Complete Guide To Collagen In Skin Care

It’s no secret that collagen in skincare is the important thing to a youthful-looking complexion. This structural protein gives much-needed help and stability to maintain the pores and skin agency, plump and springy. Sadly, the physique’s retailer of collagen quickly declines as we age. Learn on to study what collagen does for the pores and skin, the several types of collagen, plus the advantages of collagen and the way it can hold pores and skin trying ageless.

What Is Collagen?

Collagen is a smaller type of protein that helps to construct our tissues and organs, together with our bones, muscle tissues, pores and skin and even tooth. This structural protein will get its title from the Greek phrase “kolla,” that means glue (a useful trace for the function it performs within the physique). Collagen is what binds our cells and tissues collectively, serving to them retain their form, elasticity and energy.

The vast majority of collagen is discovered and produced within the dermis (the pores and skin’s second layer). Right here, fibroblasts synthesize strands of collagen which appear like lengthy braids or ropes. In line with SELF: “Particular person amino acids hyperlink as much as type lengthy chains, which bundle collectively to type thicker strands. These strands then twist and coil round one another to type triple helices. Lastly, these helices join finish to finish and stack on high of one another to type clusters referred to as fibrils.” These fibrils type a collagen community that offers the pores and skin its underlying construction and help.

3 Kinds of Collagen

There are 28 sorts of collagen discovered within the physique, however Kind I, II and III are probably the most plentiful. These three varieties represent as much as 90 % of the physique’s complete collagen provide. Right here’s a breakdown of how they differ:

Collagen Kind I

Kind I is the commonest kind of collagen and gives structural help for our bones, organs and connective tissues (together with the pores and skin). It’s extremely elastic and might stretch significantly with out breaking. In actual fact, an MIT study discovered that Kind I collagen fibrils are 5 to 10 instances stronger than metal. 

Collagen Kind II

Kind II collagen is the constructing block of cartilage. In contrast to Kind I collagen which is neatly organized, Kind II varieties extra of a jumble. This association provides cartilage its versatile, springy high quality which permits it to simply compress and cushion our joints. 

Collagen Kind III

Kind III collagen is most concentrated in bone marrow and lymph tissues. Its slender fibers are organized in branches that present help for specialized cells concerned in blood cell technology. It’s usually discovered alongside Kind I collagen within the pores and skin and performs a key function in wound restore.

What Does Collagen Do For Pores and skin?

Collagen is probably the most plentiful protein within the pores and skin, and for good motive. This structural protein gives energy, help and elasticity to maintain the pores and skin agency, plump and youthful. Right here’s a more in-depth take a look at how collagen advantages the pores and skin.

Gives Help & Construction

Collagen fibers bind tissue collectively. With their sturdy, braid-like composition, they operate very like sturdy columns that maintain up and help the highest layer of pores and skin. Once you’re younger, these columns present the steadiness and rigidity that hold your pores and skin tightened and lifted. This sturdy basis retains your pores and skin’s youthful form intact. Sagging pores and skin is a pure a part of the growing old course of as pores and skin loses elasticity and collagen manufacturing. 

Watch this In The Combine video to study what merchandise to make use of to assist carry, tighten and agency sagging pores and skin.

Retains Pores and skin Agency & Plump

Together with elastin and hyaluronic acid, collagen is discovered within the dermis, the center layer of pores and skin that offers it quantity, density and bounce. Collectively, these supplies type a decent, versatile collagen community that retains pores and skin agency, plump and supple. When plentiful, collagen retains the pores and skin from sagging and prevents the folding and creasing that contributes to wonderful traces and wrinkles.

Improves Elasticity

That spring and bounce you see in youthful pores and skin? Credit score that to collagen. Along with preserving your complexion agency and plump, collagen improves the pores and skin’s flexibility and elasticity. This not solely helps stop the formation of wrinkles, it additionally reduces the looks of stretch marks and cellulite. 

Why Do We Lose Collagen?

The pores and skin accommodates an abundance of collagen after we’re younger, however with age it begins to say no. Dr. Hooman Khorasani, a triple board-certified, fellowship-trained beauty and pores and skin most cancers surgeon primarily based in New York, tells us: “Our pores and skin has a wonderful stability between collagen manufacturing and collagen breakdown. It might take as much as six months for collagen to get synthesized in our physique. As we grow old, corticosteroids are inclined to halt the manufacturing of recent collagen and speed up the breakdown of recent collagen.” Publicity to environmental stressors accelerates this course of even additional. Unhealthy way of life habits (like smoking and high sugar intake) in addition to stress, air pollution and blue gentle UV rays trigger free radical injury that hastens collagen depletion. By the point we hit our twenties, we lose roughly one % of collagen yearly. 

The Outcome: Seen Indicators Of Getting older

Once we lose extra collagen than we produce, the seen indicators of growing old shortly begin to emerge. Weakened collagen can’t present much-needed structural help and as collagen ranges drop, our pores and skin turns into thinner, begins to droop and develops wonderful traces and wrinkles.

As SHAPE explains, “When collagen is powerful, your pores and skin bounces proper again. But when collagen is weak, repeated actions trigger everlasting creases. Pores and skin doesn’t have sufficient collagen to fill within the groove, so that you see a line even once you’re not squinting or furrowing, and it not has the identical density to withstand gravity.”

Elements That Stimulate Collagen Manufacturing

With collagen’s quite a few advantages for the pores and skin, it’s no surprise it’s a hyped ingredient that has begun to pop up in skincare. Nevertheless, collagen in skincare isn’t fairly so simple as tacking it on to an ingredient checklist. Learn on to study why.

The Downside With Measurement

The largest (pun meant) downside with collagen is its measurement. Dr. Joshua Zeichner tells The Zoe Report: “Pure collagen molecules are too giant to truly be absorbed by the physique as-is.” As a result of their measurement, these useful proteins can’t penetrate the pores and skin. As an alternative, skincare specialists advocate utilizing topical therapies that embody components like peptides, retinol and Vitamin C which stimulate and defend your pores and skin’s pure collagen manufacturing.

Peptides

To bypass the sizing subject, many topical therapies comprise collagen peptides. These smaller chains of amino acids are extra simply absorbed by the pores and skin as a result of they’ll cross by way of the outer layer of the pores and skin. After they attain the dermis, peptides present the pores and skin’s fibroblasts with the constructing blocks they should produce new collagen. By making use of peptides by way of skincare merchandise, we will really trick the pores and skin into making extra of this important protein. 

Retinol

Retinol is one other topical ingredient that stimulates collagen synthesis within the pores and skin. In line with SHAPE, “Each retinoic acid and retinol ‘activate’ genes and cells concerned in collagen manufacturing. Additionally they assist arrange new and present collagen.” 

Vitamin C

Antioxidants like Vitamin C pull double obligation and stimulate collagen manufacturing in addition to defend it from depleting sooner or later. Vitamin C not solely prompts the pores and skin’s fibroblasts to supply new collagen, it additionally stabilizes the collagen you have already got, serving to pores and skin keep agency, plump and youthful-looking for longer. Search for peptide serums that pair properly with antioxidants with Vitamin E and ferulic acid. Analysis reveals that these vitamins amplify Vitamin C’s effectiveness eight-fold!

Are you able to discover the advantages of collagen skincare in merchandise just like the Marine Flower Peptide Assortment? Learn extra about peptide skin care products and schedule a session with a licensed esthetician at an Eminence Organics Spa Partner near you.

This text was initially written by Alisha Whitley in October 2019.