular weight forms of the ingredient to provide an all-around effect and benefit your skin appearance. Integrating such products into your daily regimen will enhance its appearance, especially when combined with retinoids.

Molecular Weight

Hyaluronic acid (HA) is an extraordinarily hydrating linear polysaccharide found naturally in vertebrate tissues and capable of holding 1,000 times its own weight in water molecules, making it extremely hydrating for skin.

Over time, our bodies’ natural stores of hyaluronic acid may deplete due to aging, smoking and environmental factors; using topical hyaluronic acid such as in moisturizing creams or serums can help replenish what has been lost.

When purchasing a hyaluronic acid product, its molecular weight can indicate how effectively it penetrates skin layers. Products with lower molecular weights (50 kilodaltons or lower) tend to be more effective at hydrating and improving elasticity than higher molecular-weight HA molecules due to increased levels of entanglement between their molecules resulting in resistance against solvent flow.

Sources

Hyaluronic acid can be found naturally throughout our bodies’ tissues, including skin. Over time, however, our bodies’ levels of hyaluronic acid start to decline; topical products and injections containing hyaluronic acid, supplement intake or eating food high in hyaluronic acid may help restore levels and improve skin hydration and elasticity.

Soy products contain an abundance of hyaluronic acid. Consumption of soy foods such as tofu, edamame and tempeh can increase hyaluronan levels in your body. Other food sources of hyaluronic acid include green leafy vegetables, tuber vegetables like sweet potatoes and carrots, citrus fruits as well as nuts and seeds.

Hyaluronic acid can be used as a food additive to enhance water flow and increase viscosity of meat emulsions, prevent lipid oxidation, and extend shelf life of processed meat products.

Uses

Hyaluronic acid can be found naturally within our bodies’ connective tissues and is known for cushioning and lubricating joints, according to Cleveland Clinic. Hyaluronic acid increases synovial fluid viscosity by drawing water molecules through crosslinking – this process also serves eye surgery purposes and treating certain forms of arthritis.

Products containing this compound, often referred to as cosmeceuticals, range from serums and moisturizers to injectible forms with smaller molecular structures for greater penetration into skin layers.

Hyaluronic acid may help combat skin aging by slowing the breakdown of extracellular matrix. Furthermore, it stimulates collagen and elastin synthesis which is crucial to skin elasticity and firmness. Hyaluronic acid can bind with CD44 receptors on epidermal cells which inhibit their secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines that contribute to skin aging as well as extrinsic aging factors.