What hyaluronic acid does
Hyaluronic acid is a humectant, an ingredient that attracts and holds water. It is found naturally in skin, and helps skin stay flexible and supple. Hyaluronic acid is a sugar molecule with an unusually serious job title: it attracts and binds water.234
Your body makes hyaluronic acid, but produces less of it as you age. Less moisture can leave skin drier and less elastic, making fine lines and wrinkles more noticeable.14
Despite the name, hyaluronic acid is not an AHA or BHA, the types of acids used to exfoliate. The word acid is doing more drama than chemistry here: hyaluronic acid's job is moisture, not removing dead skin.4
Molecular weight means molecule size, which is a rare skincare term that explains itself. Higher molecular weight hyaluronic acid stays on the skin's top layer; lower molecular weight hyaluronic acid can reach a little deeper. Higher molecular weight holds water better, while lower molecular weight binds less water. The mix of sizes in a formula can affect how well it works.2
Who may benefit from it
Hyaluronic acid can suit dry or aging skin, and it appears in products from serums and moisturizers to cleansers. Cleveland Clinic says it is not irritating to most people's skin, though that does not mean every formula will suit every person.4
Over the counter hyaluronic acid products applied to skin are considered safe, and Cleveland Clinic says hyaluronic acid is safe to use during pregnancy or nursing.3
How to use hyaluronic acid
- 1Cleanse, then leave your skin damp. Apply a hyaluronic acid serum while your skin is still damp.
- 2Apply the serum before thicker products such as a gel, lotion or cream. Layer products from thinnest to thickest.
- 3Follow immediately with a moisturizer that contains an occlusive, an ingredient that helps keep water from evaporating. Petrolatum and mineral oil are examples.
- 4You can use a serum in the morning and evening after cleansing. Follow the product directions for how much to apply.
Hyaluronic acid can be used with vitamin C. If you use separate serums, apply vitamin C first. Applying hyaluronic acid before retinol or glycolic acid can help skin tolerate those products and reduce their side effects. It can also be used with acne medicines such as retinol, benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid or tretinoin, but hyaluronic acid itself is not an acne treatment.2
What to expect and when
Expect a change in moisture and appearance, not a reset. A mild softening of wrinkles, a little more fullness and less dry skin may show after about a week. Products with multiple molecular weights may improve dryness, roughness, fine lines and wrinkles within one to two weeks. Hyaluronic acid can soften the look of wrinkles without turning back time, so it is not a calendar repair kit.2
Can hyaluronic acid dry out skin?
It can in dry conditions. Hyaluronic acid is a humectant, and humectants can draw water from deeper skin when the air has little moisture. In a damaged, very dry outer layer that does not hold water well, this can make dryness worse. This is a general humectant effect, not exfoliation by hyaluronic acid.5
Apply hyaluronic acid to damp skin, then immediately use a moisturizer with an occlusive such as petrolatum or mineral oil to help seal in moisture. If a hyaluronic acid product leaves your skin feeling dry, try this layering method or choose a moisturizer that already contains hyaluronic acid.2
When to see a dermatologist
If dryness worsens and becomes painful, cracked, bleeding, stinging or very irritating, make an appointment with a dermatologist.6
Where this answer comes from
- 1Hyaluronic acid: A key molecule in skin agingpmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- 2Hyaluronic acid for skin: Benefits, how to use it, and side effectshealth.harvard.edu
- 3Hyaluronic Acid: What It Is, Benefits, How To Use & Side Effectsmy.clevelandclinic.org
- 4Facial Acids: Everything You Need To Knowhealth.clevelandclinic.org
- 5Moisturizers: Do they work?health.harvard.edu
- 6How to pick the right moisturizer for your skinaad.org
