Hyaluronic Acid
This ingredient has become popular for it's characteristics to give hydration to the skin.
​
Hyaluronic acid (HA) is a high molecular weight polymer and a hygroscopic sugar that can bind over 1000 times it's weight in water, making it an optimal hydrator for all skin types (How et al., 2020). It works overtime by replenishing skin to a healthy, supple look and feel. HA is the most abundant glycosaminoglycan found in the human dermis. HA is a very important component of the dermis that is responsible for attracting water and giving dermis it's volume. HA is known to be important in cell growth, membrane receptor function and adhesion (Strnadova et al, 2019). HA appears to also play a role in keratinocytes differentiation and formation of lamellar bodies via it's interaction with CD44, a cell surface glycoprotein receptor with HA binding site (Chattopadhyay et al., 2023).
Recent popularity of HA fillers for injection into the dermis to correct wrinkles has led to a plethora of HA-containing moisturizers on the market. HA functions as a humectant on the skin's surface. It's one of the best skincare ingredient you can use.
Hyaluronic Acid and Sodium Hyaluronate
​
Similarly named such as sodium hyaluronate, these two ingredients are related: sodium hyaluronate is a salt that derived from hyaluronic acid, works in the same way with hyaluronic acid but with one extra advantage: skin absorb it more easily than it does hyaluronic acid (Chattopadhyay et al., 2023). However, it does not mean sodium hyaluronate is better than hyaluronic acid.
​
HA is incredibly gentle for all skin types, even the most sensitive, redness-prone skin, including eczema-prone and rosacea-prone skin (Liu et al., 2023).
​
Contrary to many marketing claims, it can not penetrate the epidermis and enter the dermis when applied topically, unless the molecular weight has been modified and designed onto specific molecular weight for 'breaching' the skin's surface and finally to be able to penetrate into the skin further (Pandey et al., 2023).
​
​
REFERENCES
​
Chattopadhyay, A., Tully, J., Shan, J., Sheikh, S., Ohliger, M., Gordon, J. W., . . . Abuabara, K. (2023). Sodium in the skin: a summary of the physiology and a scoping review of disease associations. Clinical and Experimental Dermatology, 48(7), 733-743. doi:https://doi.org/10.1093/ced/llad080
​
How, K. N., Yap, W. H., Lim, C. H., Goh, B. H., & Lai, Z. W. (2020). Hyaluronic-Acid Mediated Drug Delivery System Targeting for Inflammatory Skin Diseases: A Mini Review. Frontiers in pharmacology, 11, 1105. doi:https://doi.org/10.3389/fphar.2020.01105
​
Liu, Y., Zhou, Y., Chu, C., & Jiang, X. (2023). The role of macrophages in rosacea: implications for targeted therapies. Frontiers in immunology, 14, 1211953. doi:https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2023.1211953
​
Pandey, A., Jatana, G. K., & Sonthalia, S. (2023). Cosmeceuticals. StatPearls Publishing [Internet]. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK544223/
​
Strnadova, K., Sandera, V., Dvorankova, B., Kodet, O., Duskova, M., Smetana, K., & Lacina, L. (2019). Skin ageing: the dermal perspective. Clinics in dermatology, 37(4), 326-335. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clindermatol.2019.04.005
​
​