Many of us enjoy the anti-aging effects of our favorite skincare products – from serums to creams and more. However, you may have never noticed a common ingredient on the label, hyaluronic acid.
Hyaluronic acid (HA) is naturally found in your body and helps keep your skin looking plump, hydrated, and youthful. With age, your HA levels drop, which is why replenishing them with hyaluronic acid injections, like Juvéderm, can be so beneficial.
Looking to achieve youthful, well-hydrated skin that defies age? Schedule an appointment online with our qualified aesthetic nurse injectors in Anchorage.
What Is Hyaluronic Acid?
Hyaluronic acid (HA) is often found as an active ingredient in your favorite beauty products. If your skin care regimen consists of a cream or serum that claims to give you youthful, plump skin – chances are, you’ve encountered hyaluronic acid. It’s what gives your face that hydrated, glowing, and fresh look.
HA may sound unfamiliar to you, but you’ve likely heard of lip or dermal fillers, or their common brand name, Juvéderm. Juvéderm dermal fillers help add volume to targeted areas in your face to fill in wrinkles, make your skin more supple, and add definition where desired.
While product formulas are a fantastic addition to your beauty regimen, hyaluronic acid injections can give you a concentrated boost and maximum results.
How Is Hyaluronic Acid Used?
Despite the potent-sounding name, hyaluronic acid (HA) is a naturally occurring sugar found in the body. This substance is involved in connective tissues and helps to lubricate your joints. HA works by drawing upon and retaining moisture in the body to help things run smoothly. This is why you will find hyaluronic acid injections used for medical conditions such as knee osteoarthritis, not just for beauty.
However, in this post, we will be focusing on the use of hyaluronic acid injections as dermal fillers to improve your appearance. In short, HA injections replace the loss of volume often found in aging skin to restore a youthful appearance.
They are a temporary, non-surgical solution that only takes a few minutes to less than an hour. The procedure is FDA-approved and considered safe in most circumstances.
How Can I Use Hyaluronic Acid for Beautiful Skin?
Option 1: Hyaluronic Acid in Skin Care Products
While prevalent, it’s not so simple when we talk about the use of hyaluronic acid in skincare products. Many brands will use the salt form of hyaluronic acid, known as sodium hyaluronate. This allows companies to add a cheaper, less beneficial form of the ingredient while still claiming the benefits of hyaluronic acid. This is not true for all HA products, but it’s something you should look out for when making your purchases, especially for more expensive brands.
Option 2: Hyaluronic Acid Injections As Dermal Fillers
HA injections, on the other hand, use the true form of hyaluronic acid. Because these dermal fillers have a gel-like consistency, they are administered directly into the skin using needle injection. Naturally, this solution will be more expensive than a topical product, as it is a medical procedure that should only be performed by a professional.
How Can Hyaluronic Acid Injections Benefit Me?
Hyaluronic Acid Benefit #1: Hydrated Skin
Easily one of the biggest benefits of HA, hydrated skin is often sought by those trying hyaluronic acid. As mentioned earlier, HA draws in water and moisture from the air into your skin (aka a humectant). In fact, hyaluronic acid can hold 1000x its weight in water! This, of course, counteracts the effects and appearance of dry skin and gives you that glowing, dewy look.
Hyaluronic Acid Benefit #2: Anti-Wrinkles
Hyaluronic acid also works to reduce the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines because it plumps the skin with its moisture content. Think of it as a balloon – a deflated one will have creases and wrinkles, but an inflated balloon appears smooth, firm, and without any visible lines.
Hyaluronic Acid Benefit #3: Voluminous Jawline + Cheeks
Since HA injections are in the form of a gel, they are often used in the cheeks or jaw to add volume and lift or define these areas.
Hyaluronic Acid Benefit #4: Fuller, Plump Lips
Hyaluronic acid can be injected into the lips and surrounding areas for a fuller appearance. According to a meta-analysis published in Frontiers In Surgery, the desired effects have been shown to last around 6 months post-procedure.
Hyaluronic Acid Benefit #5: Non-Surgical Rhinoplasty
Some people will also choose hyaluronic acid injections as a non-surgical alternative to rhinoplasty, or a nose job. Like lip fillers, injections are given in the nasal areas to temporarily alter the shape and appearance.
Hyaluronic Acid Benefit #6: Youthful Hands
As you’ve probably realized, the effects of aging aren’t restricted to the face; aging can be visible in the appearance of your hands as well. Hyaluronic acid injections have been used in these areas to restore the youthful look to this part of the body.
Hyaluronic Acid Benefit #7: Versatile For All Skin Types
Because HA is a substance found in the human body and in other animals, it is generally tolerated well by a variety of skin types – including those who have more sensitive skin.
Are Hyaluronic Acid Injections a Safe Dermal Filler?
Short answer – yes. While any medical procedure has its risks and potential side effects, hyaluronic acid injections are generally considered safe. Always choose a qualified medical practitioner when having these treatments done. Since anyone can perform this procedure with or without a license, it’s important to research a facility beforehand and ensure you are in safe hands.
Note: New “DIY” solutions such as Hyaluron Pens are also proving to be very risky for those trying to complete a hyaluronic acid injection alternative at home. The FDA has warned against using these cosmetic, needless devices – for the general public as well as health care professionals.
If you’re less worried about safety and more concerned about whether dermal fillers negatively affect your appearance, check out our blog post, “Do Dermal Fillers Ruin Your Face?”
What Does the Procedure of Dermal Fillers Look Like?
After confirmation it’s safe for you to continue with the procedure, one of our aesthetic nurse injectors will administer the HA injection in the desired area. Depending on the number of injections, this can take anywhere from 15-60 minutes to complete. Hyaluronic acid injections are also relatively painless. Juvéderm products contain lidocaine, which is a numbing agent that helps ease discomfort and pain during the injection process. The results are also immediate: you’ll notice plumper features as soon as you leave our office.
How Can I Get Hyaluronic Acid Injections Done?
Juvéderm dermal fillers (hyaluronic acid injections) are a popular option for face enhancement and anti-aging treatment because they are non-surgical, generally safe products that work by replenishing your body’s natural hyaluronic acid stores.
The treatment only lasts a few minutes to an hour in total, making hyaluronic acid injections a quick procedure with little recovery time. To get the best results from your dermal fillers, be sure to learn more about the after-care process in our post: “Dermal Filler Aftercare: 10 Dos and Don’ts During Recovery.”
If you’re considering getting Juvéderm facial injections in Anchorage for the first time, Elevate at Alaska Women’s Health is here whenever you’re ready.
Looking to achieve youthful, well-hydrated skin that defies age? Schedule an appointment online with our qualified aesthetic nurse injectors in Anchorage.
