What is hyaluronic acid?
Hyaluronic acid (HA) is a naturally occurring polysaccharide (sugar) with a viscous texture that is found in various tissues of our body. The largest amount of hyaluronic acid resides in the skin tissue, about 7-8 grams per average adult, which represents about 50% of the total in a human being.
With the passage of time, the presence of this substance decreases significantly. Together with other reasons, this leads to skin aging and, with it, the appearance of wrinkles, flaccidity or loss of firmness.
One of the main properties of hyaluronic acid is its great capacity to attract and retain water. For this reason, its use in Medical-Aesthetic treatments allows to rehydrate in depth the epidermis and dermis of the treated area so that its appearance is smoother. It also increases its thickness and volume, thus decreasing skin furrows.
Hyaluronic acid can be of animal or bacterial origin, although in essence it is always the same. Regarding its safety, its use is well documented in the fields of ophthalmic and orthopedic surgery. Over the last two decades, more than 30 million patients have been treated with products derived from this compound.
What are its aesthetic uses?
The use of hyaluronic acid in aesthetic medicine has been known since 1996. Its most important characteristic as a dermal filler is its capacity to retain liquid, that is, to attract water. This retention capacity is thousands of times its weight.
As we age, our skin cells progressively lose their production capacity. The amount of hyaluronic acid is reduced and its molecular weight decreases, so that it no longer retains water as it did before. Therefore, the tissues become thinner over time and this reduction in volume gives rise to wrinkles.
What is the purpose of a facial filler?
The main function of hyaluronic acid as an implant is to fill and add volume to the skin. In addition to eliminating wrinkles and folds, it stimulates the natural production of collagen.
What kind of defects can it correct?
The use of hyaluronic acid can increase the volume of lips and cheekbones, fill nasolabial folds, correct periorbital wrinkles, dark circles under the eyes, corners of the mouth and between the eyebrows.
How is the hyaluronic acid facial filler technique performed?
Depending on the area to be treated, the hyaluronic acid will be injected into the dermis, just under the skin where the wrinkle is, or above the bone (supraperiosteal) as in the case of cheek filler.
Hyaluronic acid is a substance compatible with all tissues, therefore it does not require skin testing as collagen does. It is not necessary to perform any allergy test, since the product integrates naturally without producing fibrosis due to foreign body reaction and, therefore, does not alter the characteristics of the skin.
Does it cause any discomfort?
Prior to the application of the product, we use a little topical or injected local anesthesia to reduce the patient’s discomfort as much as possible.
Are the results obtained definitive?
The results are not definitive. They last approximately one year, sometimes more, depending on the brand and density of the product.