Hyaluronic acid is considered a miracle weapon against wrinkles and dry skin, a fountain of youth, a refresher and a must-have for beauty. The cosmetics industry is booming – new creams, serums and other products appear on the market almost daily. The latest craze is hyaluronic acid capsules, which are supposed to be even more effective against signs of aging and provide a beautiful complexion. But do they really help? Can hyaluronic acid products from the drugstore and the Internet replace an injection from the doctor?
What is hyaluronic acid?
Chemically, hyaluronic acid is a multiple sugar with a very complex structure that occurs naturally in the body – in this case, primarily in the skin and connective tissue. Since hyaluronic acid can bind a lot of water to itself, this ensures that the connective tissue remains firm and elastic. The skin appears plump, healthy and wrinkle-free.
From around the age of 25, the amount of hyaluronic acid in the body slowly but steadily decreases. Visible consequences are dry and sagging skin, first slight wrinkles, later real wrinkles.
Hyaluronic acid in cosmetics and as a dietary supplement
Cosmetic manufacturers have discovered the effect of hyaluronic acid for themselves and their products. Whether real shelves in drugstores and supermarkets or virtual in online stores: Elaborate marketing is carried out to bring creams, serums, masks and other beauty products with the active ingredient as an anti-aging agent to the customer.
Unfortunately, however, this concept has not been a resounding success to date. Currently, there is no cream on the market that has such an intensive effect that it can satisfactorily and permanently replace an injection with hyaluronic acid, as we do. This is partly because the concentration of the active ingredient in the creams is too low (because otherwise it would be too expensive!), and partly because of its molecular size. This means that the cosmetic product can only have a superficial effect. Sometimes a slight tightening effect is visible, but when the corresponding product is discontinued, the effect immediately wears off again.
A new trend is currently circulating: taking hyaluronic acid as a dietary supplement in capsule form. The concept sounds attractive: according to the motto “True beauty comes from within,” the active ingredient is supposed to have a holistic effect on the body via capsule and penetrate all layers of the skin from the inside out.
It’s actually a nice idea to secure eternal youth with just one capsule a day. But even these capsules cannot work magic. They can help the skin to be better moisturized and also soften small dry wrinkles and enhance the glow, but to achieve a clearly visible effect – as is achieved with an anti-wrinkle injection with hyaluronic acid – even the capsules are not capable. Moreover, the general optical aging process depends on many other factors outside the “hyaluronic acid degradation”.
Dr. Tatjana Pavicic
Dr. Tatjana Pavicic is a specialist in dermatology and venereology with her own practice in Munich. She is an internationally recognized expert in aesthetic dermatology with a special focus on dermocosmetics, botulinum toxin, fillers and lasers.
Visible results through filler injection
During an injection treatment with hyaluronic acid, the substance is injected with a fine cannula under specific areas of skin or wrinkles. Here it reaches exactly where it is supposed to: the deep skin layers in the “problem areas”. There, the hyaluronic acid unfolds its plumping and volumizing effect as a so-called filler.
The injections work best on wrinkles caused by gravity, such as small crinkles around the mouth, naso-labial folds, sunken tissue, forehead wrinkles and creases on the décolleté. In addition, hyaluronic acid can also be used to increase lip volume for a beautiful pout. Also possible: nose correction without surgery.
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