National Hyaluronic Acid Day Date in the current year: January 21, 2024

Hyaluronic acid (HA) is one of the most effective hydrating skincare ingredients. It occurs naturally in the human body and can be found in connective, epithelial, and neural tissues. One of its most important biological functions is wound healing.

Hyaluronic acid was first obtained by Karl Meyer and John Palmer in 1934 from the vitreous body of bovine eyes. They wrote an article for the Journal of Biological Chemistry describing the unusual polysaccharide with an extremely high molecular weight. In the years that followed, several chemists worked on researching its structure.

In the second half of the 20th century, hyaluronic acid was discovered in different tissues and body fluids of various vertebrate animals, including humans. Scientists also found its clinical applications, mostly in treatment of joint diseases, ophthalmic surgery, and aesthetic medicine. The first biomedical product with hyaluronic acid, Healon, was approved by the FDA for use in eye surgery in 1983. Since then, the FDA has also approved hyaluronic acid as a treatment for joint diseases via injections.

Hyaluronic acid is widely used in skincare due to its ability to absorb and retain water. Thanks to this property, it can be found in many hydrating skin products such as moisturizers, serums, different types of facial masks, etc. When hyaluronic acid absorbs water, it swells to form a gel, making it an effective dermal filler. Due to this, hyaluronic acid is also extensively used in anti-age skin treatments.

Skincare products with hyaluronic acid are often recommended by beauticians and dermatologists because of their many benefits. They provide deep hydration and help skin retain moisture, reduce fine lines, improve skin elasticity and complexion, and soothe sensitive skin. Today, most moisturizing products contain at least some amount of hyaluronic acid, but if your skin needs deep hydration, you should look for products that are explicitly marketed as hyaluron-based.

National Hyaluronic Acid Day was launched in 2022 by La Roche-Posay, a popular dermatologist-recommended skincare brand owned by L’Oréal. The holiday aims to educate consumers on the hydrating and anti-age benefits of hyaluronic acid for every skin type and provide tips on how to use hyaluronic acid properly.

There are many ways to celebrate National Hyaluronic Acid Day. You can learn more about the skin benefits of hyaluronic acid and its derivatives, give hyaluronic acid products a try (many brands offer discounts to celebrate the holiday, and we suggest you make the most of these offers), and spread the word about the holiday on social media with the hashtags #NationalHyaluronicAcidDay and #NationalHADay.

By the way, National Hyaluronic Acid Day isn’t the only observance created by La Roche-Posay. The brand also founded National Acne Positivity Day, celebrated annually on September 1, to combat the stigma associated with acne and highlight the commonality of this skin condition.