Everything can be "hyaluronic acid"

The temperature dropped a while ago and I had a severe runny nose due to a cold, so a friend recommended a hyaluronic acid tissue to me. I gave it a try and was pleasantly surprised by the result: after repeatedly wiping my nose, the redness, swelling and dryness disappeared and the nose became even more moist and softer.

I have to say that hyaluronic acid is really a magical thing, so today I will tell you why hyaluronic acid has such a magical effect!

01. Hyaluronic acid-hyaluronic acid

There are many hyaluronic acid tissue products on the market. They are most popular in Japan, and there are also many celebrities who are fans of them.

As early as a few years ago, there was a new trend in the paper towel market, that is, adding cream ingredients to paper towels to make them softer and smoother, while also having moisturizing and skin care functions. The main principle of moisturizing cream paper is actually to achieve water content on the paper through various fiber technologies, and to add some chemical moisturizing ingredients, such as glycerin. Compared with chemical synthetics such as glycerin added to cream paper, hyaluronic acid, which is a self-derived substance of the human body, is superior in terms of moisturizing and safety, which is why paper towels containing hyaluronic acid are more popular among people with sensitive skin and new mothers.

In fact, hyaluronic acid is a common name. Its scientific name is hyaluronic acid, which is a disaccharide unit glycosaminoglycan composed of D-glucuronic acid and N-acetylglucosamine.

This ingredient is not rare. In fact, the human body contains hyaluronic acid and it is widely distributed. For example, our skin, connective tissue, synovial fluid of joints, and vitreous body of eyes all contain high concentrations of hyaluronic acid. As we age, the hyaluronic acid content in the human body gradually decreases. Because of this, in order to maintain a youthful body state, it is imperative to supplement hyaluronic acid.

02. The role of hyaluronic acid

When hyaluronic acid was first discovered, researchers only used it for joint diseases. Later, as the skin structure and physiological functions were analyzed, it was found that the skin began to age with age, and one of the important characteristics was the decrease in the hyaluronic acid content in the skin. Therefore, hyaluronic acid began to play a role in skin care.

For example, the following related experiment is to observe the actual effect of using hyaluronic acid dressing on the skin by comparing before and after. The results show that the basic condition of the skin has changed significantly after using hyaluronic acid dressing. Compared with before using hyaluronic acid dressing, the moisture and elasticity of the skin have shown significant improvement after use [1].

At the same time, users are highly satisfied with hyaluronic acid, which strongly proves the "moisture-locking and moisturizing" effect of hyaluronic acid itself. Coupled with its "obvious effect, mild and non-irritating" characteristics, it is not surprising that it has become a popular "anti-aging" hot favorite and skin care product in the world. Not only that, compared with adding chemical synthetic substances such as glycerin and squalane to paper towels, hyaluronic acid, which is a self-derived substance of the human body, is superior in terms of moisturizing and safety.

03. Myth: Hyaluronic acid is a single molecule

In addition, I would like to point out a misunderstanding that many people think hyaluronic acid is a single molecule. In fact, hyaluronic acid is a mixture of a series of molecules, and different molecular weight hyaluronic acids have different functions. For example, large molecular hyaluronic acid can form a breathable film on the skin surface to block the invasion of foreign bacteria, dust, and ultraviolet rays, enhance the skin's response to the surrounding environment, and avoid further damage to sensitive skin caused by external stimuli.

Small molecule oligomeric hyaluronic acid, due to its small molecular weight, can penetrate the skin barrier and reach the dermis directly. It has the repair and health-care effects of inhibiting inflammatory response, promoting angiogenesis, improving intermediate metabolism, promoting nutrient absorption, and increasing skin elasticity.

04. New uses of hyaluronic acid

In fact, due to the continuous iteration and upgrading of technology, hyaluronic acid has been applied to more fields in recent years. In addition to hyaluronic acid tissues, oral hyaluronic acid has also become popular recently. Yes, hyaluronic acid can be absorbed by the human body through direct oral administration.

Many people may be curious about this. Can hyaluronic acid be absorbed by the body when taken orally? Can it really supplement hyaluronic acid for the human body? In fact, a series of studies have confirmed that oral hyaluronic acid can indeed supplement hyaluronic acid.

The following is a study on oral hyaluronic acid, which found that there was a significant difference in the moisture test results of the skin before and after oral administration [2].

The theoretical basis behind this is also available. As early as 2008, Balogh et al. observed in experimental data of rats and beagle dogs that high molecular weight hyaluronic acid labeled with 99mTc isotope would appear in large quantities in skin tissue after oral ingestion. In 2012, Laznicek et al. repeated the experiment in rats and found that hyaluronic acid labeled with 99mTc isotope of different molecular weights (0.1-1 MDA) could also be detected in skin tissue within 120 minutes after oral administration. Two years later, Oe et al. conducted a pharmacokinetic study on rats using 14C-labeled 920,000 Dalton hyaluronic acid molecules. Eight hours after the start of the experiment, they detected isotope signals in the skin tissue of rats. Within 24-96 hours, the isotope signals in the skin of rats were higher than those in the blood. [3] Therefore, we can completely supplement hyaluronic acid by oral administration to increase the hyaluronic acid content in the skin.

Moreover, there are many hyaluronic acid foods on the Chinese market, and the coverage is very wide. There are drinks with hyaluronic acid added to hydrate the body from the inside out, and chewable tablets and soft candy snacks containing hyaluronic acid that can soothe anxiety, promote sleep or protect the eyes. It can be said to meet the needs of different scenes and different people all day long and without dead ends. Through the above introduction, I believe everyone has a basic understanding of hyaluronic acid, and now hyaluronic acid has been more widely used (in addition to medical beauty and oral administration, daily necessities are also OK). For example, adding hyaluronic acid, a high-end additive in skin care products, to paper towels can be called a dimensionality reduction attack. And I believe that with the continuous development of science and technology, more high-end skin care ingredients will enter the daily use market in the future, which will further contribute to the pursuit of health and beauty for modern people and help more consumers benefit from innovative active ingredients!

[1] Zhao Qi, Ma Huimin, Xu Jiasui, Chen Jun, Zhao Sha, Shan Junwei, Feng Renyang. Study on the effect of hyaluronic acid dressing on the basic state of skin[J]. Journal of Practical Dermatology, 2016, 9(02): 104-106.

[2] Feng Ning, Shi Yanli, Guo Fengxian, Guo Xueping. Study on the improvement of skin moisture and antioxidant effect of oral hyaluronic acid in vivo[J]. Food and Drug, 2016, 18(06): 386-390.

[3]Who says that taking hyaluronic acid orally is a waste of money?