What is Hyaluronic Acid & What are its Benefits, Side Effects?

People take hyaluronic acid for numerous joint disorders including osteoarthritis. It can be injected into the affected joint by a physician or can be directly taken by mouth.

What is Hyaluronic Acid?

Hyaluronic acid is a chemical that is available in the body. Hyaluronic acid if found in greater amount in fluids of the joints and in eyes. Hyaluronic acid used for medicinal purposes is taken from the rooster combs and made in the lab using bacteria.

The use of hyaluronic acid is approved by FDA. Hyaluronic acid can be used during eye surgeries like repairing of a retina which is detached, corneal transplantation, and cataract removal. Hyaluronic acid is injected in the eyes during the surgery which helps in replacing the original fluids. Hyaluronic acid can also be used in a plastic surgery as the lip filler. Some people use hyaluronic acid as a moisturizer for curing skin ulcers, burns and wounds.

Hyaluronic acid can also be used for preventing aging. It is advertised as fountain of youth. Although, there isn’t much evidence for supporting the claim that using it on the skin or orally prevents changes related to aging.

How Does Hyaluronic Acid Work?

How Does Hyaluronic Acid Work?

Hyaluronic acid works as a lubricant and cushion by acting in the tissues and joints. Additionally, it may affect the way human body reacts to injuries.

What are the Benefits of Hyaluronic Acid?

  1. Hydrates Dry, Aged Skin

    Benefits of hyaluronic acid include hydrating dry and aged skin. After applying serums containing hyaluronic acid, many people have reported that their skin felt dewier, their skin texture is smoother and the bags under their eyes become lighter. The primary way in which hyaluronic acid helps in improving the appearance of the aged skin or sun exposed skin is by reducing the water loss. One of the reasons of hormone replacement treatment causing the skin to look less sun damaged and more youthful is because they have the ability to increase the skin’s hyaluronic acid concentration.

    Sagginess, drooping lips or eyes, dandruff and dryness are associated with aging skin because as we get older, molecules in our skin lose their ability to bind and retain water. This causes dryness as well as decreases skin’s volume. You must know that the skin aging is triggered by both extrinsic and intrinsic aging, meaning along with the normal process of aging, daily environmental exposure to UV lights and pollutants. Studies have shown that there are multiple sites in the skin involved in controlling the hyaluronic acid synthesis and deposition, cell and protein degradation and association.

    Hyaluronic acid can help in reducing the signs of aging naturally by decreasing epidermis water loss which is associated with flakiness, skin dryness and sun exposure.

  2. Helps Reduce Wrinkles

    People with wrinkles can benefit from the use of hyaluronic acid. Most research has shown that hyaluronic acid takes about six weeks or more to improve skin’s appearance while some studies have proved that anti-wrinkle hyaluronic acid eye creams and serums can start working within 2-4 weeks of use. For getting more substantial anti-aging results, many dermatologists use prescription formulas or injections containing hyaluronic acid [including Juvéderm Ultra Plus or Allergan] over a period of time for reducing eye and lip sagginess.

  3. Treats Sores, Sunburns, and Wounds

    Other benefits of hyaluronic acid are that it treats wounds, sunburns and wounds. Apart from lowering the appearance of dryness and wrinkles, hyaluronic acid is beneficial in treating burns, bites, wounds, ulcers, mouth sores and cold sores as it can keep the damaged tissue moist. It also offers sunburn relief. There are many cold sore treatments for mouth and lips which contain hyaluronic acid gel for speeding up the healing process and prevent bleeding or cracking.

    Hyaluronic acid is a part of the structural component of the lips and the mouth, which is made up of connective tissues made from water and collagen. Hyaluronic acid and collagen help in giving the lips, shape, and structure. Since hyaluronic acid binds to water, it keeps the skin and tissues within lips/mouth hydrated, helps to bring nutrient to damaged issues, keeps skin junctions tight, helps fluids carry out waste and controls inflammation.

What are the Side Effects of Hyaluronic Acid?

Unfavorable skin reactions such as skin blisters, discoloration, and itchiness are some of the side effects of hyaluronic acid. Sometimes muscle ache and difficulty in movement are also the side effects of hyaluronic acid.

Hyaluronic acid is mostly safe when taken via. injection, applied on the skin or orally. This acid rarely causes allergic reactions. Although, special precautions and warnings must be taken:

Hyaluronic acid is unsafe if taken through injection during breastfeeding. It is yet unknown if this acid affects the breast milk or if it affects the infants. No reliable information is present on whether hyaluronic acid should be taken during breastfeeding. Hence, it is recommended to be on the safer side and avoid its use.

Although, it can be taken during pregnancy it is mostly safe when taken by injection during pregnancy. However, it is unknown if it is safe to apply on the skin or taken by mouth during pregnancy.

Hyaluronic Acid Dosage

Scientific research suggests that hyaluronic acid must be taken by injection. Usually, for curing osteoarthritis, doctors inject it into knee joint.

Team PainAssist
Team PainAssist
Written, Edited or Reviewed By: Team PainAssist, Pain Assist Inc. This article does not provide medical advice. See disclaimer
Last Modified On:December 28, 2021

Recent Posts

Related Posts