While HA has dramatically increased in popularity and use within the cosmetics community, the vast majority of people remain unaware of its unique history.

Also known as hyaluronan and glycosaminoglycan, it plays a key role in both tissue hydration and lubrication. Stated simply, the compound takes years off the life of skin; it helps make it vibrant, supple and moist. The popular name is derived from ""hyalos"", which is the Greek word for glass, which accurately characterizes its transparent, glassy appearance.

The molecule has recently enjoyed increased attention for its wrinkle-removing abilities, and as new products appear each week, it has gained quite a reputation as a restorer of youth. Many women continue to choose facial injections as a method for decreasing wrinkles; however, more and more women are becoming interested in less-invasive products and procedures. Therefore, products like lotions - and especially oral supplements and pills - are enjoying great attention in the media and marketplace.

It may surprise many readers to learn that the motivation for HA oral supplements originated outside Tokyo in a small Japanese village named Yuzuri Hara, which has lately enjoyed the moniker ""Village of Long Life.""

Inhabitants of Yuzuri Hara have typically enjoy a diet of local root vegetables and starches that have high nutritional content. Local doctors attest that these starches improve the bodys natural generation of HA, thereby allowing the people of Yuzuri Hara to fend off the aging process. The higher concentration of glycosaminoglycan helps residents' skin retain its moisture, while also keeping skin smooth and vibrant and eyes bright and healthy.

The widely-celebrated Yuzuri Hara findings eventually motivated a large pharmaceutical firm in Japan to first develop HA pills. Tests produced in this process showed that approximately half the subjects enjoyed less fatigue, softer skin, and improved eyesight after taking the supplements. Even better, to date, no side effects from oral HA use have been identified.

HA is now celebrated and recognized from Beverly Hills to Manhattan; however, few of its most enthusiastic users know that hyaluronan oral supplements were naturally conceived in a Japanese village on the other side of the world.