‘Collagen’ has become one of those buzzwords that marketers have used increasingly to promote products and treatments across the dermatology and skin care product fields. But what is it and what does it do?
Let’s break it down
Collagen naturally occurs throughout the body and is made up of amino acids. In fact, it is the main structural component that determines how well our bodies retain their shape and firmness as we age – it actually makes up around 30% of the body’s total protein.
So that’s the basic science - what about the cosmetic benefits?
Collagen plays a huge role in the way our skin looks and feels, providing firmness and shape and assisting in giving a youthful appearance and ‘glow’. Collagen rests under the surface layer of the skin where it forms a scaffolding that, combined with elastin, helps the surface layer retain its structure and accommodate movement without wrinkling.
Like all bodily systems, collagen production slows down over time. Not only does the body make less of it as we age, but what does remain becomes weaker due to lack of support. As a result, it begins to break down, which can result in a variety of changes including wrinkles and sagging skin.
A lot of topical skincare products claim to contain collagen to help with skin appearance and health – is that true?
When topically applied in a cream or serum, collagen molecules are simply too large to penetrate the skin's surface, meaning you unfortunately can’t boost levels in the skin this way.
So can we increase or at least maintain our body’s collagen levels in other ways?
The good news is that there are numerous treatments available to assist in increasing the density of and strengthening your collagen layer. You may have heard of such treatments as Ultraformer III, Venus Viva or microneedling – as everyone is different and consequently have different needs, your practitioner will be best able to advise on which of these or else other treatment options will work best for you.