Is hyaluronic acid as effective as skin care brands claim? Achi-News

Hyaluronic acid has become a buzzword in the beauty industry, with everything from creams and cleansers to shampoos containing it. These products are often marketed to consumers with the promise that hyaluronic acid will boost hydration – which is important for keeping skin looking its best.

Hyaluronic acid is ubiquitous in our organs and tissues, playing a vital role in the function of our cells and tissues.

Hyaluronic acid has been used clinically for decades, for example, as an injection between joints to help lubricate cartilage. But at the turn of the century, cosmetic companies started using it as a moisturizing ingredient in cosmetic products.

Essentially, hyaluronic acid is thought to work by trapping and retaining water molecules to hydrate the skin and restore elasticity, preventing wrinkles. When combined with sunscreen, hyaluronic acid may be able to protect the skin from ultraviolet radiation as it has antioxidant properties (meaning it prevents damage caused by oxidizing agents, such as ultraviolet radiation).

One of the most common marketing claims used to sell hyaluronic acid is the long held belief that hyaluronic acid holds 1,000 times its weight in water. This means it can retain moisture and reduce moisture loss.

But this claim has recently been questioned, with a number of recent publications discussing the findings of a preprint paper which suggest that this claim is not true.

The authors of the preprint, researchers from the University of California, looked to the binding properties of hyaluronic acid molecules and water to prove the claim that it can hold 1,000 times its weight in water.

To do this, the researchers created a solution containing 1g of hyaluronic acid and 1,000g of water (0.1% hyaluronic acid), which was compared to water alone. They then applied heat to both solutions, measuring the thermal changes that occurred. It was found that there was little difference in the changes that occurred in the 0.1% hyaluronic acid solution compared to the pure water. They therefore concluded that the longstanding claim is not true.

These findings may lead consumers to wonder how well their hyaluronic acid products are really working if they are not hydrating the skin as much as previously claimed.

How hyaluronic acid works

Although there is no controversy regarding the results of the experiments obtained, the conclusion on the water-holding capacity of hyaluronic acid does not apply to all types of hyaluronic acids.

Hyaluronic acid comes in different molecular sizes. This preprint looked at one medium-sized hyaluronic acid molecule in their experiments. This means that the results may only be true for products containing medium and smaller hyaluronic acid molecules.

When hyaluronic acid interacts with water, its water-loving and water-hating parts result in electrostatic repulsion. This enables large numbers of hyaluronic acid molecules to form networks, which look a bit like honeycombs, and expand.

The larger the molecular size of the hyaluronic acid, the more able it is to form these honeycomb structures – and also the more able it is to retain water compared to its own weight.

Hyaluronic acid with larger molecular sizes will form these networks at a concentration of 0.1%, which means it can hold 1,000 times its own weight in water. Some very large molecules will even form these networks at a concentration as low as 0.05%. This means it can hold 2,000 times its weight in water.

It’s also worth noting that hyaluronic acid doesn’t just trap moisture and hydrate the skin. Due to its hydrating and antioxidant effects, it also promotes cell regeneration and stimulates collagen production. So the benefits of hyaluronic acid go beyond its ability to retain water.

While this paper may have partially debunked one popular claim about hyaluronic acid’s moisturizing abilities, that doesn’t mean you should stop using it. The research continues to show that there is no doubt about the moisturizing abilities of hyaluronic acid, which can leave the skin softer, smoother and less wrinkled. Also, the antioxidant effects of hyaluronic acid promote the growth of new skin cells and collagen.

But if you want to make sure you’re getting the most effective product possible, look for one that contains multiple weights of hyaluronic acid molecules (sometimes labeled as “triple weight”, “multi weight” or “multimolecular weight”). Also look for a product that contains a minimum hyaluronic acid concentration of 0.1%.

This is because research suggests that products containing a formulation of multiple sizes of hyaluronic acid molecules may be more beneficial to the skin than formulations containing only one molecule size. This is partly because smaller molecules penetrate the skin better, while the larger ones hold more water.