Hyaluronic acid
What is hyaluronic acid?Hyaluronic acid is a disaccharide occurring in every human connective tissue, including the skin.This molecule is essential for the formation of the collagen and the elastic fibre matrix and for maintaining skin hydration. With the passing of time, anomalies of the hyaluronic acid found in the skin contribute to skin ageing. Hyaluronic acid occurs naturally in all living organisms and is a universal component of the spaces between the cells of the body tissues (extracellular space). It is a molecule whose chemical structure is unchanging, whether it is found in bacteria, in animals or in humans. Being chemically the same in all species and in every kind of tissue, hyaluronic acid is fully biocompatible. The use of hyaluronic acid is well documented in cosmetic medicine and surgery, as well as in other branches of medicine, such as eye surgery and orthopaedics. During the last two decades, more than 30 million people were treated successfully with hyaluronate-based products. How many types of hyaluronic acid are there?The hyaluronic acid used in cosmetic medicine derives from complex laboratory syntheses obtained by means of biotechnology.There are 2 large families of hyaluronic acids:
The best quality and the absorption time of hyaluronic acid depend on the quantity of hyaluronate molecules and on the intermolecular bonds occurring in 1 ml of the product. What aesthetic imperfections is hyaluronic acid indicated for?The hyaluronate-based treatment is indicated to correct:
How is hyaluronic acid used in cosmetic medicine?Hyaluronic acid is injected in very small doses into the areas to be treated by means of a syringe with a very thin needle.Can the treatment be performed in outpatient care?Yes. The injections of hyaluronic acid are made outpatiently and the treatment lasts 15-30 minutes.Local anaesthetic is usually not needed, but sometimes an anaesthetic ointment may be used, especially if the treatment is performed on particularly painful areas, such as the lips. Only in case of treatment with long-absorption fillers - such as Restylane Sub Q - used to treat the chin or the cheekbone region is it advisable to act under local or nerve-block anaesthetic. How long is the hyaluronate-based treatment?Hyaluronic acid is an absorbable product whose duration varies from 2 months to 1 year.The main products on sale may be divided into the following categories according to their absorption times:
Is the cosmetic result permanent?Hyaluronic acid is not a permanent filler. This means that, once it has been injected, the product is gradually metabolized and thus absorbed by the body within a variable time depending on the area being treated and the product type.The effect of filling or volume increase or wrinkle reduction is immediate and lasts from 2 to 12 months, after which it is possible to repeat the treatment periodically. Does the treatment with hyaluronic acid cause significant after-effects?No. During the first 24-48 hours following hyaluronate-based treatment, slight flush may appear and the treated area might become slightly puffier than the result wanted. Small bruising may rarely appear in the injection area.However, after a few hours it is possible to cover the treated area with make-up or lipstick. If you wish to take this subject further, we advise you to visit the cosmetic surgery of the lips FAQ page, wrinkle reduction FAQ page and scar reduction FAQ page, where you will find the answers to the most frequent questions asked by the patients. |
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Chirurgia-plastica-estetica.it Prof. Mario Dini Chairman and Director of Plastic Surgery Dept. - University of Florence |
