Women's Health February 26, 2026 0 Comments

Unlock the Secret Weapon Dermatologists Swear By: How Hyaluronic Acid Could Transform Your Hair in 2026!

Ever wondered why your scalp, that often-overlooked cousin of your skin, deserves the same VIP treatment as your face? Well, 2026 just might be the year we finally give it the glow-up it’s been begging for. Enter the “skinification” of hair—a fancy way of saying we’re treating our scalp like the delicate, moisture-loving skin it really is. And if you’re thinking, “Great, another skincare gimmick,” hold up—this is different. Hyaluronic acid, that magical little moisture magnet from your favorite serums, is stepping up as the hydration hero for your hair and scalp, especially when winter’s dry grip is wrecking havoc on your strands and leaving your scalp feeling like the Sahara. If that itchy, flaky scalp has been driving you nuts (guilty as charged), stick around, because adding hyaluronic acid to your haircare routine could be the game changer you didn’t know you needed. Ready to give your scalp the TLC it truly deserves? LEARN MORE

4 min read

2026 is all about the skinification of hair. And, hey: It makes sense. After all, your scalp is an extension of your skin and deserves equal TLC to your face and body—and the easiest place to start is with hyaluronic acid for hair.

The popular skincare ingredient can be used year-round, but hyaluronic acid is especially helpful during colder months. Snow outside. like during your alpine activities and indoor heat pulls moisture out of the scalp and hair, leading to dryness, flaking, and dull hair, says board-certified dermatologist Dara Spearman, MD. “Hyaluronic acid gives an extra boost of hydration and can help keep your scalp comfortable and your hair soft as the seasons change,” she notes. So if your scalp is extra itchy and dry—ahem, that would be me—then incorporating hyaluronic acid into your hair care routine can help offer some extra relief.

Meet the Experts: Dara Spearman, MD, is a board-certified dermatologist at Radiant Dermatology Associates in Indiana. Iris Rubin, MD, is a board-certified dermatologist and the co-founder of the haircare line SEEN.

What is hyaluronic acid for hair?

Hyaluronic acid is like a tall glass of water for your skin and hair. The clear liquid is a humectant, meaning it’s a moisture magnet that attracts and holds 1,000 times its weight in water, quenching your parched strands. “The same way hyaluronic acid provides hydration to the skin on our face, it calms dryness and irritation on the scalp and gives the hair a softer, healthier feel,” explains Dr. Spearman. She also recommends the ingredient to patients dealing with an irritated or dry scalp.

More Hyaluronic Acid For Hair Benefits

Unlike heavier oils and butters, which may weigh hair down (especially finer strands), hyaluronic acid is very lightweight and delivers much-needed moisture without making the scalp or hair feel heavy or greasy, Dr. Spearman notes. You also won’t have to worry about excessive product buildup, meaning you can wave goodbye to stringy next-day hair.

According to our experts, other benefits of hyaluronic acid for hair include

Soothing inflammation and dry, tight scalps
Hydrating brittle strands by improving the hair’s surface hydration
Combating frizz and static (goodbye hat hair!)
Ensuring your hair is shinier, healthier, and feels more manageable

Can I use face hyaluronic acid on my scalp?

You can apply any hyaluronic acid face serum to your hair or scalp in a pinch, but it’s not ideal, cautions Iris Rubin, MD, a board-certified dermatologist and the co-founder of SEEN. “Haircare products are formulated with the right texture, spreadability, and supporting ingredients to work effectively on the scalp and hair fiber,” she says. “Facial formulations may be too sticky to spread easily on the hair, too light, or lack ingredients that help seal in moisture on hair.” Bottom line: You’re going to want to look for a product that’s specifically formulated for use on your hair (great news: I found some awesome ones below).

Which hair type will benefit most from hyaluronic acid?

Dry, coarse, and curly hair types tend to benefit the most because they naturally struggle to retain moisture, says Dr. Rubin. Hyaluronic acid also works well for fine or medium hair that needs hydration without heaviness. Anyone experiencing seasonal dryness or scalp tightness may also see relief from its humectant properties.

Best Hyaluronic Acid Products For Hair of 2026

Instead of making your precious hyaluronic acid face serum do double duty, opt for these expert-recommended, editor-tested haircare products for a healthier scalp and mane.

Flake-Free Scalp

CeraVe Anti-Dandruff Hydrating Shampoo

Now 22% Off

Easy on your wallet and itchy scalp, this dandruff shampoo suds into a soft, dense foam that rinses away without any residue, notes our beauty contributor Parizaad Khan Sethi.

A 1% concentration of pyrithione zinc eliminates flakes, while ceramides restores your scalp’s protective barrier and hyaluronic acid ensures your strands are moisturized. There’s also niacinamide to help balance oil production and salicylic acid to loosen up your scalp’s dead skin cells.

Best For Intense Hydration

amika Hydro Rush Intense Moisture Mask

The entire amika Hydro Rush collection is a staple in my wash day routine, but if I could only repurchase one product from the line it would definitely be this hair mask.

Hyaluronic acid attracts hydration to make my curls pop, while squalane and polyglutamic acid prevent moisture loss. It’s a little thick, but doesn’t leave behind unsightly globs of product on my hair. Plus the amber vanilla scent is positively sublime—can I get this bottled up into a body mist, stat?

Read more: Best Hair Mask

The Healthy Hair Award Winner

Nécessaire The Scalp Serum

“This daily scalp serum helps to support hair growth and minimize hair thinning. The green tea extract in the formula keeps your scalp itch- and flake-free,” celebrity hair colorist Meri Kate O’Connor said in our 2023 Healthy Hair Awards package.

It also earned snaps from Dr. Spearman because it leaves the scalp more hydrated and less itchy and less flaky with consistent use. She also appreciates that the gentle serum is safe for those with sensitive skin. Plus, it’s lightweight and doesn’t leave behind residue.

How long should I leave hyaluronic acid on my scalp?

It actually depends on the type of hyaluronic acid haircare product you use.

Shampoos and conditioners with hyaluronic acid help moisturize your hair on wash days, making them ideal for maintenance. The CeraVe Anti-Dandruff Shampoo can be left on for up to 4 minutes to help remove flakes, while the amika Hydro Rush Intense Moisture Hair Mask requires a quick 5 to 10-minute weekly commitment.
Leave-in treatments or serums have longer contact with the skin or hair, so they usually give deeper hydration and longer-lasting softness, says Dr. Spearman. You can squeeze Nécessaire Scalp Serum’s bulb and directly apply the serum to your dry or damp hair once daily.

What does this mean for you? Since rinse-off and leave-in formulas are both effective, you can incorporate hyaluronic acid-infused products into your entire hair routine to ensure moisture at every step.

Ultimately, you’ll have to be realistic about how much hydration your tresses actually need before fully committing to purchasing a new routine. FWIW, we stand by each and every product recommendation in this feature—and throughout our beauty shopping guides. Might we interest you in the genius of red light therapy for hair growth and vitamins for hair growth?

How long will it take to notice a difference?

You’ll likely notice relatively fast relief from an itchy scalp and hydration after using our editor-vetted picks. While we’re into the hair-soothing and softening benefits of hyaluronic acid, Dr. Rubin points out that it’s a common misconception that hyaluronic acid repairs damaged hair.

“It doesn’t repair structural damage; it hydrates the surface of the strand and scalp, which can make hair look healthier, but it’s not a substitute for strengthening ingredients,” says Dr. Rubin. If weak strands are an issue, we’ve got you covered with our guide to the best strengthening shampoos that are dermatologist-approved and tested by Women’s Health editors.

What’s the bottom line?

Whether you’re dealing with a dry, flaky scalp or your parched strands could use extra moisture, hyaluronic acid for hair deserves a spot in your routine. It’s a skincare-grade ingredient that leaves

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Nicole Saunders is the beauty editor at Women’s Health and has nine years of experience researching, writing, and editing lifestyle content. She specializes in breaking down complicated topics, like red light therapy for hair growth and LED face masks, into easy-to-understand guides. Saunders takes great pride in heavily researching and testing featured beauty products, such as strengthening shampoos and body washes for dry skin on our site.
Previously, she was the beauty editor at Best Products where she tested quite literally thousands of launches for her quarterly column and the Best New Beauty Awards package. She also launched the beauty and wellness coverage at NBC News and contributed to CNN, Cosmopolitan, Billboard, The Hollywood Reporter, and Harper’s BAZAAR.
You can follow her on Instagram to stay in the loop on her product testing adventures.

Brian Underwood is beauty director at Women’s Health, where he oversees content strategy for the brand across all platforms, including digital, print, and social. Underwood previously served as beauty and wellness director at Oprah Daily and O, The Oprah Magazine. During his tenure leading beauty content for the Oprah brand at Hearst, stories Underwood commissioned were awarded the Skin Cancer Foundation Media Award and a Fragrance Award for Editorial Excellence (his second). He was the launch Beauty Director of Dr. Oz THE GOOD LIFE, and has held additional editorial positions at Fitness, Organic Style, Good Housekeeping, Life & Style Weekly, and Woman’s Day and has written for Self, Shape, Seventeen, Redbook, Cosmopolitan, and many more. Underwood previously served on the Skin Cancer Foundation’s gala committee and as partnerships director of the Trans Beauty Clinic, a New York-based charitable organization that provided beauty services and workshops to the city’s trans community.