The human body is an incredible machine – if maintained properly, it continues to create, produce and reproduce all we need to live long healthy lives, to be strong, virile and youthful. It is a well oiled machine that is meant to sustain us for our time on this earth. One of those lubricants is called hyaluronic acid and it naturally exists in all parts of our body, in every bone and acts as a cushion between the bones and key cartilages of our joints.

But what if our bodies are not in balance, what if we are not pillars of health? Or what if we are simply not satisfied with what nature has provided us? The ever growing answer to that is to turn to science. Turn to science to provide the multi-vitamin that our food is lacking. Turn to science to provide the skin care and moisturizer to give us the dermal look we desire. Turn to science to create the injections to plump our lips, to create the breast augmentations we crave, to increase male virility and to keep us young and vibrant regardless of our actual age.

Changing: With the Least Invasion

It is always an interesting balance and often times a personal struggle for people who wish to make drastic changes to how they look. They want to change something very specific, but they want to do it with the least evasive procedure possible and receive the most natural looking outcome. One of the ways that this is being achieved in the cosmetic and plastic surgery world is to research natural elements of our body, perhaps things that have drastic changes as we age – and find ways to boost these within the body to achieve some successes.

These days more patients are opting for non-surgical treatments that can help improve appearance. While these are not permanent alterations, they often provide the desired changes one is looking for. Cosmetic minimally-invasive procedures increased 6 percent, with more than 13 million procedures in 2012. Over 2 million of these procedures used soft tissue fillers such as hyaluronic acid. Hyaluronic acid filler acts like an inflated cushion to support facial structures and tissues that may have lost volume or elasticity due to normal aging. It also brings water to the surface of skin to keep it looking fresh and supple.

Hyaluronic Acid: A Versatile Compound

Hyaluronic acid was discovered in 1934 by Meyer and Palmer, scientists at Columbia University. They isolated the substance from a cow’s eye and derived the name from hyalos (the Greek word for glass) and the uronic sugar found in the substance. This marked the birth of one of nature’s most versatile and fascinating macromolecules A patent was later requested in 1942 to use hyaluronic acid as an egg white replacement in baking products. Once that patent was issued, a significant amount of private research was done to determine the properties and possible benefits from use of hyaluronic acid. In the last few decades, various synthetic forms of hyaluronic acid have been developed and used to correct disorders in the fields of rheumatology, ophthalmology, and wound repair. It can be taken by mouth or injected into the affected joint by a healthcare professional.

The FDA has approved the use of hyaluronic acid during certain eye surgeries including cataract removal, corneal transplantation, and repair of a detached retina and other eye injuries. It is injected into the eye during the procedure to help replace natural fluids. And while there is no evidence to support the claim that orally injecting or applying to skin is effective, hyaluronic acid has been promoted as a “fountain of youth”.

Proponents also point to the ability of hyaluronic acid to help heal skin wounds to support claims that it is an anti-aging fluid. Despite claims by many people that hyaluronic acid is effective at treating exterior skin wounds and severe burns, as well as having the ability to prevent the effects of aging, the FDA cannot make an assessment until more studies are completed. Many people report significant improvements in the appearance of their skin from it but the improvement is temporary and requires continual use. Nonetheless, when used in the appropriate regiment and prescribed by a health care professional, not only is hyaluronic acid safe but many have personal anecdotes of its effectiveness.

About Author :  Toney Stefani, who believes that critical use of hyaluronic acid can be a great benefit to you.
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