Hyaluronic acid is a silent active ingredient. It doesn’t tingle, doesn’t peel anything off and doesn’t require a slow start. Most of the time it does something much more mundane: it holds water.

This is exactly where its strength lies. Dehydrated skin can appear rough, tense and tired. Small dryness lines become more noticeable. If you give the horny layer water and help it retain this water, the surface appears smoother and more supple.

Is this effective against wrinkles? The short answer is: against their appearance, sometimes yes. No for any cause of wrinkles.

What is hyaluronic acid actually?

Hyaluronic acid – also called hyaluronan or HA for short – is a long-chain sugar molecule from the group of glycosaminoglycans. It occurs naturally in our body, including in the skin, connective tissue, joints and eyes.

In the skin it is part of the extracellular matrix . This is the network outside the cells that structures tissue and is involved in many biological processes.

Hyaluronic acid can have different names on the INCI list of a cosmetic product. For example, you will often come across:

• Hyaluronic Acid
• Sodium Hyaluronate
• Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
• Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
• Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer

Several forms of hyaluronic acid in one product are possible. However, a long list does not automatically mean better formulation.

How does hyaluronic acid work on the skin?

Hyaluronic acid is one of the humectants , in English humectants . These substances bind water in a formulation and in the upper layers of the skin.

Larger hyaluronic molecules remain predominantly on the surface. There they can form a light, water-binding film. Depending on the size and formulation, smaller molecular forms can reach further into the upper layers of the epidermis. Advertising claims such as “penetrates the deepest layers of the skin” should still be read with caution for a normal cosmetic serum.

When the stratum corneum is more moistened, it swells slightly. The surface appears smoother, plumper and reflects light more evenly. This can make fine dryness lines appear less visible.

This is a real cosmetic effect. It’s just not the same as permanently remodeling a deep wrinkle.

Does hyaluronic acid make more collagen?

A serum with hyaluronic acid does not replace the body’s own collagen and does not fill deep wrinkles like an injectable filler. For over-the-counter care products, a reliable increase in collagen formation through hyaluronic acid alone is not well proven.

A small study with 20 people found reduced wrinkle depth and firmer skin after three months of using various creams containing hyaluronic acid. Because all groups used complete creams and there was no suitable control group, the effect could not be clearly attributed to hyaluronic acid.

That’s the difference between a good hint and a big promise. Topical hyaluronic acid is primarily a moisturizer. It can visually reduce wrinkles without turning back time.

High molecular or low molecular?

The molecular weight describes the size of the hyaluronic chains.

High molecular weight hyaluronic acid tends to remain on the surface of the skin. There it binds water and can slow down moisture loss.

Low molecular weight or hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid consists of smaller chains. It is more likely to reach the upper layers of the skin. How deep and with what measurable benefit depends on the actual molecule size, concentration and overall formulation.

In the laboratory, very small hyaluronic fragments behave biologically differently than large molecules and can be involved in inflammatory processes. However, it does not automatically follow that every cosmetic product with low molecular weight hyaluronic acid inflames sensitive skin. The finished formulation and the individual skin reaction are crucial.

How to use hyaluronic acid

Hyaluronic acid can be used in the morning, evening or twice a day. The time is less important than the order.

1. Clean gently. The skin doesn’t have to squeak to be clean.
2. Apply to slightly damp skin. A toner or some residual moisture after cleaning is sufficient. The face doesn’t have to be dripping wet.
3. Distribute a few drops. More product does not automatically bind more moisture and can become sticky.
4. Finish with a cream. Lipids and film-forming components help to retain moisture, especially for dry skin.
5. Apply sunscreen in the morning. Hyaluronic acid does not protect against UV radiation.

If hyaluronic acid is already contained in your toner or cream, you don’t necessarily need an additional serum. More steps does not automatically mean more care.

What can it be combined with?

Hyaluronic acid is generally compatible with many known active ingredients, including niacinamide, vitamin C, peptides, retinoids and AHA or BHA. It does not neutralize these substances and does not have to be used on a separate day of the week.

Nevertheless, a product can be irritating if its overall formulation does not suit the skin. A hyaluronic serum with fragrances, many plant extracts or additional acids remains a product with fragrances, plant extracts or acids.

Anyone who already uses retinoids or exfoliating acids should add new products individually. This makes it easier to assign a reaction.

Risks and information

Topical hyaluronic acid is generally considered to be well tolerated. Burning, itching, redness, small blemishes or an unpleasant feeling of tension are still possible. Often the cause is not the hyaluronic acid itself, but rather another component or too many layers.

Hyaluronic acid is not generally forbidden for sensitive skin or rosacea. A short, fragrance-free INCI list and a tolerance test on a small area are often more useful than searching for a supposedly completely risk-free molecular weight.

Pause using a product if the skin noticeably burns, itches or remains red for a long time. Severe or recurring symptoms should be clarified dermatologically.

And important: A hyaluronic serum and a hyaluronic injection share a name, but not the risk. Fillers are injected into tissue and are medical or aesthetic medical treatments with their own possible complications. They belong exclusively in qualified hands.

Briefly summarized

Hyaluronic binds water and thus primarily supports the moisture of the upper layers of the skin. The skin can appear smoother and plumper, so wrinkles caused by dryness are less noticeable.

Deep wrinkles do not disappear permanently, and a guaranteed increase in collagen cannot be expected from a normal serum. Hyaluron is most useful on slightly damp skin, followed by a suitable cream.

Sources

• Lela Ahlemann: Glow up , Edition Michael Fischer, 2024 – Section Hyaluron, p. 312
• PubMed: Overview of topical hyaluronic acid, Skin moisture and signs of aging
• PubMed: Small study of hyaluronic creams and wrinkle depth
• PubMed: Molecular weight of hyaluronic acid, skin homeostasis and inflammatory processes
• EU Commission, CosIng: Cosmetic functions of hyaluronic acid
• DocMorris: Hyaluronic acid – effect, application and care
• GRANDEL: Types of hyaluronic acid and cosmetic application

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