Is there a panacea for aging? A substance that defies biology and preserves youthfulness well into old age? Those who ask this question about the entire body will likely have to wait another 100 years for the answer. But for those concerned "only" with the face—with a smooth, fresh, radiant complexion—hyaluronic acid is already a reliable option. To be more precise, oligo-hyaluronic acid. We at 48grams swear by this polysaccharide with the smallest molecular chains. It's no surprise, then, that most of our products contain two percent of this liquid anti-aging gold.
Plenty of sleep, good food, oligo
Here's another blog post about the ingredients in the 48grams line: After Mastic oil, Edelweiss extract and OPC – all champions in the class of revitalizing miracles – now, Oligo-Hyaluronic Acid. But before we go into detail, here's some basic information. Up to the average age of 25, men and women need to do almost nothing for their bodies. At least not if they are healthy, eat a (reasonably) sensible diet, consume alcohol only rarely, and get their ideal eight hours of sleep per night.
Six liters of fluid per gram of hyaluronic acid
Let's take 25 as our starting point: Around that age, irreversible processes begin in the body. In short: we get old. The fact that aging soon becomes visually apparent is due to a substance produced by the body itself: hyaluronic acid. This polysaccharide, a sugar molecule, is u.a. Hyaluronic acid is an integral component of connective tissue (or cartilage, ligaments, and synovial fluid). One gram of hyaluronic acid can bind up to six liters of fluid – that's 6,000 times its own weight! That's quite a lot. In the skin, hyaluronic acid acts as a water reservoir, keeping it elastic and supple. It would be wonderful if this function continued into old age. However, as mentioned, the production of this substance decreases steadily from our mid-twenties onward. We eventually see the result in the mirror. The less moisture there is in the skin, the less healthy it looks. Dryness leads to small cracks and wrinkles. Those who do nothing to counteract this can literally watch themselves age. We at the 48grams blog find it hard to imagine that anyone would actually want that.
For neurodermatitis and roazea
Hyaluronic acid isn't just the super ingredient among anti-aging agents; its effects are even more diverse: The sugar molecules help with redness and burns, relieve feelings of tightness in various skin conditions (including neurodermatitis and rosacea), and generally promote wound healing. Skincare guru Bernd Kuhs (the creator of the 48grams products) explains: "Hyaluronic acid is an absolute all-rounder – and suitable for every skin type. It was in the formulation of..." creams, Serums or Masks It is important that users receive the full spectrum of healing powers on or in their skin.” This explains why Bernd Kuhs has included the most valuable hyaluronic acid in a two percent strength in his formulations…
Combat dryness, from deep within the skin
…because Oligo differs significantly from other types of polysaccharide. It supports the skin's protective barrier, provides cell protection, promotes the regulation of skin metabolism, and protects tissue from harmful free radicals.Kuhs: “Oligo is therefore a highly effective ingredient that can penetrate into the deepest layers of the skin and form a reservoir there, which slowly works from the inside out. This achieves a lasting effect that no other type of hyaluronic acid can achieve.”
So tiny, so effective
The reason for this can be easily explained using the children's game "hide-and-seek": Only those who can fit into the smallest corners and narrowest openings will be able to hide long enough and win the game. For everyone else, it's game over. The same applies to Oligo compared to "regular" hyaluronic acid. Everyone can participate – but only one is the winner. Of course, any form of hyaluronic acid is generally better than no support for the skin at all. But so-called "high-molecular-weight hyaluronic acid" has a significantly larger mass, namely 1,500 kDa. For clarification: kDa stands for the size of the molecules. The result of high-molecular-weight or long-chain hyaluronic acid is that it cannot penetrate the skin barrier – instead, it forms a moisturizing film on the surface. This is quite beneficial, as it prevents the loss of the skin's own moisture to a certain extent. To continue the hide-and-seek analogy: Here, the participant might hide behind a tree or in the next room.
Size makes the difference
So let's move on to second place: low-molecular-weight (or short-chain) hyaluronic acid. At only 50 kDa in size, this molecule penetrates the skin and stores moisture there. Not bad at all – because this plumps up the tissue from the inside out, making it look noticeably firmer. To use the hide-and-seek analogy again: the participant has hidden in the closet or under the couch.
Oligo-hyaluronic acid – nothing helps better
Now back to the winner: oligo-hyaluronic acid. Its molecular size is a mere 5 kDa – tiny compared to other types. This form of polysaccharide is unstoppable, penetrating even the deepest layers of the skin. There, it builds up reservoirs – areas saturated with hyaluronic acid that are slowly released towards the surface. This results in a truly lasting effect. And not only that: oligo-hyaluronic acid even stimulates the body's own hyaluronic acid production.
Background to a discovery
Finally – for those interested – here's some information about the discovery and origin of hyaluronic acid. Vegans can rest assured: the products used today consist of fermented yeast and corn proteins. However, when physicians Karl Meyer and John Palmer discovered this remarkable substance in 1934, they did so in the eye fluid of cattle. But its actual use didn't begin until eight years later – with the filing of a patent: hyaluronic acid was used as a protein substitute in baking. It would then take until 1981 for these sugar molecules to be used for medical purposes.
