The Effects of Hyaluronic Acid on Skin Health

As we age, skin health gradually evolves. Its structure and function change, its regenerative capacity decreases, and certain biological alterations may accumulate. These changes make the skin more fragile and more sensitive to certain diseases, including skin cancer.
In dermatological and aesthetic practice, injectable formulations based on hyaluronic acid are widely used to improve skin quality. Although they are generally well tolerated, their profound biological effects are most often assessed using subjective clinical observations. Therefore, quantitative scientific data is needed to better understand their effects on the skin.
This study aims to determine whether a hyaluronic acid-based formulation induces measurable changes in biomarkers associated with skin health and the activity of fibroblasts, which are important cells for skin regeneration. It also examines whether these biological changes are accompanied by internal modifications of the skin structure.
In each participant, three skin areas located on the lower abdomen will be studied. One area will receive an injection of the medical device, a second will receive a needle insertion without injection, and a third will receive no intervention. The allocation of interventions to the areas will be done like a random draw, comparable to a coin toss. The participant will know which interventions are performed and on which areas, while the evaluators will not.
The study includes three visits over approximately six weeks. Non-invasive examinations as well as three skin biopsies of 3 mm will be performed. There is no direct benefit expected for the participants. The risks are mainly local and temporary. Overall results will be communicated in a summary understandable to the general public after the end of the study.

The intervention studied in this research project consists of the intracutaneous (in the skin) administration of a hyaluronic acid-based formulation, corresponding to the medical device STYLAGE® HydroMax, manufactured by Laboratoires VIVACY (Archamps, France). This is a certified medical device authorized in Switzerland, already used in dermatological practice.
Hyaluronic acid is a substance naturally present in human skin. It plays an important role in tissue hydration, skin structure, and the biological environment of skin cells. In dermatology and aesthetic medicine, hyaluronic acid-based formulations have been used for many years to improve certain aspects of skin quality, with a generally favorable tolerance profile well known to healthcare professionals.
In the context of this study, the medical device is administered by an intracutaneous injection, that is, into the skin. The administration is performed during a single session, at the beginning of the study, under controlled and standardized conditions.
The intervention does not aim to provide a direct therapeutic benefit to participants, but to scientifically and quantitatively evaluate the biological and structural effects of this intervention on healthy skin.

The skin is the largest organ of the human body and plays an essential role in protecting the body from external aggressions. It performs several important biological functions, including a barrier function, regulation of water balance, local immune defense, as well as the ability to repair and regenerate tissues after an aggression or injury. Skin health corresponds to the state in which these functions are maintained optimally, allowing the skin to retain its structure, resistance, and biological balance.
As we age, the structure and function of the skin may gradually evolve. Some biological processes become less effective, regenerative capacity decreases, and changes may appear at the level of skin cells and their supporting tissue. In particular, DNA repair mechanisms may become less efficient, leading to a gradual accumulation of cellular damage over time. These alterations make the skin more fragile, may modify its response to environmental aggressions, and increase its sensitivity to certain skin conditions, including, in the long term, skin cancer. Understanding these mechanisms is an important issue for dermatological research, even in the absence of declared pathology.
This study therefore focuses on the condition of healthy skin, to examine whether the administration of a hyaluronic acid-based formulation can induce measurable changes in biological markers associated with skin health. These markers are linked to the activity of certain skin cells, particularly fibroblasts, which play a key role in maintaining skin structure and in repair processes. The study also aims to determine whether these biological changes are associated with internal modifications of the skin structure, observable using non-invasive imaging techniques.
It is important to emphasize that this study does not aim to diagnose, treat, or prevent a disease. It is not directed at patients with a dermatological condition, but at healthy adult volunteers. The expected results are scientific in nature and aim to improve the understanding of the biological mechanisms of healthy skin, as well as the methods of objective assessment of skin health.
The knowledge generated by this research could contribute, in the long term, to the development of more precise methods for assessing skin health and to better understand the impact of certain interventions on its biology and structure.