Hyaluronic Acid - The Latest Craze In "Natural" Skin Care

Hyaluronic Acid - The Latest Craze In "Natural" Skin Care
by Danny Siegenthaler

Hyaluronic acid was made 'famous' by an ABC News report in which Connie Chung
visited a Japanese village by the name of Yuzurihara. She found that the people there
were living longer, looked younger, and were more flexible and active than their
western counterparts. These Japanese villagers, in their 80s and 90s, have smooth
wrinkle-less skin, a full head of hair and apparently no need for glasses.

So what is it, that allows these Japanese to be so much more youthful, lead active,
productive lives at their advanced age, where as in western countries most people in
their 80s and beyond are in old-age homes?

The conclusion drawn in the ABC report was that these people ate 'sticky vegetables'
and that this factor was the secret to their apparent youth. In addition, the
oestrogen-like molecules in their diet, fermented forms of soy in miso paste and
tofu, seem to play an important role. These molecules, along with natural oestrogen,
send a signal to the fibroblast cells to make more hyaluronic acid. But is this the
whole answer? - I don't think so, but I'll get to this a little later.

Next, let's look at what Hyaluronic acid does.

According to scientific research by a variety of Universities and researchers,
hyaluronic acid is used in the human body to cushion and lubricate joints, eyes, the
skin, and heart valves (see http://www.ctds.info/hyaluronic_acid.html for an in-
depth look at all the different diseases, syndromes and conditions). Some
treatments, which involve the use of hyaluronic acid include: treatment for
osteoarthritis and other joint problems, as well as a range of eye disorders, retinal
detachment, and some cardiovascular disorders.

However, it is in the anti-aging effect on the skin that we are focusing on in this
article and the effect hyaluronic acid seems to have on the skin is at the level of
promoting the formation of collagen. These are the fibres that firm the skin. Now,
hyaluronidase, an enzyme that breaks down collagen fibres, is produced by free
radicals and UV radiation.

These factors breaks down fibres of collagen can cause premature wrinkles and
sagging of the skin. Focusing on hyaluronic acid, it would seem reasonable therefore,
that reducing the free radicals is a major key to reducing the hyaluronidase enzyme
and secondly to promote normal levels of hyaluronic acid in the skin.

Plant substances known as bioflavonoids, contained in foods such as grape seed
extract, blueberry, cranberry, citrus bioflavonoids and milk thistle, etc., inhibit the
production of hyaluronidase, which helps to achieve the first aim of reducing the free
radicals. In addition, reducing processed foods from our diet, increasing the level of
exercise and living a more balanced life style will help in promoting natural levels of
hyaluronic acid in our system, not just in the skin.

When considering injecting hyaluronic acid into the skin to treat fine lines and
wrinkles, we are once again loosing sight of the holistic approach to treating our
bodies and thus run a serious risk of introducing factors, which may lead to side
effects or other health problems. Further, we also run the risk of creating an
imbalance in the chemical composition of the skin and who knows what possible
problems await us as a result.

Some known side effects of hyaluronic acid injection therapy for aging skin
include:

swelling
infection
redness
tenderness
acne
lumps
tissue hardening
unknown risks when used in combination with collagen

These side effects are serious enough to reconsider using injection therapy of
hyaluronic acid as an anti-aging treatment for the skin.

Remember too, that the people in the Japanese village do not use injection therapy...
They life an holistic life style incorporating unprocessed foods and physical activity
together with a balanced mind-set and life style.

So where can you get a holistic source of hyaluronic acid from?

There are a couple of ways. The first is from "starchy root vegetables" such as the
ones mentioned by the village doctor in the ABC report which include: Satsumaimo, a
type of sweet potato; Satoimo, a sticky white potato; Konyaku, a gelatinous root
vegetable concoction; and Imoji, a potato root.

These vegetables help the cells of the body to thrive and retain moisture. Further,
they keep joints lubricated, protect the retina of the eye and keep the skin smooth
and elastic by promoting collagen.

Another source of hyaluronic acid, for non-vegetarians, is to eat animal parts known
to contain a lot of hyaluronic acid. You could make a broth from fish bones. That is,
once you've taken off the fillets, boil the rest of the fish, including their head and
make a fish stock. Similarly, you can make a meat broth using animal joints, sinews
and tendons, then adding a few root and other vegetables to create a healthy,
nourishing soup.

In conclusion, at Wildcrafted Herbal Products we do not believe that adding isolated
ingredients in elevated concentrations to our natural skin care products is a preferred
option. Rather, using a and for that matter
health care is a far more preferable option.

Skin care is as much about taking care of your skin as it is taking responsibility and
care of your overall health and wellbeing. Your skin is not an isolated part of your
body and should not be treated as such.

Again I would like to remind you of the Japanese villagers - they do not inject
themselves with hyaluronic acid, they do not use hyaluronic acid in isolation, they do
however life a healthy, active and mostly balanced life style.

About The Author

Danny Siegenthaler is a doctor of traditional Chinese medicine and together with his
wife Susan, a medical herbalist and Aromatherapist, they have created to share their 40 years of combined
expertise with you. – it’s fun, free and
Informative and you receive a free eBook on natural skin care. © Wildcrafted Herbal
Products 2005

Let's start out by looking at what
hyaluronic acid actually is.

Hyaluronic acid (HA) is a naturally
occurring biopolymer, which serves
important biological functions in
bacteria and higher animals including
humans. Naturally occurring,
hyaluronic acid may be found in the
tissue of higher animals, in particular
as intercellular space filler. HA is found
in greatest concentrations in the
vitreous humour of the eye and in the
synovial fluid of articular joints, but is
also found in the skin, connective
tissue and elsewhere in the body.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The content on
this website is for educational purposes only. Please consult with your physician before using natural
remedies and before making any drastic changes to your diet or exercise program.