The key difference between glycolic acid and hyaluronic acid is that the glycolic acid is the simplest alpha hydroxy acid whereas hyaluronic acid is the only non-sulfated glycosaminoglycan. Furthermore, glycolic acid naturally occurs in some sugar-crops while hyaluronic acid naturally occurs in the human body.
Both glycolic acid and hyaluronic acid are common ingredients in various skincare products. This is because these compounds can improve the overall look of the skin. Apart from that, there are many applications of these compounds as stated below.
CONTENTS
1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Glycolic Acid
3. What is Hyaluronic Acid
4. Side by Side Comparison – Glycolic Acid vs Hyaluronic Acid in Tabular Form
5. Summary
What is Glycolic Acid?
Glycolic acid is an organic compound having the chemical formula C2H4O3, and it is the simplest alpha hydroxy acid. This means this organic molecule has a carboxylic functional group (-COOH) and a hydroxyl group (-OH) separated by one carbon atom. This compound is colorless, odorless and highly soluble in water. Moreover, it is hygroscopic.
Figure 01: Chemical Structure of Glycolic Acid
The molar mass of Glycolic Acid 76 g/mol while the melting point of this compound is 75 °C . However, it has no boiling point because it decomposes at higher temperatures. The major application of this compound is in the cosmetic industry. Manufacturers use this compound as a common ingredient in skincare products. They make this compound via a reaction between formaldehyde and synthesis gas along with a catalyst because this reaction has a low cost. Furthermore, this acid is slightly stronger than acetic acid because of its electron withdrawing power (of the hydroxyl group).
What is Hyaluronic Acid?
Hyaluronic acid is a complex organic molecule having the chemical formula (C14H21NO11)n. Therefore, it falls under the category of glycosaminoglycan compounds. However, this compound is unique because it is the only non-sulfated glycosaminoglycan. This compound naturally occurs in the human body. It is distributed throughout connective, epithelial, and neural tissues.
Figure 02: Chemical Structure of Hyaluronic Acid
Moreover, unlike other glycosaminoglycan compounds, this compound form in the plasma membrane (other glycosaminoglycan compounds form in Golgi apparatus). There are many important facts about this compound. Considering its application in the cosmetic industry, it is a common ingredient in skincare products. Moreover, it is useful as a dermal filler in cosmetic surgeries. Manufacturers produce hyaluronic acid mainly via microbial fermentation processes. This is becuase of the lower production cost and less environmental pollution. The major microorganisms that they use for this is Streptococcus sp. However, There is a great concern about this process since this microbial species is pathogenic.
What is the Difference Between Glycolic Acid and Hyaluronic Acid?
Glycolic acid is an organic compound having the chemical formula C2H4O3. It is the simplest alpha hydroxy acid. Moreover, it naturally occurs in some sugar-crops. On the other hand, hyaluronic acid is a complex organic molecule having the chemical formula (C14H21NO11)n. It is the only non-sulfated glycosaminoglycan. In addition, it naturally occurs in the human body and distributed throughout connective, epithelial, and neural tissues.
Summary – Glycolic Acid vs Hyaluronic Acid
Both glycolic acid and hyaluronic acid are important ingredients in various skincare products. The difference between glycolic acid and hyaluronic acid is that the glycolic acid is the simplest alpha hydroxy acid whereas the hyaluronic acid is the only non-sulfated glycosaminoglycan.
Reference:
1. “Glycolic Acid.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 12 July 2018. Available here
2. “Glycosaminoglycan.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 5 July 2018.Available here
3. “Hyaluronic Acid.” National Center for Biotechnology Information. PubChem Compound Database, U.S. National Library of Medicine. Available here
Image Courtesy:
1.’Glycolic acid’By STALLKERL – Selbstgezeichnet mit ChemSketch, (Public Domain) via Commons Wikimedia
2.’Hyaluronan’By Vaccinationist – Own work, (Public Domain) via Commons Wikimedia