Objectives Hyaluronic acid (HA) is a hydrophylic polysaccharide of glycosaminoglycan type that plays various roles in human organism, including regulation od various biological processes and maintenance of homeostasis. The aim of this specialist paper is to assess the impact of topical application of HAon the appearance and health of the skin. Material and methods For the purposes of preparing this theoretical specialist paper, scientific databases papers and other with scientific sources and web sites with related topics were searched. The study included clinical studies examining the effect of HA on processes affecting skin appearance and health, as well as in vitro and in vivo studies explaining the mechanisms of the observed effects. Results Due to its hygroscopic features, HA acts as moisturizer, slows down the aging of the skin, and accelerates the healing of burns and other wounds. The size of HA molecules significantly affects the depth of its penetration into the skin, as well as the antiaging characteristics of topical hyaluronic preparations. HA significantly increases skin hydration and has a positive effect on skin elasticity and tone, as well as wrinkle reduction. Technological procedures such as micronization, encapsulation in liposomes or nanoparticles as well as combination with glycerol, Centella asiatica extract, N-acetyl glucosamine, gamma-amino butyric acid and human growth factor may increase the effect of HA on skin appearance and health. In clinical studies, HA has proven to be an effective agent for healing of several types of wounds such as burns, diabetic or venous ulcers.Beneficial effect of HA on wound healing has also been observed in combination of HA with silver sulfatiazine or silver ions. Several studies have confirmed that topical use low molecular weight HA results in an improvement in the symptoms of dermatitis, rosacea and stretch marks. Conclusion Topical use of HA contributes to skin health and slows down the aging process. HA shows beneficial and positive effects in the therapy of numerous skin diseases and conditions. Numerous studies confirm the effectiveness of HA in cosmetic and dermatological application.