Esthetician's Guide to Hyaluronic Acid

This condition appears in the ASCP SkinPro app

What is Hyaluronic Acid?

A strong humectant fluid present in the dermis of the skin, the joints of the body, and the eyes. In the dermis, it is part of the extracellular matrix responsible for holding water in the reticular dermis and helping to provide cushion and support to the skin.

What Should I Know About Hyaluronic Acid?

• In skin care products, it is a strong hydrator, helping to bind water to the skin surface; in dermatology and plastic surgery, it is used in injectable fillers for the face.
   
• Helps reduce the signs of aging, poor surface texture, and elastosis.
   
• Hyaluronic acid presence dwindles with age, attributable to both intrinsic aging and breakdown from enzymes in the skin triggered by reactive oxygen species (free radicals).
   
• The hyaluronic acid molecule is too large to penetrate the skin; so while it is an exceptionally effective hydrating agent, it is too big to penetrate the skin topically, and its application does not replace hyaluronic acid missing from the dermis.
   
• Often blended into products with other anti-aging ingredients such as peptides, collagen stimulants, and antioxidants.

Hyaluronic Acid Treatment Considerations

• Use with dry and dehydrated skin.
   
• Improves the appearance of surface texture, fine lines and wrinkles, and lack of firmness.
   
• Helps retain moisture for longer periods of time.

Hyaluronic Acid Contraindications

• Use intake forms to screen for potential allergies that may affect the individual client.

ASCP members can access SkinPro to continue reading about hyaluronic acid

Not yet an ASCP member? Join ASCP and get ASCP SkinPro, ASCP Career Toolkits, ASCP Skin Deep magazine, and the best esthetician liability insurance in the profession!

ASCP SkinPro

Introducing our newest resource for estheticians, ASCP SkinPro—a web app that can easily be saved to your mobile device!

Included with ASCP membership, ASCP SkinPro is designed to aid in skin analysis by putting the essential knowledge of contraindications for common skin-related conditions and ingredients at your fingertips. Members can log in for access or go directly to the app.

Picture this: You’re in the treatment room and a client tells you they have atopic dermatitis and several allergies. You’re pretty confident you know how to proceed with treatment, but you want to be absolutely sure. Simply open the app, search for the condition, and you’ve got expert information at your fingertips. You can also use ASCP SkinPro to look up ingredients quickly and easily, identifying important contraindications and best practices so you can adjust your treatment plan on the spot.

Consult with ASCP SkinPro with confidence and elevate your treatment plans. The ASCP team sourced information from a variety of clinical journals and worked with Dr. Mark Lees, author of Skin Care: Beyond the Basics and a longtime contributor to ASCP Skin Deep magazine, to bring it all together.

HOW DO ESTHETICIANS USE ASCP SKINPRO?

• During consultation: Your client mentions a condition or ingredient allergy during the intake process and want to contraindications.
• During skin analysis: You observe a skin condition and want to make a quick decision about the best treatment.
• While retailing: You’re about to recommend a product for your client, but you want to confirm the contraindications and ensure the product will perform as needed. 

HOW DO I SAVE ASCP SKINPRO TO MY PHONE?

ASCP SkinPro uses progressive web app technology so you can save it to your phone, mobile device, or computer like an app, but it won't take up too much space. The app can recognize the device that you're using, and the instructions provided will match that device. For example, if you want to save ASCP SkinPro to your phone, log in with your phone and follow the instructions provided. Click here for instructions.

Already an ASCP member? Take a few minutes to try ASCP SkinPro here and discover your new go-to consultant!

Not yet an ASCP member? Join ASCP and get ASCP SkinPro, ASCP Career Toolkits, ASCP Skin Deep magazine, and the best professional liability insurance in the profession!