Hyaluronic acid (HA) is a naturally occurring molecule found in the body's organs and tissues, playing a crucial role in cell function. Beyond its popular use in skincare products, HA is also being investigated for clinical applications, including dentistry and cell transplantation.
What is Hyaluronic Acid?
HA is a polysaccharide molecule found in human skin, joints, and connective tissue. It primarily functions as a hydrator, capable of binding to significant amounts of water due to its honeycomb-like structure when mixed with water. This property makes it useful as a lubricant in areas like the eyes and joints. As a naturally occurring substance in the body, HA rarely triggers allergic reactions.
Skincare Applications
In the beauty industry, HA is commonly applied topically in creams or injected into the skin. While effective for hydrating the skin, its benefits primarily involve making the skin appear smoother and plumper in the short term, without direct anti-aging or other transformative effects.
Topical HA products often contain high molecular weight HA, which remains on the skin's surface and hydrates without deep penetration. Lower molecular weight HA can penetrate deeper but may increase the risk of inflammation.
Dermal Fillers
HA is also utilized as a dermal filler, injected beneath the skin to add volume and plump areas such as lips, cheeks, hands, or earlobes. This application aims to restore volume and structure to the skin, creating a lifting effect. Although naturally produced HA is continuously broken down and replenished by the body, some experts suggest that HA in dermal fillers may not always break down as expected, even with dissolving enzymes.
Future Clinical Uses
HA has been a staple in clinical medicine for decades, used in dentistry to improve healing, as a joint lubricant, and in managing chronic inflammatory diseases and bacterial infections by reducing bacterial attachment.
Ongoing research explores new applications for HA. For example, studies have investigated its use as an immune-suppressing, protective coating for pancreatic beta cells in diabetes. This involves applying a thin HA-based matrix to protect cells from immune attack while allowing them to sense glucose and release insulin. This research highlights HA's potential in transplantation and other medical fields.