Hyaluronic acidplays an important role in the way your skin looks, feels, and functions. A natural complex sugar found in all mammals, it's a major component of the connective tissue matrix in the dermis—the dense, inner layer of skin beneath the epidermis. This matrix is made up of hyaluronic acid as well as two connective fibers—collagen and elastin.

By its nature, hyaluronic acid retains water like a sponge, absorbing more than 1,000 times its weight. This helps to attract and maintain water within the extra-cellular space, hydrating your skin and increasing its volume and density. Hyaluronic acid is also involved with the transport of essential nutrients to the skin's viable cells. Hyaluronic acid provides volume, helping to contribute to the skin's overall appearance.

As you age and your skin is exposed to environmental pollutants and the sun's ultraviolet rays, your cells gradually lose the ability to produce hyaluronic acid. Studies have shown that older skin typically has lower levels of hyaluronic acid than younger skin. As you age, your skin tissue becomes dehydrated and the collagen and elastin fibers lose their structure, resulting in a loss of skin volume and the formation of the facial wrinkles and folds that are common characteristics of aged skin.