Hyaluronic acid: the secret to youthful skin and healthy joints

19 March 2025

Hyaluronic acid (C14H21NO11)n is an essential component of the connective tissues of the human body and mammals in general, with an incredible specialization: it can retain up to a thousand times its weight in water. Thanks to its high solubility in water, it is widely used in the fields of medicine, pharmacology, and aesthetics. Its versatility makes it a key element in numerous treatments and products, contributing to improving quality of life.
From a chemical perspective, hyaluronic acid is a glycosaminoglycan made up of repeating units of glucuronic acid and N-acetylglucosamine. This structure gives it the remarkable ability to retain water, making it a vital moisturizer for skin and joint health. Although naturally produced by the body, the concentration of hyaluronic acid in tissues decreases with age, leading to increased skin dryness and a loss of elasticity.

Use in medicine and pharmacology

Hyaluronic acid is widely used in various medical fields thanks to its lubricating, healing, and protective properties. Its ability to improve hydration and tissue regeneration makes it a valuable ally in numerous therapeutic treatments:

Orthopedics: used in intra-articular injections for the treatment of osteoarthritis, it helps reduce pain and improve joint mobility. Its viscosupplementation effect helps restore synovial fluid lubrication, improving joint comfort.

Ophthalmology: used in contact lens solutions and eye surgeries to protect tissues. In particular, it is used to treat dry eye syndrome and during cataract surgery to protect the cornea.

Dermatology and wound healing: applied to wounds, burns, and skin ulcers, it promotes tissue regeneration and reduces inflammation. Its healing properties make it a key ingredient in many advanced wound dressings.

Pharmaceuticals: often combined with collagen and antioxidants to enhance its effects, hyaluronic acid is the main ingredient in numerous supplements for joint and skin health, thanks to its ability to promote hydration and cellular regeneration.

Use in cosmetics and aesthetics

The cosmetics industry has widely leveraged the properties of hyaluronic acid, making it a key component in many skincare and beauty products.

Dermal fillers: hyaluronic acid injections are used to fill wrinkles, redefine facial volume, and improve skin elasticity. The treatment is minimally invasive and provides immediate results that can last for several months.

Moisturizing cosmetics: found in creams, serums, and masks, it helps retain moisture in the skin, giving it a more youthful and radiant appearance. Low molecular weight formulations penetrate deeper, while high molecular weight formulations create a protective barrier on the skin’s surface.

Hair treatments: used in some scalp care products, it helps maintain hydration and prevent dryness and hair fragility. It is particularly suitable for treating dry and damaged hair.

Aesthetic medicine: in addition to fillers, hyaluronic acid is used in treatments combined with lasers, radiofrequency, and chemical peels to improve skin tone and firmness.

Safety and sustainability

Hyaluronic acid is generally well tolerated by the body, as it is a molecule naturally present in human tissues. However, its formulations and applications must meet strict safety and quality standards to avoid adverse reactions or side effects.
With the growing interest in sustainability, biotech companies are developing more environmentally friendly production processes. While hyaluronic acid was once extracted from rooster combs and bovine eyes, today it is mainly produced through bacterial fermentation, an innovative biotechnological technique that uses genetically modified microorganisms to synthesize the molecule.
This method offers numerous advantages: the resulting product is highly pure, reducing the risk of contamination and allergic reactions; the absence of animal-derived ingredients makes it a more ethical choice, especially appreciated by consumers who prefer cruelty-free or vegan products; in addition, bacterial fermentation allows for large-scale production in shorter times, making the process more efficient and sustainable.

At the end of the fermentation process, the produced hyaluronic acid is purified to remove bacterial residues and then subjected to strict quality controls to ensure compliance with the standards required in the cosmetic, medical, and food industries, thus guaranteeing a safe, effective product suitable for all its applications.