Hyaluronic Acid Benefits More Than Skin Deep

A newly released study on skin's response to hyaluronic acid injections offers users and those considering the wrinkle treatment some real results to bank on. Apparently, not only does the product work beautifully at filling the crevices of life on a body, it also spurs the skin into making more of its own collagen. The study, conducted at University of Michigan Medical School in Ann Arbor, compared results from forearm injections given to eleven healthy volunteers with an average age of 74 years. The study subjects' sun damage ranged from mild to moderate in severity, notably brown spots, drooping skin, wrinkles, and uneven pigmentation. Each received hyaluronic acid injections in one forearm and saline solution (for comparison purposes) in the other. Four and 13 weeks later, skin biopsy samples were taken from the injection sites and analyzed. The data revealed that hyaluronic acid had induced what the researchers called "robust" type 1 collagen production at a cellular level. This is one form of cosmetic treatment that is more than "just" aesthetically beneficial. While the findings are exciting to certain patient populations with skin-wasting conditions, such as HIV disease, it's also bound to boost the interest of people who've wondered about the pros and cons of cosmetic treatment. Study: Arch Dermatol. 2007;143:155-163