Does a hyaluronic acid serum work for under-eye dark circles?

Does topical HA reduce under-eye dark circles?

Not that we can confirm. We found no randomized trial of a topical HA serum tested on dark circles against a placebo. The claims on shelves rest mostly on hydration and wrinkle data, not on darkness.

The closest topical trial signal reaches us secondhand. A literature review describes a randomized trial in 65 women with periocular wrinkles, where a 0.1% sodium hyaluronate formulation improved hydration and elasticity compared with placebo after 60 days review of topical HA. We saw this only as summarized there, so treat the figures as unverified.

Why topical HA has limits

Bottom line: topical HA probably works mostly at the surface. A 2025 systematic review says large HA molecules often struggle to pass the outermost skin layer, so the benefit is likely mostly surface hydration systematic review on HA at the cellular level.

Some brands use penetration-enhanced versions. An open-label study of a micronized HA facial cream reported significant hydration gains over 12 weeks, with a 38.9% rise at the final visit micronized HA cream study. It was sponsored, looked at the whole face rather than the under-eye, and the four-week figure is garbled in the version we read, so we rate it low-grade evidence.

The one dark-circle study, and why it is not an HA result

Bottom line: this study is promising but can't be credited to HA. A study of a novel under-eye formulation reported an average 47.94% reduction in under-eye hyperpigmentation after twice-daily use for six weeks, with no adverse effects observed periorbital dark circle study.

Where HA has real under-eye evidence: fillers

Bottom line: injectable HA has the strongest trial data for the under-eye area, but it treats hollowing, not surface color. In a multicenter randomized trial of 333 patients, 87.4% of treated patients were responders at month three, versus 17.7% of controls infraorbital hollows trial. The study was manufacturer-linked.

Fillers carry real risks. A 2024 framework paper lists mild effects such as swelling and bruising, persistent contour irregularities or a bluish tint, and rarer serious events including vision loss and granulomas lower eyelid dark circles framework. A real-world report notes that one HA filler was first approved for the under-eye area, including the tear trough real-world periorbital filler report. That is a device indication used by clinicians, not a claim a serum can borrow.

What to do with this

Bottom line: expect hydration at most from a topical serum, and judge it over weeks, not days.

• The trials we read ran six to twelve weeks, so give a serum that window before you decide.
• Oral HA is a separate category. A 150-person randomized trial measured cheek hydration over three months, not under-eye outcomes, so it cannot support under-eye claims oral sodium hyaluronate trial.
• If the goal is dark circles, a dermatologist can work out whether pigment, blood vessels, hollowing or shadowing is the driver, since each calls for a different fix.
• For more on how HA behaves in skin, see our hyaluronic acid guide.