Keeping your skin hydrated and healthy benefits your skin and your overall health. And one active ingredient that can help is hyaluronic acid.
Hyaluronic acid helps to lock in moisture, keeping your skin hydrated, fresh, and healthy. It can also help with wound healing, reducing the appearance of wrinkles, and more. It's why hyaluronic acid has become a popular ingredient in skin care.
"Hyaluronic acid is probably one of the most popular actives that is used across the board by many, many different people and skin types," says Rebecca Valudes, lead medical aesthetician, UPMC in Central Pa.
"It's a very powerful hydrating ingredient. It's in a lot of skin care products these days."
Discover the benefits of hyaluronic acid for the skin and learn how it can be effectively utilized.
What Is Hyaluronic Acid?
Hyaluronic acid is a gooey substance that occurs naturally in the human body. It can bind to water, holding many times its molecular weight in water.
Outside the body, hyaluronic acid can be formulated into substances that can address many cosmetic or medical concerns. Hyaluronic acid treatments are available for knee pain, dry eyes, and more. It can be injected, taken by pill, inhaled, or used topically.
Hyaluronic acid is used in a variety of skin care products. You can find hyaluronic serums, creams, lotions, and more.
“For anyone who wants added hydration, it's an ingredient that almost anyone can use," Rebecca says.
How Does Hyaluronic Acid Benefit Your Skin?
Hyaluronic acid offers a wide range of benefits for the skin, from hydration to wound healing.
Keeps skin hydrated
Because hyaluronic acid can hold so much water compared to its molecular weight, it helps your skin retain water.
“It prevents what they call transepidermal water loss, which is essentially dehydration in the skin," Rebecca says. "When you're able to bind the water to the skin, your skin stays hydrated longer, so it appears more plumped, smoother. It just looks healthier overall."
Hyaluronic acid helps maintain the integrity of the skin barrier, the outermost layer of the skin. The skin barrier protects your body from bacteria, ultraviolet light, and other external damage.
Wound healing
Hyaluronic acid can play a role across the four stages of wound healing, from controlling inflammation to promoting tissue regeneration. That makes compounds containing hyaluronic acid valuable for treating burns, bleeding wounds, and chronic wounds. Hyaluronic acid can help promote healthy wound healing and prevent or reduce scarring.
Reduces signs of aging
Our body produces less hyaluronic acid as we age, especially on the epidermis — the outer layer of the skin. This decrease can lead to signs of aging, such as fine lines and wrinkles. By helping the skin retain moisture, hyaluronic acid can help reduce those signs of aging.
Hyaluronic acid can also help the production of collagen and elastin.
Collagen and elastin, which the body makes naturally, help the skin stay firm, flexible, and healthy. However, we produce less collagen and elastin as we age, leading to signs of aging. Damage from ultraviolet (UV) light can exacerbate those signs. Hyaluronic acid can help stimulate the synthesis of collagen and elastin, helping to ward off signs of aging.
Hyaluronic acid can be used topically or in injectable fillers to reduce signs of aging. When used in fillers, it can help plump areas of the face that have lost volume due to aging, making those areas of the face look more youthful.
Reducing acne scars
Hyaluronic acid can be used as a filler to help add volume and reduce the appearance of acne scars on the skin.
How Should Hyaluronic Acid Be Used?
You should follow the specific instructions for use of your product, but many hyaluronic acid products can be used in the morning and at night.
When to apply the product depends on the type of product and what else you're using in your skin care routine. The general rule is to apply products from thinnest to thickest. So, if you're using a hyaluronic acid serum, you should apply it first (after cleansing your skin). If you're using a moisturizer or lotion, apply it last.
You can often see some results of topical hyaluronic acid quickly, Rebecca says. The skin typically looks plumper, fresher, and more hydrated. But for the full benefits, consistency — everyday use — is key.
You can apply most hyaluronic acid products at home. However, if you're considering a hyaluronic acid filler, it's important to visit a licensed professional, such as a dermatologist or plastic surgeon.
Are There Any Side Effects of Hyaluronic Acid?
Hyaluronic acid occurs naturally in the body, and it is gentle on the skin. Side effects of topical hyaluronic acid may include mild skin irritation.
Fillers with hyaluronic acid may cause some side effects to the skin, including:
- Bruising
- Itching
- Pain
- Redness
- Swelling
These side effects are temporary, typically lasting under a week.
Who Shouldn't Use Hyaluronic Acid?
People who have a history of allergic reactions to hyaluronic acid products shouldn't use them. Also, the safety of hyaluronic acid during pregnancy is not fully known.
Otherwise, hyaluronic acid should fit most skin types. People with oily, acne-prone skin should use oil-free products, Rebecca says.
"You have to approach it cautiously with an acne skin type, but it doesn't mean they can't use it," Rebecca says. "It just can't be in a heavy moisturizer. It needs to be more in a gel form."
Which Hyaluronic Acid Product Is Right for Me?
Everyone's skin is different, so the right product depends on your specific skin type. Different skin types might benefit from different concentrations — for example, someone with sensitive skin may benefit from a product that has less than 1% hyaluronic acid.
A wide range of hyaluronic acid products is available on the market. Consulting a licensed professional, such as a dermatologist, can help you determine a skin care regimen that's right for you.
"Every individual is different," Rebecca says. "There are many different skin types, different skin issues, and skin goals. I love to make recommendations and put people on a regimen."
Overall, Rebecca says hyaluronic acid can be a valuable part of skin care routines.
"It is not going to change the skin overnight, but it is going to almost give you that instant gratification, with having your skin feel more hydrated, plumped, and just looking overall smoother," she says.
