c.m.s. N.Y. Ukolova, c.m.s. A.V. Dirsh, E.A. Kostkina
Department of Trichology, Cosmetology and Neutraceutics
Hyaluronic acid – one of the main components of FEMEGYL® cosmetic products
Hyaluronic acid, from a chemistry point of view, is the anionic non-sulfate polysaccharide glycosaminoglycan, which can also be called hyaluronan or hyaluronate.
Hyaluronic acid is present in many bodily tissues: the cornea, the vitreous body, cartilage, saliva, bones, and connective, nervous and epithelial (skin and mucosa) tissues. There are about 15 grams of pure hyaluronic acid present in a body of a woman weighing 70 kilograms, a third of the amount is transformed (split or synthesized) daily.
Hyaluronic acid was first discovered in 1934 in the lens of a cow’s eye by Karl Meyer and John Palmer, scientists from the University of Columbia. Naming the polysaccharide “hyaluronic acid” was their idea as well: the name originated from the words “hyaloid” – the name for a membrane in the eye – and “uronic acid”.
Throughout the second half of the XX century, hyaluronic acid was discovered in many bodily tissues and fluids, including human tissues and fluids.
Originally, hyaluronic acid was used in eye surgery and joint treatment, and only later – in aesthetic medicine.
Micro implants made from hyaluronic acid have now been used for over 25 years in treating age-related defects.
Hyaluronic acid first and foremost supports the amorphous material of the derma and the normal level of moisture in the epidermis. About 70% of the dermis and 13% of the epidermis consists of hyaluronic acid. One molecule of hyaluronic acid can draw anywhere from 200 to 1000 molecules of water to itself. Depending on the source and the method of extraction, its molecular weight can vary from 40 to 4000 kDa. Hyaluronic acid is produced by the basic cellular components of connective tissue – the fibroblasts.
Throughout the childhood and adolescence periods of human growth, fibroblasts produce enough hyaluronic acid, but after one reaches the age of 25, because of the impact of various unfavorable factors on the human body, the amount of acids produced starts to slowly decline, leading to the skin thinning out, the connectors between skin cells of the outer and deeper layers of the skin being destroyed, the blood circulation in the tissues getting disrupted, and a general decrease in the skin’s ability to resist external effects. As a result, wrinkles appear, the natural skin color of the face fades, and the skin becomes dull and pale.
FEMEGYL products, such as moisturizing masks, gentle exfoliating products, and products for intradermal application contain high-quality hyaluronic acid.
The intensely moisturizing mask with collagen affects the epidermis by actively moisturizing the stratum corneum and removing signs of peeling and tightness. Inside the skin, a high concentration of hyaluronate is found not only in the derma, but also in the stratum basale, where it plays a key role in the proliferation and the migration of keratinocytes. It is precisely the qualities of the hyaluronic acid found in the stratum basale of the epidermis which in large part determine the propensity of the epidermis for cuticularization.
A non-woven substrate mask allows for a better spread of the hyaluronic acid across the whole surface of the skin, forming a thin film that actively absorbs moisture from the air. This promotes the increase in the amount of water that the stratum corneum contains, as well as creates the “additional moisture” effect, which helps reduce the amount of water lost to evaporation.
Both high and low molecular weight hyaluronic acid are used as ingredients in the mask. The small size of the molecules (5000 to 20000 Da) allows hyaluronic acid to penetrate deep into the epidermis, which stimulates the stratum basale of the epidermis and influences the dermal matrix. On the whole, low molecular weight hyaluronic acid promotes an increase in skin health, moisturization and rehabilitation after aggressive procedures.
FEMEGYL exfoliation products deserve special attention. The FEMEGYL line of exfoliating products is the “pearl” of the brand. Two unique exfoliating products are presented in the range of products: delicate Azelogermanium exfoliation with hyaluronic acid and delicate Lactogermanium exfoliation with hyaluronic acid.
The delicate FEMEGYL exfoliation products gently affect the skin thanks to not only azelaic and lactic acid, but also an organic germanium chelate complex and hyaluronic acid. The hyaluronic acid restores the water-lipid mantle of the skin, while the organic germanium chelate complex improves microcirculation and tissue respiration. During the procedure, no unpleasant sensations are felt by the patient, while the positive effect is felt in full. The delicate Lactogermanium exfoliation with hyaluronic acid has a de-flaking and moisturizing effect. The delicate Azelogermanium exfoliation with hyaluronic acid gently bleaches the skin and can be used to alleviate the effects of acne, black spots and discoloration.
At present, it is hard to imagine a cosmetologist doing his job without products for intradermal application.
Injective wrinkle correction, contour plastic surgery, face volume injections, as well as injecting products made from hyaluronic acid by means of mesotherapy in order to moisturize and revitalize the skin are probably the most popular aesthetic medicine procedures in the recent years.
FEMEGYL products for intradermal injection contain high-quality high molecular weight hyaluronic acid, which is especially important since the quality of the product itself always determines the degree of success of the procedure.
The FEMEGYL products for intradermal injection stay in the body for a relatively long time, at the same time do not cause allergic reactions or side effects, and are simple to use. They also fulfill their purpose perfectly – the creation of additional volume in wrinkle and fold zones, as well as the correction of other age-related and cosmetic defects. They stimulate the production of collagen and elastin, while supporting the whole of the complex collagen-elastin frame in the correct position.
As such, the hyaluronic acid present in the FEMEGYL products for intradermal injection carries out the following functions:
1) Forms the frame of the connective tissue, and as a result, the skin itself
2) Retains moisture inside the skin, preventing dehydration
3) Stimulates regeneration and scar-less healing of wounds
4) Has an anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial effect
5) Improves tissue metabolism and microcirculation
With regards to intense aging changes, the specialists usually turn to another fairly new cosmetic procedure – hyaluronoplastics. Our line of intradermal products also features fillers. The injection of fillers allows for restoring the optimal physiological environment, typical for young skin, correcting the nasolabial folds, increasing the volume of the lips and improving the facial outline.
The distinctive feature of our intradermal products is its “sowing together” with the organic germanium chelate complex, conjugated with gamma-aminobutyric acid. Thanks to this unique complex, the tissue respiration improves, because germanium is an antihypoxant and an antioxidant. Since hyaluronic acid is bound to the organic germanium chelate complex, it is less affected by the effects of hyaluronidase and remains in the tissue for longer. This is the reason why the results of filler injections can persist for up to 10 months. The gamma-aminobutyric acid frees up the surface relaxants of the muscles deep under the skin. It is an important substitute for the transmission of nerve impulses, which would mean the lowering of the stimulation of the muscle cells. Such a decrease in cell activity causes the muscles to relax, which in turn decreases the depth of wrinkles and returns the skin to its state of physiological rest.
The distinctive feature of FEMEGYL products containing hyaluronic acid is their ability to stimulate the cell to produce hyaluronic acid of its own. This way, the skin is saturated by moisture and remains young and firm for longer, slowing down the aging process!