Hyaluronic acid acts as a humectant, which means it retains water. “HA is a chain of carbohydrates that has the ability to hold up to 1,000 times its weight in water,” says David Kim, MD, MS, a board-certified dermatologist. "It's an ingredient that helps your skin look hydrated and plump."
There is not just one form of hyaluronic acid, it comes in different sizes that are able to penetrate different layers of the skin. “Each molecule is assigned a molecular weight, which is inversely related to how deeply the molecule can penetrate the skin,” says Rina Allawa, MD, a board-certified dermatologist with Schweiger Dermatology Group in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania. The smaller the molecule, the deeper it will penetrate the skin.
It may seem like you always want to choose hyaluronic acid with the lowest possible molecular weight, but that's not always the case. “High molecular weight hyaluronic acid serums are distinguished by their anti-inflammatory and soothing properties, as they form a firm membrane with the top layer of the skin,” says Allawh. A low molecular weight hyaluronic acid serum is likely to have a lasting anti-wrinkle and rejuvenating effect and works at the deeper levels of the skin. As you can imagine, a low molecular weight hyaluronic acid serum is able to lock in moisture in the connective tissue of the skin and, as a result, stimulate persistence effects.”
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