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Is Hyaluronic Acid Safe Around Eyes?

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Hyaluronic acid is a very popular skincare ingredient that’s commonly found in anti-aging serums, eye creams, and moisturizers. But, is it safe for use around the eyes?

Is Hyaluronic Acid Safe Around Eyes?

Hyaluronic acid is safe to use around the eyes, but I personally recommend avoiding it if you have sensitive skin.

This is because HA can pull water from deeper layers of your skin into the outer layers, which can cause irritation in some people.

If you have sensitive skin, I’d recommend using a fragrance-free moisturizer instead.

I have been using hyaluronic acid (HA) products for years, and the main area I use them is around my eyes. HA has never caused me any problems in that region.

It’s a very gentle ingredient and it hydrates without irritation. In fact, many eye creams include HA as an active ingredient to help reduce the look of fine lines and wrinkles by providing moisture to the skin.

Yes, HA helps plump up the skin, but it doesn’t cause irritation or make your eyes puffy.

However, some people do have a sensitivity to any product used around their eyes, so if you experience any redness or irritation after applying an HA product there, stop using it immediately.

If you have dry eyelids or dry skin around your eyes more generally, you can use HA products on those areas without issue (as long as you’re not sensitive to them).

How Does Hyaluronic Acid Work  Around Eyes?

Hyaluronic acid (HA) helps keep skin plump, hydrated, and smooth.

In fact, it’s actually a natural part of our skin cells, but unfortunately, as we age it starts to break down. And that can lead to sagging around the eyes.

Luckily, topical HA can be an easy fix!

Hyaluronic acid is a wonderful ingredient that is beneficial for dry skin and has anti-aging properties.

It can hold up to 1000 times its weight in water, which makes it an excellent moisturizer.

It also protects the skin from harmful UV rays by producing more antioxidants.

Hyaluronic Acid can be used with other active ingredients like vitamin C or retinol to reduce fine lines, wrinkles, and sagging skin around your eyes.

Will Hyaluronic Acid Help With Eye Puffiness?

It’s a popular ingredient in eye creams and serums that claim to reduce puffiness and dark circles. And it’s good at reducing puffiness.

But it’s not actually treating the cause of puffiness, which is fluid accumulation from allergies or lack of sleep.

If you have puffy eyes, you’re better off trying an antihistamine or getting an early night’s sleep rather than applying hyaluronic acid cream!

Can You Use Hyaluronic Acid Around Your Eyes If You Wear Contact lenses?

For the most part, yes, you should be able to use hyaluronic acid around your eyes (and on your under-eyes) even if you wear contacts.

However, there are some important caveats to keep in mind before you reach for the HA serum.

“All contact lens wearers should avoid applying makeup or any other product directly onto their lenses to avoid contamination,” said Dr. Shilpa Rasswani Mahoney, an optometrist, and spokesperson for Alcon.

If someone is using eye drops or ointments that might contaminate their lenses, they should remove their lenses prior to application and wait at least 15 minutes after applying before inserting them again.

As long as an ocular cosmetic is applied away from the portion of the eye that will be covered by the contact lens itself (which is typically toward the inner corner of the eye).

Are Hyaluronic Acid Creams Effective?

The short answer is yes. Hyaluronic acid creams can help significantly improve your skin and slow down aging by boosting hydration levels, improving circulation and strengthening the skin barrier as well as providing antioxidant benefits.

The most important thing to keep in mind is that not all hyaluronic acid creams are created equal.

Many contain ingredients that actually strip skin of moisture (such as sodium lauryl sulfate), so be sure to read ingredient labels carefully!

Does Hyaluronic Acid  Make Your Eyes Look Bigger?

Many people believe that hyaluronic acid injections can cause the eyes to look bigger, but this isn’t the case.

Since hyaluronic acid is injected underneath the skin to add volume and plump up wrinkles, it’s often assumed that it will also fill out the hollows beneath the eyes and make them appear larger.

But the truth is that hyaluronic acid injections won’t change the size of your eyes.

The only thing you might notice is a reduction in under-eye puffiness, which will give a temporary appearance of slightly larger eyes.

How To Apply Hyaluronic Acid Around Eyes Safely

One place where this ingredient is especially helpful is under the eyes.

The area around your eyes can be one of the most sensitive areas on your face and often requires some extra care.

If you want to add hyaluronic acid underneath your eyes, we have some tips for you.

1. Start slow

The first thing that you need to know about using hyaluronic acid around your eyes is that it’s important to start out slowly.

This is because your eyes are extremely sensitive and can react badly if you apply too much too fast.

It’s better to start by applying the acid once every other day until it becomes part of your routine than getting carried away with it right off the bat and having red, irritated eyes as a result.

2. Apply moisturizer first

Your first step should always be to apply a moisturizer to the skin around your eyes, says Dr. Zeichner.

He recommends using a cream that contains ceramides, like CeraVe Moisturizing Cream ($14) Before applying, gently warm up the product between your fingertips by rubbing them together. This will help it absorb more easily into the skin.

3. Use a pea-sized amount

A little hyaluronic acid goes a long way, so you only need about a pea-sized amount for both eyes, Dr. Zeichner says. “If you have thin skin around your eyes, use just half of that amount.”

4. Be gentle

After you’ve applied your moisturizer and hyaluronic acid, use light pressure to pat the products into the skin with your fingertips until they are fully absorbed, Dr. Zeichner says. “You don’t want to tug on this delicate area,” he explains.

5. Don’t put it too close to your eyes

It’s called eye cream for a reason — while hyaluronic acid is safe to use around the eyes, you want to keep it away from direct contact with your eyes.

6. Apply it at night

For the best results, apply your hyaluronic acid before bedtime. Since the body repairs itself while sleeping, products like hyaluronic acid (which does wonders for your skin) are better applied before a night’s rest.

7. Use it alone or with other treatments

You can use HA on its own or combine it with other active ingredients like retinol, vitamin C or AHA/BHA acids. The key is to just make sure you don’t layer products with conflicting pH levels (which we talk about here).

8. Make sure your skin is damp before applying

Hyaluronic acid absorbs moisture from the air around it and also attracts water from the lower layers of your skin to the surface. So you need to have a damp face when applying.

Final Thoughts

So is Hyaluronic Acid around the eyes safe or not? It’s all a matter of timing and dosage.

You don’t need to worry about short-term use and long-term effects, especially if you use a serum formulated with Hyaluronic Acid that has been polished to remove the small molecules known to cause skin irritation.

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