Which injectable dermal filler material is a naturally occurring glycosaminoglycan?

The injectable dermal filler material that is a naturally occurring glycosaminoglycan is hyaluronic acid. It is also called hyaluronan, and it occurs naturally in connective, epithelial, and neural tissues.

Chemically, hyaluronic acid is a long, linear polymer made from repeating sugar pairs. Its negatively charged structure attracts and holds water, helping tissues retain volume and remain lubricated. Those properties make it useful in injectable fillers, where specially prepared forms are commonly cross-linked so they last longer than naturally circulating hyaluronan.

Dermal fillers do not all use the same material. Calcium hydroxylapatite, poly-L-lactic acid, and polymethylmethacrylate are other filler substances, but they are not glycosaminoglycans. The wrong options here are acids used in other cosmetic or dermatological contexts: lactic acid in exfoliation or biostimulation, glycolic acid as an alpha-hydroxy acid, and salicylic acid as a beta-hydroxy acid.

Hyaluronic-acid fillers are also distinctive because their effects can generally be reduced with hyaluronidase, an enzyme that breaks down hyaluronan.