Hyaluronic acid cosmetic products for self-application: Wasted money or effective?

From the age of 25, the skin loses hyaluronic acid, which leads to a loss of skin elasticity and the first wrinkles appear. When the first signs of skin ageing appear, people often start looking for "anti-ageing" cosmetic products and quickly come across numerous products containing hyaluronic acid on the internet. In consultations with patients, the hyaluronic fillers from Eucerin, L'Oréal or Filorga are often mentioned.

The function of hyaluronic acid and the effect of cosmetic products

Hyaluronic acid is a product produced naturally in the body that can bind water and is therefore an important molecule for the skin's moisture balance.

When using cosmetic products, the skin barrier means that in most cases not all hyaluronic acid molecules can penetrate deep into the skin where they are needed to replenish the hyaluronic acid lost. The differences in the size of the molecules and, accordingly, the mode of action of the corresponding products must be taken into account.

Nevertheless, superficial creams or serums with hyaluronic acid can also lead to an improvement in skin quality. In order to generate an actual effect, it is of course a prerequisite that the appropriate product is used regularly.

When are cosmetic products no longer enough?

When the ageing process is advanced, cosmetic products with hyaluronic acid alone are no longer sufficient to compensate for volume deficits, for example. In this case, hyaluronic acid is needed as an injectable filler product to replenish the desired volume in the depth of the skin.

The combination makes the difference

Cosmetic products with hyaluronic acid can be used in synergy with other wrinkle treatment procedures to achieve longer-lasting results.

Particularly in combination with wrinkle treatment with botulinum toxin A, studies have shown that the additional use of hyaluronic acid products can lead to a prolongation of the Botox result, as wrinkles only reappear later due to the additional moisturisation of the skin.

Cosmetic products with hyaluronic acid are therefore recommended in combination with wrinkle injections with hyaluronic acid or wrinkle treatments with botulinum toxin A in order to achieve a synergistic effect.