What it means for a patient
- HA is the main ingredient in many injectable fillers used for folds, lost volume and the tear trough area under the eye.
- HA also appears in creams, serums and supplements. The review groups these different forms together.
- The abstract does not separate results by product type, so it does not show whether a cream performs like an injection.
- The abstract does not report side effects.
- This is a literature review with no numbers in the abstract.
Why this paper matters
It collected pre-clinical and clinical studies of HA across topical, injected and oral products for skin rejuvenation.
Overview
Hyaluronic acid (HA) is a molecule the body uses in skin repair, wound healing and tissue regeneration. It is an ingredient in many cosmetic products and in nutricosmetics, products taken by mouth for the skin. The authors review recent pre-clinical and clinical studies of HA for skin rejuvenation. The abstract gives no study counts, patient numbers or measured results.
Findings
- HA plays roles in skin repair, wound healing, tissue regeneration, control of inflammation and regulation of the immune system.
- HA forms reviewed: gels, creams, intradermal filler injections, dermal and facial fillers, autologous fat gels, lotions, serums and implants.
- Reported effects: reduction of wrinkles and nasolabial folds, anti-aging and space-filling effects, and facial rejuvenation.
- Mechanisms named: soft tissue augmentation, better skin hydration, stimulation of collagen and elastin, and restoration of facial volume.
- HA alone, or combined with lidocaine and other agents, showed effects on skin tightness and elasticity, aesthetic scores, wrinkle scars, longevity and tear trough rejuvenation.
- The authors conclude HA works as a nutricosmetic and support its use as a prime component of cosmetic products.
- The abstract gives no numbers, study counts or complication rates.
Terms
- Hyaluronic acid (HA): a sugar molecule found in skin that holds water; also made into fillers and skin products.
- Nutricosmetic: a product taken by mouth to improve the skin.
- Dermal filler: a gel injected under the skin to fill lines or add volume.
- Nasolabial fold: the crease that runs from the side of the nose to the corner of the mouth.
- Tear trough: the groove below the inner part of the lower eyelid.
- Lidocaine: a numbing medicine often mixed into fillers.
- Collagen and elastin: proteins that give skin its strength and stretch.
- Pre-clinical: studies in the lab or in animals, before testing in people.
- Autologous fat: fat taken from the patient's own body.