At a time where makeup trends come and go, having youthful-looking skin never goes out of style. Many types of skincare routines have popped up in the market. More specifically, different variants of injectable skincare have grown in popularity.
For a more holistic skin glow, serums and creams are sometimes not enough. You need to go skin-deep. That’s why injectable skincare is a viable option if you want to achieve skin rejuvenation deep into the skin. It’s also a great solution for people who have lost some volume and hydration in their skin, due to several factors such as age or lifestyle.
In the realm of injectable skincare, two things have gained recognition for their skin-replenishing properties, Niacinamide and Hyaluronic Acid. To help you choose, we’ll differentiate these, their components, and how they work to help your skin. In the end, we’ll decide on which one will be the better option for you.
What is Niacinamide?
Niacinamide is a form of vitamin B3, known for its skin benefits. It is an essential water-soluble vitamin with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. The body doesn’t produce this specific vitamin, so you usually need to ingest it via supplement to receive its benefits. It can also be seen in other water-based skincare products like cream and serum.
Unlike other chemical exfoliants, as well as vitamin C and A, Niacinamide is non-irritating and non-acidic. It is a good option for varying skin types, especially those who have sensitive skin, and skin problems. With that said, the benefits of topical niacinamide can vary from case to case.
Benefits of Niacinamide
Niacinamide has become popular for its benefits, despite being relatively new to the market. It protects the skin from internal and external stressors that lead to deterioration or breakdown of the skin. Furthermore, it has powerful antioxidant properties, helping generate the production of better, healthier, younger acting cells.
The vitamin b3 variant is also known to balance the amount of oil that the skin produces by diminishing enlarged pores. As a result, it helps reduce inflammation in moderate acne. Still, it aids in the production of collagen and hyaluronic acid, keeping the skin hydrated.
Lastly, Niacinamide reduces signs of skin aging like wrinkles and fine lines. Also, it helps fade hyperpigmentation and significantly lessens skin discoloration.
Possible Side Effects of Niacinamide
Due to the benefits mentioned earlier, you may be urged to use Niacinamide frequently. However, as the old saying goes, everything is good in moderation.
Niacinamide is a strong ingredient to help skin moisturization and brightening. With that said, it can cause skin irritation when used in high concentrations. Overuse of the said formula may lead to redness or, at worse, dermatitis.
As mentioned, your body doesn’t naturally produce Niacinamide. If you are still hesitant to pursue injectable skincare with Niacinamide, there are other options to supply this vitamin B3 variant. Another great source of Niacinamide is a nutritious diet. Foods such as grains, fish, meat, and beans can supplement your need instead.
What is Hyaluronic Acid?
The other filler component that has grown in popularity for its benefits is Hyaluronic Acid. Hyaluronic Acid also referred to as HA, is a naturally clear, gooey substance found in the body. It serves various functions, though it primarily helps retain water and keep moisture in the skin.
Roughly half of the Hyaluronic Acid in your body is found in the skin. HA is known to work like a sponge, with its ability to attract and retain 1000 times its weight in water. It keeps the skin hydrated and plump.
However, as you grow older, the natural production of Hyaluronic Acid in your body slows down. It can also happen prematurely due to several factors such as exposure to UV radiation, tobacco smoke, and pollution. As a result, wrinkles start to form and your skin becomes dry.
That’s why Hyaluronic Acid among enthusiasts of injectable skincare. Unlike other exfoliating acids, HA doesn’t wipe off dead skin cells or go deep into pores to push out dirt. Rather, it is more known as a water-attracting molecule, which helps the skin feel soft and hydrated. When skin cells are full of water, it results in more supple skin, with fewer fine lines and wrinkles.
Benefits of Hyaluronic Acid
As mentioned earlier, Hyaluronic Acid hydrates your skin. However, as it’s used in injectable skincare, hydration happens not only within the surface, but goes deep into the skin. As a result, it plumps and tightens the skin. In the process, it reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. HA can also treat acne scarring.
Again, the amount of Hyaluronic Acid in your body decreases as you age, resulting in a loss of firmness and drying of the skin. Restoring HA can help bring back that youthful glow, and the process happens beneath the skin. Hyaluronic Acid encourages the production of collagen and elastin. Also, when used as a dermal filler, it can add volume to the face and lips.
Compared to other moisturizing ingredients, Hyaluronic Acid is incredibly lightweight. It can be applied to all types of skin, including the most sensitive skin. If you’re redness-prone, HA is gentle on the skin, while still protecting it with its antioxidant properties. It’s also applicable for those with oily skin. Oily skin can end up peeling and dehydrated as ingredients in oil control products tend to be hard. That’s why oily skin still needs hydration, and the lightweight nature of HA does that without clogging your pores.
Hyaluronic Acid in Sunekos®
Because of the benefits mentioned earlier, many of the dermal fillers available in the market contain Hyaluronic Acid. With that said, not all HA fillers are made and work the same. One brand that’s gaining momentum due to its innovative use of HA in its formulation is Sunekos®.
Sunekos® is an Amino Acid-based injectable treatment that reduces signs of skin aging. Unlike other dermal fillers, combines Amino Acid’s biological diversity and synergy with Hyaluronic Acid (HA + HY6AA) to restore your natural youthful-looking skin.
HY6AA is the combination of six specific types of Amino Acids: Glycine, L-Valine, L-Proline, L-Alanine, L-Leucine, L-Lysine. These Amino Acids make up the building blocks of collagen and elastin, which are proteins that prevent wrinkle formation. It helps bring back the loss of volume in your skin during the regeneration process.
Sunekos® makes use of the HY6AA formula in their fillers and combines it with Hyaluronic Acid. HA acts as the carrier of these Amino Acids to the deeper layers of the skin, making a more holistic skin rejuvenation process. The patented HA + HY6AA formulation is unique to Sunekos®. Furthermore, the formulation stimulates the fibroblast activities inside the Extracellular Matrix (ECM) in the dermis, which may have slowed due to aging. It also helps stimulate the production of elastin and collagen, specifically Type 4 Collagen, which is the hardest to produce.
Sunekos® comes in two variants: Sunekos® 200 and Sunekos® 1200. Sunekos® 200 is a dermal filler that helps with ECM regeneration and the production of collagen and elastin. Its formula contains 0.2 Mio-Dalton of Hyaluronic Acid + HY6AA. Also, Sunekos® 200 utilizes Low-Molecular Weight Hyaluronic Acid. Smaller weight HA helps the essential amino acids to seep into the deepest layers of the skin in a shorter period of time, delivering instant results.
On the other hand, Sunekos® 1200 is a booster, used alongside Sunekos® 200, known for its antioxidant properties for severe wrinkles and damaged skin. It consists of 1.2 Mio-Dalton of Hyaluronic Acid + HY6AA. Moreover, Sunekos® 1200 incorporates Medium High-Molecular Weight Hyaluronic Acid. Larger weight HA tends to work its way into the skin a bit longer. With that said, it has anti-inflammatory properties that have lasting benefits to the skin.
Both Niacinamide and Hyaluronic Acid have their respective benefits. Hyaluronic Acid has been used longer in terms of injectable skin treatments. Especially with more innovative products like Sunekos®, it can bring several benefits to your skin. It’s still best to consult with your dermatologist regarding which option suits your desired results the most.