What Exactly is Hyaluronic Acid?

During an aesthetic medicine procedure, injections of products to reshape the body are quite common, and it is legitimate to question the exact nature of these injections. That's why we ensure great transparency about our practices by dedicating an article in this blog to hyaluronic acid.

A Biological Macromolecule

Formed from glucose, one of the most common sugars in our diet, hyaluronic acid is a polymer, meaning it is a large molecule made up of a repeating pattern. Naturally present in all the body's tissues, hyaluronic acid in Paris plays a role in protecting the joints, particularly in improving the flexibility of the cartilage. Its deterioration leads to inflammatory diseases such as osteoarthritis.

It also contributes to the cohesion of skin cells by serving as a bridge between them, and it is this second role that is utilized in aesthetic medicine.

Harmless and Adjustable

Hyaluronic acid was chosen by doctors for wrinkle filling because it presents no incompatibility with cells due to its nature as a biological molecule. It's a safe product, but in return, the body is capable of breaking it down, which means that injections need to be renewed to maintain their beneficial effects.

It's possible to play with the level of cross-linking of the polymer, in other words, to affect the number of chains connected. The more they are linked, the more cross-linked the molecule will be. This property directly affects the viscosity of the product: non-cross-linked chains are very fluid, while those that are heavily cross-linked will be more rigid.

These two aspects of hyaluronic acid make it usable at different levels of depth: fluid and lightly cross-linked chains are used for surface volume fillings, while the more cross-linked polymer is used closer to the bone, for major defects.

To learn more about this topic or for any questions or possible advice, do not hesitate to contact us!