Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate

What it is

Acetyl groups are attached to the hyaluronic acid chain, which makes the molecule slightly less water-loving and more inclined to stay on skin instead of rinsing away. Suppliers market it as "super hyaluronic acid" on the basis that it stays put longer and feels less tacky. It is used in leave-on essences and masks where substantivity matters more than raw water-binding.

What it does well

• Reduces the appearance of wrinkles over weeks of use

  A supplier study using profilometry and imaging reported filling of nasolabial folds six hours after application and a reduced wrinkle count over two months, alongside laboratory evidence of reduced matrix-degrading enzyme expression. The clinical arm was small and industry-run.

  Limited evidence

Worth knowing

• Most published evidence comes from the ingredient supplier

  The main study on this material was authored by the manufacturer's own research team. The chemistry is plausible and it is very well tolerated, but the effect size should be read cautiously.

  Matters most toAnyone choosing between this and standard sodium hyaluronate on a price difference.

Where the EU stands

Sources (1)

Every link goes to the original: a journal, a PubMed record or an EU document.

1. [1]
   The anti-wrinkles properties of sodium acetylated hyaluronate

   Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology · 2022 · doi:10.1111/jocd.14539

   Acetylated hyaluronic acid reduced matrix metalloproteinase gene expression in fibroblasts and, in a clinical evaluation, reduced nasolabial wrinkle count over two months.