You Lose 50% Of Your Skin's Hyaluronic Acid By Your 40s — What To Do About It

Hyaluronic acid sure made a splashy name for itself over the last several years. The plumping ingredient has stolen the hearts (and beauty cabinets) of beauty fans everywhere. In the skin care industry, it's often only referred to as a humectant that shows up in serums, face masks, lip balms, body products, and so much more.

"Hyaluronic acid is a naturally occurring type of sugar that is produced by the body and found in the highest concentrations in our skin, connective tissue, and eyes," says board-certified dermatologist Jennifer Chwalek, M.D. "It functions to retain water, keep our tissues well lubricated, and our skin looking firm and youthful—and it can increase collagen production, which is another way it can help our skin as we age.”* 

In regards to the skin, it's a key molecule that helps keep your skin moisturized1, plump, and supple.* It works by attracting water and holding in the various layers of the dermis, so the water doesn't evaporate into the air around you (or what's known as transepidermal water loss).* It also works alongside other key parts of the skin barrier like collagen, ceramides, elastin, and so on.*   

To offset these changes, many will reach for richer topicals, more hydrating serums, and pamper their skin with hydration. All worthy endeavors, I might add. Certainly, I'm no stranger to drenching my face and body with balms, tinctures, and tonics.

But, you should also look into how you can support your natural hyaluronic acid levels. For starters, protect it from environmental aggressors like UV rays and pollution as best you can. But to help with the percentage that you lose inherently, you can supplement with hyaluronic acid.* Oral forms of hyaluronic acid have also been shown to support skin hydration4 and appearance.* The available evidence suggests that oral hyaluronic acid supplements are absorbed in the digestive tract and then migrate to the connective tissues5 that are most in need of more.*