Hyaluronic Acid

Deadlines, school concert, Grandma's birthday party-something has to go. Often the first thing to disappear from your schedule is time to take care of yourself.

When you're sick, the whole family is in crisis so you try to eat a healthy diet and fit in some exercise-but who has time for skin care? Today you need skin care products that live up to their advertising hype and a regimen that takes just a few minutes.

There is no shortage of new products on the market. The claims on some are beyond belief. A quick look at the more credible products reveals high-tech options for today's fast-paced lifestyles.

Hyaluronic acid (HA) was an addition to the personal care label that caught my eye. Never heard of it? It is one of the most researched chemicals that occur naturally in the body. It is an effective antioxidant and has an incredible ability to bind moisture to tissue. Rapid healing and reduced scarring occur when hyaluronic acid is applied to wounds and severe burns. This is the chemical that keeps skin toned and looking good by giving elasticity to the surface of the skin.With age, the body's production of HA decreases, hence the saggy skin and wrinkles.

A recent study into the benefits of hyaluronic acid focused on the residents of Yazuri Hara, a small village in Japan. Living into their 80s and 90s in very good health, they were smooth skinned and almost wrinkle free. The studied revealed that the starchy foods in their diet enabled their bodies to maintain a high production of hyaluronic acid.

Check out your local health food store for moisturizers containing hyaluronic acid. Vegetarian-based products are available, so read the label.

Here's how to get the best results from the precious time you have to pamper yourself: Nightly cleansing is a must-no excuses: it takes only one minute. If you are the soap-and-water type, be sure to use quality soap and rinse well. Otherwise, a light cleanser containing witch hazel works very well. Choose a night moisturizer with hyaluronic acid as one of the first ingredients. Relax and slowly apply the creme. Think of this as your wind-down time at the end of the day. In the morning, while your skin is still moist from the shower, apply a daytime moisturizer with hyaluronic acid and vitamin E. Your total skin care regime now takes about three minutes. You deserve it!